In December 2020, I looked at my screen with growing amazement. The reason? One of my own articles on Frankwatching.
Well, I write blogs more often
So often in fact Frankwatching that I was placed 7th in the Frankwatching Annual Review of the most read authors of 2020.
But never before Frankwatching has a blog of mine provoked so many reactions. The language difference between Flanders and the Netherlands is apparently a topic that many have an opinion about.
Frankwatching From the comments of my readers I Our phone number database are 100% Accurate and our data collect humans only. We have fresh valid and updated asia mobile number list 2024 Our phone number database You will get our Databases with 24/7 customer support. when you run campaign with our same database, than sure you can increase your business. However, our databases are taken from the database quality or quantity permissioned sites. actually learned 7 life lessons that can be very useful for Belgians in the Netherlands (and Dutch people in Belgium).
Lesson 1: In Belgium, vomit is rented
Henk van Anker shared an interesting fact about the differences between Belgians and Dutch people. In his commentary he talked about the kot, or what is called a student room in the Netherlands:
Did you know that “kot” is a real Belgian word? French-speaking Belgians also use this for a student room, while that is really not a French word. Funny how this has seeped through from Dutch to (Belgian) French.
Marieke also has something to say on this subject:
When I was once looking for a room in Flanders during my student days, I came across a note in a café among the pinned-up notes with small advertisements: ‘Vomit for rent’… hilarity all around!! (yuck)
What I wonder: will it have been clear to Flemish readers of that note what was meant? The official plural of ‘kot’ is namely ‘koten’. And in Flanders too, the word ‘kots’ simply means vomit. (My Flemish girlfriend recently demonstrated this when we had consumed a few too many Belgian beers during a two-person corona house party.)
Lesson 2: Never deny a Dutchman the opportunity to drink coffee
Reader Petra wrote the following:
Also a difference: at the opening of our store in Belgium we had a reception (from 14:00). We wanted to make coffee, but our partner said: no, we do wine (cava); all Belgian customers thought that was fine, but the Dutch who came wanted coffee first. So we made coffee first.
Lovely, that difference between the sober, Calvinistic Dutch and the Burgundian Belgians! ‘Straight to the drink? What wild extravagance!’ Petra’s Dutch customers must have thought. I wouldn’t be surprised if they expected a boring cookie with it. One cookie, no more. After all, serving multiple cookies could be seen as a sign of indomitable gluttony.
The only thing the Dutch go wild about is serving coffee. If necessary, ask for an oil drum full of coffee at a Dutch birthday party and it will be rolled into the room without asking. The Dutch like to drink coffee, let’s leave it at that.
Photo source: Grooveland Designs on Unsplash
Lesson 3: The Dutch attach importance to the weight of their house
When I talk about a building of 3 tons in Belgium, Belgians look at me with pity. They think I mean a building of 3,000 kilos. The concept of ton as a synonym for 100,000 euros is unknown to Belgians.
The above was written by reader Marco in the comments.
His remark sounds familiar and deserves a place in this list of differences between Belgians and Dutch people. I remember one of the first times my Flemish girlfriend was with my Dutch parents. At one point we were talking about house prices. My girlfriend asked us after a few minutes: ‘Why is the weight of a house so important in the Netherlands?’
Lesson 4: ‘Soon’ is not equally far in the future in every country
Jonathan taught me that it is wise not to just say ‘see you later’ to an acquaintance from another country:
Photo source: Stas Knop on Pexels
Lesson 5: Flemish people use the word they hate most every day
Since I started working for Belgian (mainly Flemish) clients a few years ago, I notice every day – another word that I occasionally come across in Flanders and almost never in the Netherlands – the fascinating, fun and sometimes funny nuances of language.
Christiaan W. Lustig mentions the word ‘dagdagelijks’ in this response. I hear this word almost daily here in Belgium. That is remarkable, because apparently many Flemish people have a considerable aversion to the word ‘dagdagelijks’. Just Google dagdagelijks ugliest word and you will get a long list of ugliest word elections in which ‘dagdagelijks’ emerged as one of the winners.
So, Flemish, can we finally stop using that word? Merci.
Lesson 6: Dirty words are not dirty everywhere
Marga van der Tol shared a personal anecdote with us:
In my youth we had a caravan in Belgium, in Turnhout to be precise. What struck me first was how many meanings are given to the word ‘aftrekker’ in Flanders. In the Netherlands we find an ‘aftrekker’ something dirty, but in Flanders you can flush the toilet with it, wipe the floor with it, and it has many more meanings.
Well, Marga, what sounds dirty to a Dutchman can be perfectly normal to a Flemish person. Those are the differences between Belgians and Dutch people. But I can also give an example the other way around. When I tell a Flemish person that his dog can poop in the park, he thinks I want to encourage his poodle to have sex!
Photo source: Goochie Poochie Grooming on Pexels
Lesson 7: Prepare for disappointment when applying for a job in Belgium
Following my previous article, I received an email from a language enthusiast named Eric with some astonishing language differences. One of the words he mentioned was ‘weerhouden’. This will be my last life lesson in this list of differences between Belgians and Dutch.
Eric writes:
“Weerhouden” means the opposite in Belgium and cayman islands telegram material the Netherlands. The Flemish meaning of this word is very strange, if you think about it. And I am Flemish, you have to remember!
To understand Eric’s remark, I had to delve into application terminology. What do you know? When a Flemish company tells an applicant: ‘You have not been retained’, it means that he did not get the job!
I agree with Eric: this sounds completely aob directory counterintuitive. Now I have to say that Dutch people never use the word ‘weerhouden’, but if we did use it, ‘niet weerhouden’ would mean that you did get the job.
I can imagine a dialogue between a Dutch person who has had a job interview at a Flemish company.
Dutchman: ‘You can tell me honestly: have I been accepted?’
Flemish company: ‘Sir, we will tell you straight away: you have not been selected.’
Dutch: ‘Fantastic! Thank you very much!’
Flemish company (confused): ‘Eh, you’re welcome?’
Differences between Belgians and Dutch: share your experiences
Are you a Belgian who has ended up in the country of your northern neighbors? Or are you a Dutchman living among the Belgians? Whatever your background, I am very curious about your experiences with the differences between Belgians and Dutch. Send me a message.
