Dutch expressions and sayings that also exist in many other languages

In Dutch, people use many sayings and expressions. These are fixed phrases or words with a figurative meaning. That means you should not take them literally.

For example, when someone says "dat is appeltje-eitje" (that's apples-to-apples), it is not about food. It means that something is very easy.

Sayings and expressions are common because people used to speak a lot in images and examples from everyday life, such as food, work and nature. This made language more vivid and easier to remember.

Even today, expressions are important in Dutch culture. They make conversations more personal, clearer and sometimes funnier. That is why you often hear them in conversations, at work and in the media.

People live in different countries and speak different languages. Yet we often go through the same experiences. We feel happy, worry, are in a hurry, make mistakes or hope that things will turn out all right. Think of love, family, work, sadness, happiness or difficult choices. That is why it is not surprising that some expressions in different languages are similar.

But the words are not always the same. In Dutch, you sometimes use a different word than in Arabic or another language. But the meaning of the saying can be almost the same. That is exactly what makes expressions interesting. Languages can sound very different, even though people are trying to say roughly the same thing.

“Wie een kuil graaft voor een ander, valt er zelf in” (he who digs a pit for another falls in himself)

You use this expression when someone tries to do something bad to another person, but ends up getting into trouble because of it.

It means that anyone who wants to harm another person may ultimately become a victim of that harm themselves.

Example: Sam tries to get a coworker into trouble on purpose, but in the end, Sam gets a warning himself from his boss. In that case, you can say, “Wie een kuil graaft voor een ander, valt er zelf in” (he who digs a pit for another falls in himself).

“Beter 1 vogel in de hand dan 10 in de lucht” (a bird in the hand is worth more than two in the bush)

This expression means it is better to be content with what you have for sure than to wait for something better that might never come.

The message behind this is that something small you are sure of is sometimes better than something bigger that is uncertain.

Example: You have been offered a good job, but you are hesitating because you think you might be able to find a better one later. Your friend says, “Beter één vogel in de hand dan tien in de lucht” (a bird in the hand is worth more than two in the bush).

“Wie in een glazen huis woont, moet niet met stenen gooien” (people who live in glass houses should not throw stones)

You use this expression when someone criticises another person, even though that person has the same problem or makes the same mistake.

It means do not criticise others for something you do yourself

Example: Tom complains that his coworker is always late, but Tom is often late himself. In that case, you could say, “Wie in een glazen huis woont, moet niet met stenen gooien” (people who live in glass houses should not throw stones).

“Liefde maakt blind” (blinded by love)

This expression means that love sometimes makes it harder to see what is going wrong. You tend to focus on someone's good qualities and are less likely to notice their flaws or problems.

It means that when you are in love, you sometimes see someone differently and do not see everything as clearly.

Example: Sara notices that her friend keeps making mistakes, but she always defends her anyway because she loves her so much. In that case, you could say, “Liefde maakt blind” (blinded by love).

“Haastige spoed is zelden goed” (more haste, less speed)

This expression means that rushing can lead to more mistakes. Sometimes it is better to take your time and stay calm.

The message is that if you rush into something, it can go wrong.

Example: Omar wants to fill out a form quickly and ends up making several mistakes. His friend says, “Haastige spoed is zelden goed” (more haste, less speed).

“Wie zwijgt, stemt toe” (silence implies acceptance)

This expression means that if someone does not say anything, others sometimes assume that person agrees.

The message is that if you do not object, it may seem as if you agree.

Example: During a meeting, the manager asks if everyone agrees with the plan. No one says anything. Then someone might say, “Wie zwijgt, stemt toe” (silence implies acceptance)

“Spreken is zilver, zwijgen is goud” (speaking is silver, silence is golden)

This expression means that talking is sometimes a good thing, but that in some situations it is better to say nothing.

It means that sometimes it is wiser to remain silent than to speak.

Example: During an argument, Lina realises she is angry and might say something hurtful. She decides to say nothing for a moment. This is when the expression “Spreken is zilver, zwijgen is goud” (speaking is silver, silence is golden) can be used.

“Voorkomen is beter dan genezen” (prevention is better than cure)

This expression means that it is better to prevent a problem than to have to solve it later.

It means that if you take action in time, you can sometimes prevent a bigger problem from arising later on.

Example: Nadia has her car inspected regularly so that minor problems are caught early. This is when the expression “Voorkomen is beter dan genezen” (prevention is better than cure) can be used.

“Als de kat van huis is, dansen de muizen op tafel” (when the cat is away, the mice will play)

This expression means that people sometimes take more liberties when the person in charge is not around.

The message is that when nobody in charge is present, people sometimes do as they please.

Example: The boss is out of the office for a day. Some coworkers talk a lot and do not work as hard as usual. In that case, you could say, “Als de kat van huis is, dansen de muizen op tafel” (when the cat is away, the mice will play).

“Van een mug een olifant maken” (do not make a mountain out of a molehill)

This expression means that someone is making a small problem seem much bigger than it really is.

The message is that someone is making a big deal out of something small or blowing a minor problem out of proportion.

Example: Youssef’s coworker asked him to stop talking for just a moment, which led Youssef to think that his coworker did not like him. His coworker said, “Je maakt van een mug geen olifant” (do not make a mountain out of a molehill)

“Een ezel stoot zich niet twee keer aan dezelfde steen” (fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me)

This expression means that you should learn from your mistakes and not keep making the same mistake over and over again.

The message is that if something goes wrong once, you should learn from it and prevent the same thing from happening again.

Example: Last month, Ali forgot to pay a bill on time and was charged a late fee. Now he sets a reminder on his phone right away. This is when the expression “Een ezel stoot zich geen tweede keer aan dezelfde steen” (fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me) can be used.

“Schoenmaker, blijf bij je leest” (stick to what you know)

This expression means that you are better off sticking to something you know about.

The message is to have someone with experience or knowledge in that area do the task.

Example: Karim tries to fix a complicated computer problem on his own, but only makes it worse. In the end, an IT specialist has to fix it. Another coworker says with a laugh, “Schoenmaker, blijf bij je leest” (stick to what you know).

“Vele handen maken licht werk” (many hands make light work)

This expression means that a big job becomes easier when several people help.

The idea is that working together makes a difficult task easier.

Example: A family has to move. Family and friends come to help carry boxes and move furniture. Thanks to them, the work is done quickly. Then you can say, “Vele handen maken licht werk” (many hands make light work).

“De aanhouder wint” (persistence pays off)
This expression means that you can achieve something if you keep trying and do not give up easily.

The message is pretty much the same: if you keep practicing, working and trying, you will have a better chance of succeeding.

Example: Lina fails her driving test twice, but she keeps practising. The third time, she passes. Then you can say, “De aanhouder wint” (persistence pays off).

“Elk nadeel heeft zijn voordeel” (every cloud has a silver lining)

This expression means that an unpleasant or difficult situation can sometimes lead to something good.

The message is that something negative can, unexpectedly, also have a positive outcome.

Example: Samir misses the train to work. As a result, he takes a later train and runs into an old friend on the way whom he has not seen in years. In that case, you could say, “Elk nadeel heeft zijn voordeel” (every cloud has a silver lining).

“Twee vliegen in één klap slaan” (killing two birds with one stone)

This expression means that you can accomplish two things at once with a single action.

The message is that you do one thing and achieve two goals at once.

Example: Nora rides her bike to work. That way, she gets some exercise and saves money on transportation. You could say, “Ze slaat twee vliegen in één klap” (she kills two birds with one stone).

“Tijd is geld” (time is money)

This expression means that time is valuable. If you waste time, you could miss out on opportunities or lose money.

The message is that time is precious, and you need to use it wisely.

Example: Yassin needs to finish an important assignment. He decides to put his phone away and get right to work. In that case, you could say, “Tijd is geld” (time is money).

“Uit het oog, uit het hart” (out of sight, out of mind)

This expression means that sometimes you miss someone or something less, or think about them or it less often, if you have not seen that person or thing for a long time.

The message is that if someone is out of your life or out of sight for a long time, your connection or feelings for them may gradually fade.

Example: After Amir moved to another city, he spoke with his old friends less and less. In that case, you could say, “Uit het oog, uit het hart” (out of sight, out of mind).

In Dutch, this saying is also often used the other way around, to indicate that you do not stop caring about someone just because you do not see them anymore.

Example: Amir went to study abroad, but he kept in touch with his old friends. When he came back, it was as if he had never been gone. "Uit het oog, maar niet uit het hart" (out of sight, but not out of mind)."

“Boontje komt om zijn loontje” (karma catches up with you)

This expression means that a person ultimately faces the consequences of their own behaviour. If you do something bad or dishonest, it may come back to haunt you later.

The message is that what you do may ultimately come back to you.

Example: Someone keeps telling other people’s secrets. Later, someone else also tells their secret to someone else. Then you can say, “Boontje komt om zijn loontje” (karma catches up with you).

“Wie kaatst, kan de bal (terug) verwachten” (what goes around comes around)

This expression means that you can expect a reaction if you challenge someone, criticise them or do something against them.

The message is that if you start something, do not be surprised if the other person reacts.

Example: Barbara is always making snide remarks about his coworker. When his coworker responds, Daan gets angry. In that case, you could say, “Wie kaatst, kan de bal verwachten” (what goes around comes around).

“De appel valt niet ver van de boom” (the apple does not fall far from the tree)

This expression means that children often take after their parents. This can apply to their appearance, personality, behaviour or interests.

The message is that children often inherit traits or talents from their parents.

Example: Just like her mother, Mariam loves to paint and is good at it, too. In that case, you could say, “De appel valt niet ver van de boom” .

“Wat je zaait, zul je oogsten” (you reap what you sow)

This expression means that you will face the consequences later of what you do now. If you do something good, something good may come of it. If you do something bad, it may also have negative consequences later on.

The words and the message are almost the same: your behaviour and choices have consequences.

Example: Rami often helps his coworkers when they need it. Later, they help him when he is having a hard time. Then you could say, “Wat je zaait, zul je oogsten” (you reap what you sow).

“Smeed het ijzer als het heet is” (strike while the iron is hot)

This expression means that you should seize a good opportunity right away. If you wait too long, the opportunity might be gone.

This means that when the right moment comes, you have to take action.

Example: Sara has the chance to apply for a job at a company where she would love to work. The application deadline is tomorrow. Her boyfriend says, “Smeed het ijzer als het heet is en solliciteer vandaag nog” (strike while the iron is hot and apply today)

“Geen woorden, maar daden” (actions speak louder than words)

This expression means that what someone does is often more important than what someone says. Words may sound nice, but behaviour reveals what someone really means.

This means that your behavior shows better who you are and what you mean.

Example: Someone often says they want to help others, but never actually does. Someone else says very little, but always helps when needed. In that case, you can say, “Daden zeggen meer dan woorden” (actions speak louder than words).

“Stel niet uit tot morgen wat je vandaag kunt doen” (do not put off until tomorrow what you can do today)

This expression means that it is better to do something right away if possible. If you keep putting it off, it might become more difficult later, or might not happen at all.

This means do today what you can do today.

Example: Omar has to fill out an important form. He wants to put it off until tomorrow, but the deadline is approaching. In that case, you can say, “Stel niet uit tot morgen wat je vandaag kunt doen” (do not put off until tomorrow what you can do today).

“Oog om oog, tand om tand” (an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth)

This expression means that someone receives the same punishment or treatment that they inflicted on another person.

The message is that a person gets back what he or she has done to someone else.

Example: Someone deliberately damages another person’s belongings. That person then wants to return the favour. In that case, you can say, “Oog om oog, tand om tand” (an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth).

“Niet alles wat blinkt is goud” (all that glitters is not gold)

This expression means that something may seem nice, but in reality it is not.

This means that you should not just look at how something appears. Something may look beautiful, but it can still be disappointing.

Example: A job may seem very appealing because of the high salary, but it later turns out that the workload is very heavy. In that case, you could say, “Niet alles wat blinkt is goud” (all that glitters is not gold).

“Waar rook is, is vuur” or “Geen rook zonder vuur” (there is no smoke without fire)

This expression means that a rumor or suspicion sometimes has a basis in fact. If a lot of people are talking about something, there might be some truth to it.

The message is that if there are a lot of rumors or signs about something, there is sometimes a real reason for it.

Example: At work, several people are saying that the company is going to move soon. Nothing official has been announced yet, but someone says, “Waar rook is, is vuur” (there is no smoke without fire).

It is also often used in the context of relationships.

Example: I am not surprised those two broke up. They had been arguing a lot lately. "Waar rook is, is vuur" (there is no smoke without fire).

“De muren hebben oren” (the walls have ears)

This expression means you should be careful about what you say. Someone might be listening in, even if you think no one can hear you.

The message is to not talk too openly about secret or sensitive matters if others might be able to hear you.

Example: Two coworkers are talking about something confidential at the office. One of them says quietly, “Pas op, de muren hebben oren” (watch out, the walls have ears).