Dutch Idioms
A curated set of 70 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.
- hoe de vork in de steel zit — to understand the real situation or hidden mechanics of something. Literally: how the fork sits in the handle.
- over de brug komen — to hand over money or pay what is owed. Literally: to come over the bridge.
- met de Franse slag — to do something in a careless, sloppy, or half-finished manner. Literally: with the French stroke.
- in het water vallen — for a plan or undertaking to fail or fall through. Literally: to fall in the water.
- uit de voeten maken — to flee or scram hastily. Literally: to make oneself away with the feet.
- van de oude stempel — old-fashioned or adhering to outdated styles and ways of thinking. Literally: of the old stamp.
- er met een jantje-van-leiden van afmaken — to perform a task carelessly, half-heartedly, or in a slipshod manner. Literally: to finish it off with a little John from Leiden.
- met de nek aankijken — to regard someone with scorn or disdain; to look down on. Literally: to look at with the neck.
- bij de duivel te biecht gaan — to seek counsel or confide in someone who is untrustworthy, dangerous, or morally corrupt. Literally: to go to confession with the devil.
- hout snijden — to be convincing or logically sound; to hold up under scrutiny. Literally: to cut wood.
- water bij de wijn doen — to compromise or make a concession in a dispute or negotiation. Literally: to add water to the wine.
- de teerling is geworpen — an irrevocable decision has been made; the course of action is now set in motion. Literally: the die is thrown.
- alleen de rozijnen uitpikken — to select only the best or most desirable items while ignoring the rest. Literally: to pick only the raisins.
- een loopje nemen — to deceive or trick someone. Literally: to take a little loop.
- roet in het eten gooien — to spoil or ruin a plan, event, or situation by introducing an unwelcome disruption. Literally: to throw soot in the food.
- bij de les blijven — to remain focused and attentive; to keep one's composure. Literally: to stay at the lesson.
- voor dovemansoren — Said or done in vain; unheeded by those it is meant for. Literally: for deaf men's ears.
- in de wieg gelegd zijn — To have a natural talent or aptitude for something from birth. Literally: to be laid in the cradle.
- knollen voor citroenen verkopen — To swindle or defraud someone by passing off something worthless as valuable. Literally: to sell turnips for lemons.
- brood zien in — To view something as a viable or profitable business opportunity. Literally: to see bread in.
- in zijn oren knopen — To make someone pay close attention to what you are saying, implying they should remember it well. Literally: to tie into his ears.
- een lans breken — To take up someone's cause or defend a position publicly. Literally: to break a lance.
- de nek omdraaien — To kill or destroy someone or something, or to bring an end to a project or endeavor. Literally: to turn the neck around.
- weten waar Abraham de mosterd haalt — To be well-informed or knowledgeable about how things really work. Literally: to know where Abraham gets the mustard.
- schoon schip maken — To make a thorough reform of an organization by removing bad practices or undesirable people. Literally: to make clean ship.
- om zeep helpen — To kill or eliminate someone. Literally: to help around soap.
- gaten schieten in — To criticize someone or something harshly by pointing out flaws or contradictions. Literally: to shoot holes in.
- niet op zijn mond gevallen zijn — To be outspoken and forthright; to speak one's mind without hesitation. Literally: to not have fallen on one's mouth.
- tussen neus en lippen door — To say something in passing or casually, without emphasis or drawing attention to it. Literally: between nose and lips through.
- blijven zitten — To be held back a grade in school; to fail to advance to the next level of study. Literally: to remain sitting.
- op eigen benen staan — To be independent and self-sufficient; to support oneself without relying on others. Literally: to stand on one’s own legs.
- een tandje bijsteken — To intensify one's effort or increase the pace of activity; to move up a gear. Literally: to stick on a little tooth.
- van lotje getikt — To be crazy or eccentric; to be not quite sane. Literally: touched by a lottery.
- buiten de boot vallen — To be left out or excluded from a group or activity. Literally: to fall outside the boat.
- ga toch fietsen — A rude dismissal telling someone to go away. Literally: go cycling.
- in de wind slaan — To deliberately ignore or disregard something. Literally: to strike in the wind.
- niet veel soeps — Unimpressive or mediocre; not worth much. Literally: not much soup.
- niet veel zaaks — Unimpressive or mediocre; not worth much. Literally: not much business.
- in de kiem smoren — To nip something in the bud; to stop a problem before it grows. Literally: to smother in the germ.
- veel noten op zijn zang hebben — To be demanding or to offer many critical comments. Literally: to have many notes on one's song.
- voet bij stuk houden — To stand firm and refuse to give in to pressure or threats. Literally: to hold foot by stick.
- stoom afblazen — (Already vivid in English). Literally: to blow off steam.
- het heft in eigen handen nemen — To take control of a situation or seize the initiative. Literally: to take the handle in own hands.
- bittere pil — something unpleasant or difficult that one must accept. Literally: bitter pill.
- op zijn bord krijgen — to be assigned a task or burden. Literally: to get on one's plate.
- met de kippen op stok gaan — to go to bed very early, at sunset. Literally: to go to roost with the chickens.
- vuur met vuur bestrijden — to counter a harmful action using the same method or intensity. Literally: to fight fire with fire.
- uit de hand lopen — to become uncontrolled or chaotic. Literally: to run out of hand.
- achter slot en grendel — imprisoned or confined. Literally: behind lock and bolt.
- tussen de oren — in one's mind or thoughts. Literally: between the ears.
- in de clinch liggen — To be in conflict or at odds with someone. Literally: to lie in the clinch.
- een uur in de wind stinken — To smell extremely bad. Literally: to stink an hour in the wind.
- uit zijn plaat gaan — To lose control of oneself or go crazy. Literally: to go out of one's plate.
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