Dutch words that cannot be translated easily into English

There are quite a few Dutch words and phrases which do not really translate neatly into a single English word. Often, these words lack the same cultural nuance, atmosphere, or social meaning. Here are a few well-known examples:

1. Gedogen (to turn a blind eye)

If you consult a dictionary, you’ll find that the verb gedogen means “to tolerate” in English, as in the sentence “Veel Nederlanders gedogen duiven” (Many Dutch tolerate pigeons). But this particular use of gedogen is archaic and nowadays very rarely used, so it’s best to avoid it. 

When you read about the use of soft drugs, however, you’ll encounter another meaning of gedogen. Soft drugs, as you know, are illegal in the Netherlands, but the upholders (handhavers) of the Dutch law, aka the police, will turn a blind eye to their use. The Dutch express this kind of tolerance with the verb gedogen. 

The police and courts of justice will dole out harsh punishment to people who grow and sell cannabis, but they have a soft policy of tolerance (gedoogbeleid) for people who buy it for personal recreational use. This weird situation, where Dutch authorities turn a blind eye to drug use, can be described in a sentence: “Nederlandse autoriteiten zien het door de vingers” – literally: they see it through the fingers.

2. Gunnen (to grant, to concede)

According to the dictionary, gunnen means “to grant”, “to concede” or “to allow”, but the sentence “ho even, je moet de anderen ook wat gunnen” is translated as “hang on a minute, you must live and let live”. Literally, it means: “wait a moment, you must grant/allow the others something more”. 

The deeper meaning behind gunnen is: “I sincerely wish this for you”, “you deserve this” or “I am not really jealous”. In Dutch, gunnen sounds positive, but it contains an emotional layer that is lost in English. When people tell you they will gun you something, they may secretly be jealous of you.

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3. Uitwaaien (get a breath of fresh air)

After having participated in a long and dull meeting, you probably long for a moment of peace to still the turmoil in your mind. A Dutch person will then say: “hè, hè, even uitwaaien” (I really feel like a breath of fresh air). And when they return: “lekker uitgewaaid” (great to have cleared my head). 

The Dutch verb waaien literally means “to blow” as in: de wind waait door de straten (the wind is blowing through the streets). With the prefix uit (out), the verb uitwaaien implies that you’ll go outside to allow the wind to blow all your problems away. So when you need a moment to yourself, just mutter to your colleagues “even uitwaaien”, and you’ll see that they recognise your feelings and will give you a look of understanding.

4. Lekker

This word you must have heard many, many times a day in all kinds of contexts. Not one English word will cover all its meanings - that’s how versatile lekker is. Originally, lekker, which is etymologically related to the verb likken (to lick), means delicious and refers to the experience you have when tasting something yummy. 

But over time, lekker spread its semantic wings and, in this day and age, has a large variety of meanings:

• lekker slapen (sleep well)
• lekker weer (nice weather)
• lekker gewerkt (worked well)
• lekker bezig (doing a good job)
• lekker rustig (nice and quiet)
• je bent niet lekker (you’re out of your mind)
• ik voel me niet lekker (I don’t feel well)

Depending on the context, lekker can mean: nice, pleasant, enjoyable, satisfying, comfortable, and even sexy - as in “een lekkere jongen” (a sexy guy). But no single English word covers all those meanings.

5. Polderen (to solve problems using dialogue)

Polderen is a typical Dutch political and social concept. This activity implies endless consultation, seeking compromises and building consensus. In English, you have to explain this phenomenon with phrases like “consensus-based negotiation” or “stakeholder consultation culture”. 

The Dutch verb is related to the concept of “the polder model” and the polder, which carries an almost millennium-long historical and cultural baggage. A polder is low-lying land that has been drained and enclosed with dikes. All of the west, the centre and the north of the Netherlands consist of polder land. 

Polders are very fragile pieces of land which need to be governed by water boards. Whether you have a Dutch passport or not, everyone in the Netherlands must pay their taxes so that the water board can safeguard the dikes and provide fresh drinking water. 

The members of the waterboard are elected by the people living in the board's district. These democratically chosen members of the board assemble regularly and arrive at their decisions through compromise. They polder sometimes for months on end!

During his 2014 visit to the UN Climate Summit in The Hague, President Obama linked the polder model to the spirit of international cooperation. He also praised his reception in the Netherlands as being truly gezellig (cosy/convivial), another untranslatable Dutch word.

Discover more untranslatable Dutch words

There are many more untranslatable Dutch words, but I say, “Hè, hè”, meaning that these explanations were not easy. You’ll probably hear it a lot in the street, at your work and in the supermarket and be confused trying to figure out what people mean.

“Hè, hè” can be difficult to translate exactly because the tone is everything. Acting as a sigh of relief, the phrase could mean “finally”, “about time”, “phew” or “finally, we’re home”, depending on the context. Or in my case: “hè, hè, even uitwaaien” (I really feel like a breath of fresh air).