Dutch Idioms
A curated set of 17 idioms in Dutch — literal translations, real meanings, and where each one comes from.
- Helaas, pindakaas — Too bad, nothing can be done about it. Literally: Alas, peanut butter.
- Nu komt de aap uit de mouw — The truth is finally revealed. Literally: Now the monkey comes out of the sleeve.
- Met de deur in huis vallen — To get straight to the point without any preamble. Literally: To fall with the door into the house.
- Iets voor een appel en een ei kopen — To get something for next to nothing. Literally: To buy something for an apple and an egg.
- De hond in de pot vinden — To arrive too late — the food, or the opportunity, is gone. Literally: To find the dog in the pot.
- Een appeltje met iemand te schillen hebben — To have a bone to pick with someone. Literally: To have a little apple to peel with someone.
- Iets onder de knie hebben — To have mastered a skill. Literally: To have something under the knee.
- Met de neus in de boter vallen — To arrive at exactly the right, lucky moment. Literally: To fall with your nose in the butter.
- Het regent pijpenstelen — It is raining very heavily. Literally: It's raining pipe stems.
- Iets met de Franse slag doen — To do it carelessly and half-heartedly. Literally: To do something with the French stroke.
- De kat uit de boom kijken — To wait cautiously before committing. Literally: To watch the cat out of the tree.
- Iets voor zoete koek aannemen — To swallow a story uncritically. Literally: To accept something as sweet cake.
- Met de gebakken peren zitten — To be stuck with the unpleasant aftermath. Literally: To be left with the baked pears.
- De koe bij de horens vatten — To tackle a problem head-on. Literally: To take the cow by the horns.
- Een appeltje voor de dorst — Savings put by for hard times. Literally: A little apple for the thirst.
- Met de mond vol tanden staan — To be tongue-tied and lost for words. Literally: To stand with your mouth full of teeth.
- De dans ontspringen — To narrowly escape trouble. Literally: To leap out of the dance.
Loading the full interactive collection…