Als vliegen achter vliegen vliegen, vliegen vliegen vliegen achterna.

Meaning: The same noun/verb homograph trap as the German version — vliegen does triple duty.

Language: Dutch

Literally: When flies fly behind flies, flies fly after flies.

Category: Tricky

Origin: A Dutch parallel to the German Fliegen twister, equally merciless.

More tongue twisters — Tricky

• 간장 공장 공장장은 장 공장장이고 된장 공장 공장장은 강 공장장이다. (Ganjang gongjang gongjangjang eun Jang gongjangjang igo, doenjang gongjang gongjangjang eun Gang gongjangjang ida.) — A 'gong/jang/gang' syllable storm — the two surnames (Jang/Gang) swap while the rest stay…
• How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? — A 'w/ch/ck' drill that accelerates comically — and nobody really knows the answer.
• خالد خلّى خلال خاله في الخلاء. (Khālid khallā khalāl khālih fī al-khalāʾ.) — A rapid-fire 'kh' (خ) drill — the throaty fricative that non-Arabic speakers find uniquel…
• Khadak Singh ke khadakne se khadakti hain khidkiyan, khidkiyon ke khadakne se khadakte hain Khadak Singh. — A 'kh/kh/kh' recursive loop — each clause triggers the other, like a rattling chain react…
• Şu çam sakızı çan sakızı olmuş, çan sakızı şan sakızı olmuş. — A 'ş/ç/şan/çan' duel — Turkish's two close sibilants at war with each other.
• Pecyn o bersli heb ei brisio, prisio'r persli heb ei becynnu. — A 'p/b/pr/br' mutation drill — Welsh initial consonant mutations mean the same root sound…

More Dutch tongue twisters

• De kat krabt de krullen van de trap. — A 'kr' cluster drill — Dutch consonant pileups that beginners approach with dread.

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