PROVERBS AND EXPRESSIONS

*Aan iemands lippen hangen

Literal Translation: Clinging onto someone's lips

Meaning: Being very attentive to someone's storytelling

*Aan lager wal raken

Literal Translation: To arrive on the downwind side of the lake

Meaning: To fall into povertyEnglish 

equivalent: "To go downhill, to be thrown on one's beam-ends."

*Achter het net vissen

Literal Translation: "To fish behind the net"

Meaning: "to be too late for having success, doing things without result"

*Als de kat van huis is, dansen de muizen (op tafel).

Literal Translation: "When the cat is away from home, the mice dance (on the table)"

Meaning: "Grabbing the opportunity when nobody watches"

English equivalent: "While the cat's away, the mice will play".

*Als een kip zonder kop.

Literal Translation: "Like a chicken without a head"

Meaning: "To act like a fool"

*Beter één vogel in de hand dan tien in de lucht

Literal Translation: "Better one bird in the hand than ten in the sky"

English equivalent: "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush".

*Beter een goede buur dan een verre vriend

Literal Translation: "Better a good neighbour than a distant friend"

Meaning: It is better to be friendly with a neighbour, than having a friend who is too far away to be there for you"

*Beter laat dan nooit.

Literal translation: "Better late than never"

Meaning: It's better to arrive late than never.

English equivalent: "Better late than never"

*Beter ten halve gekeerd dan ten volle gedwaald.

Literal translation: "It's better to turn around halfway, than to get lost completely"

Meaning: It's better to correct ones mistakes than to persevere stubbornly.

*Bezint eer gij begint.

Literal translation: "Think before you begin"

Meaning: Think before you act.Alliterative 

English equivalent: "Look before you leap".

*Blaffende honden bijten niet

Literal Translation: "Barking dogs don't bite".

Meaning: If people have a big mouth doesn't mean they're a threat.

English equivalent: "His bark is worse than his bite."

*Dat kan het daglicht niet verdragen.

Literal Translation: "That cannot bear the daylight."

Meaning: This is unethical/illegal.

English Equivalent: "This couldn't stand the light of day."

*Dat slaat als een tang op een varken

Literal Translation: "It hits like a grip on a pig"

Meaning: "It makes no sense at all.

*De appel valt niet ver van de boom

Literal Translation: "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

Meaning: Offspring behaves like (one of) the parents.

English equivalent: "A chip off the old block"

*De beste stuurlui staan aan wal

Literal Translation: "The best helmsmen stand on shore"

Meaning: "The watchers always know better than the doers"

English equivalent: "Bachelors' wives and maidens' children are well taught."

*De wal zal het schip keren

Literal Translation: "The shore will stop the ship."

Meaning: The course of things will take a different turn automatically.

*De druppel die de emmer doet overlopen

Literal translation: "The drop that floods the bucket"

Meaning: "The last (tiny) thing that makes you snap"

English equivalent: "The straw that broke the camel's back"

*De een z'n dood is de ander z'n brood".

Literal translation: "One person's death is another's bread".

Meaning: "The disadvantage of someone is the advantage of another".

*De hond in de pot vinden

Literal Translation: "To find the dog in the jar"

Meaning: "Being too late for your treat"

English: "Go without one's dinner." or "Dining with Duke Humphrey."

*De huik naar de wind hangen

Literal Translation: To hang the sail-covers to the wind

Meaning: To adapt ones behavior to circumstances

*De kost gaat voor de baat uit

Literal Translation: Cost goes before the profit

Meaning: You have to invest time, effort or money before you can expect anything

*De laatste loodjes wegen het zwaarst

Literal Translation: The last pieces of lead are heaviest

Meaning: The last few things are the most difficult ones

*De ochtendstond heeft goud in de mond

Literal translation: The sunrise hour has gold in its mouth

Meaning: When getting out of bed early, you have more time to do things

Scottish version: Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.

*Een appeltje voor de dorst

Literal Translation: "A little apple for the thirst."

Meaning: "Something you save for a time when you really need it."

English equivalent: "Save (something) for a rainy day."

*Een beschuitje met iemand willen eten

Literal Translation: "Wanting to eat a crispbake with someone"

Meaning: "Feeling attracted to someone / Having sexual feelings for someone"

*Een brutaal mens heeft de halve wereld

Literal Translation: "A cheeky person owns half the world"

Meaning: "A cheeky person has more opportunities"

*Een ezel stoot zich (in 't algemeen) geen twee maal aan dezelfde steen.

Literal Translation: "(Generally) A donkey does not bump into the same stone twice."

Meaning: "One who makes the same mistake twice is a fool."

*Een goed begin is het halve werk.

Literal Translation: "A good start is half the job done."

Meaning: "If you start something off well, you're already half on your way."

*Een goede raad is goud waard / "goede raad is duur"

Literal translation: "Good advice is worth gold" / good advice is expensive

Meaning: not to find; not knowing what to do

*Een goed verstaander heeft maar een half woord nodig

Literal translation: "An understanding person needs only half a word".

Meaning: "Someone that listens carefully, won't have to ask for it twice".

*Een half ei is beter dan een lege dop.

Literal translation: "Half an egg is better than an empty shell".

Meaning: "Be glad with what you get".

*Een kat in de zak kopen

Literal Translation: "Buying a cat in a bag"

Meaning: "Buying something that is not as useful as you thought it was"

English equivalent: "Buying a pig in a poke"

*Een lange neus maken

Literal Translation: "Making a long nose"

Meaning: "Going your own way without being disturbed by other's objections"

*Een oogje in het zeil houden

Literal Translation: "Keeping an eye on the sail"

Meaning: "Continuously checking the state of a project or thing"

English: "To keep an eye on something"

*Een open deur intrappen.

Literal Translation: "Kicking in an open door"

Meaning: "Stating the obvious".

*Een steekje laten vallen

Literal Translation: "Dropping a stitch"

Meaning: "Making a mistake"

*Een vlag op een modderschuit

Literal Translation: "A flag on a mud barge"

Meaning: "Excessive decoration of a common thing or trying to make the ugly beautiful"

*Eén zwaluw maakt nog geen zomer

Literal Translation: "One swallow doesn't make summer"

Meaning: "One needs more than one indication to draw a conclusion"

*Eieren voor je geld kiezen

Literal Translation: "Choosing eggs for your money"

Meaning: "Taking the easiest and safest way out"

*Er met de pet naar gooien

Literal Translation: "Throwing the hat at it"

Meaning: "Not doing your best"

*Er met de pet niet bijkunnen

Literal Translation: "Not being able to reach it with your hat"

Meaning: "Not understanding something"

*Er geen doekjes om winden

Literal Translation: "Not wrapping it in cloth"

Meaning: "Saying it exactly like it is, using no euphemisms"

Meaning: "Not beating around the bush"

*Er zit bij hem een steekje los

Literal Translation: "There is a stitch loose with him"

Meaning: "He is a brick short of a full load".

English equivalent: "He has got a screw loose"

*Gedane zaken nemen geen keer

Literal Translation: A done deal cannot be reversed.

Meaning: "You can't undo your actions "

English equivalent: "Don't cry over spilt milk"

*Gedeelde smart is halve smart

Literal Translation: "Shared grief is half grief"

Meaning: "Having someone who shares your feelings can make them bearable"

English equivalent: "A problem shared is a problem halved"

*Geen geld, geen Zwitsers.

Literal Translation: "No money, no Swiss."

Meaning: "Don't expect something for nothing." (Refers to the frequent use by the Dutch army of Swiss mercenaries.).

*Geen hoge pet ophebben van iemand.

Literal Translation: "Not wearing a high cap of someone."

Meaning: "Not liking someones character or attitude."

*Geen slapende honden wakker maken".

Literal translation: "Do not wake sleeping dogs".

Meaning: "Do not inform anyone that does not know yet of a somewhat negative item".

English equivalent: "Let sleeping dogs lie."

*Geen nieuws is goed nieuws.

Literal translation: "No news is good news."

Meaning: Bad news has wings, so if nothing bad has been heard, nothing bad has happened.

*Goed begonnen is half gewonnen.

Literal Translation: "Well started is half won."

Meaning: "If you start something off well, you're already half way."

*Gooi het maar in mijn pet, dan zoek ik het morgen wel uit.

Literal Translation: "Just toss it in my hat and I'll sort it out tomorrow."

Meaning: "That is too much for me to understand so quickly."

*Haastige spoed is zelden goed

Literal translation: "Hasty speed is rarely good"

Meaning: "Doing something fast does not mean it is done well"

English equivalent: Haste makes waste.

*Het aan zijn water voelen

Literal Translation: "Feeling it from his water."

Meaning: "Getting knowledge from intuition."

*Het bloed kruipt waar het niet gaan kan.

Literal Translation: "The blood creeps where it can't go."

Meaning: "The true character of somebody will always show up."

English equivalent: "Blood will tell."

*Het lid op de neus krijgen

Literal Translation: "To get the lid on the nose"

Meaning: "When being too greedy one should expect to be punished"

*Het doel heiligt de middelen.

Literal translation: "The purpose sanctifies the means."

Meaning: "Anything goes if you really want to get something done. If you want something, everything is allowed."

English equivalent: "The end justifies the means."

*Het leven gaat niet altijd over rozen.

Literal Translation: "Life is not always about roses."

Meaning: "Life is not always easy."

English equivalent: "Life isn't always a bed of roses."

*Het onderste uit de pot willen

Literal Translation: "To want the last from the pot"

Meaning: "To want the ultimate profitability from something"

*Het op de klompen kunnen aanvoelen

Literal Translation: "Being able to feel it on wooden shoes."

Meaning: "It's obvious."

*Het paard achter de wagen spannen"

Literal translation: "To put the horse behind the cart."

Meaning: "Trying to solve a problem in the wrong way (a counter productive solution)."

*Het regent pijpestelen

Literal translation: "It's raining pipestems"

Meaning: "Heavy rain"English: "It's raining cats and dogs"

*Het ijzer smeden als het heet is."

Literal translation: "Casting the iron whilst it is hot."

Meaning: "Seize your opportunity."

English equivalent: "Make hay while the sun shines; strike while the iron is hot."

*Het zwarte schaap van de familie.

Literal Translation/English equivalent: "The black sheep in the family."

Meaning: "Someone notorious for being "bad" or a misfit (out of a group of people)"

*Het zijn niet alleen koks die lange messen dragen."

Literal translations: "It's not only cooks that wear long knives."

Meaning: "Don't jump to conclusions on the basis of appearances."

English equivalent: "Don't judge a book by its cover."

*Hij heeft de klok wel horen luiden maar weet niet waar de klepel hangt.

Literal Translation: "He did hear the sound of the bell, but doesn't know where the clapper hangs."

Meaning: "He thinks he knows the subject, but the essence eludes him."

*Hij voelt zich als een kat in een vreemd pakhuis.

Literal Translation: "He feels like a cat in an strange warehouse."

Meaning: "He feels out of place, not at home."

*Hoge bomen vangen veel wind"

Literal Translation: "High trees catch lots of wind."

Meaning: "The more important the person the more criticism they get."

English equivalent: "Heavy is the head that wears the crown."

*Holle vaten klinken het hardst

Literal Translation "Hollow barrels sound loudest"

Meaning: "The louder a person shouts, the less he knows"

English equivalent": "The empty vessel makes the greatest sound."

*Hoop doet leven

Literal Translation: "Hopes sustains life."

English equivalent: "Hope springs eternal."

*Iemand blij maken met een dode mus

Literal Translation: "Make somebody happy with a dead sparrow."

Meaning: "Promissing someone something great, that finally seems worthless"

*Lemands rechterhand zijn

Literal Translation: "Being someones right hand."

Meaning: "Being indiposable to someone."

English equivalent: "Be someone's right hand man"

*Iets op je lever hebben.

Literal Translation: "Having something on your liver."

Meaning: "Having done something wrong which could get you into trouble."

*In het land der blinden is éénoog koning."

Literal translation: "In the land of the blind, one-eye is king."

Meaning: "Where none can do something, the one who has even a little knowledge has the power"

English equivalent: "In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king"English alternative: "(being) a big fish in a small pond"

*Ieder voordeel heb z'n nadeel.

Literal translation: "Every advantage has his disadvantage."

Meaning: "everything that has an advantage in one way also has a disavantage in an other way." Actually a quote from Johan Cruijff, but it has become proverbial.

*Je kunt beter over je fiets lullen dan over je lul fietsen.

Literal translation: "It is better to talk shit about your bike than to bike on your dick."

Meaning: "If you plan to talk nonsense it is still important to be aware which words to use."

*Je moet verder kijken dan je neus lang is.

Literal Translation: "You need to watch further than the length of your nose."

Meaning: "You need to take a look at the problem carefully, you need to search the cause of the problem. And not at the effects of it."

*Jong geleerd is oud gedaan.

Literal Translation: "Learned when young is done when old."

Meaning: "Something learned at an early age will be easy when one is old(er)."

*Krakende wagens lopen het langst.

Literal Translation: "Creaking carts last longest".

Meaning: Objects which seem to be near collapse, often end up lasting much longer than expected; Old people suffering from little diseases often live the longest.

*Kleine potjes hebben grote oren.

Literal Translation: "Small pots have big ears/handles."

Meaning: "Adults must be careful about what they say within the hearing of children.

English equivalent: "Little pitchers have big ears"

*Kleren maken de man."

Literal Translation: "Clothes make the man."

Meaning: "Good clothing adds to a man's stature."

English equivalent: "Clothes maketh the man."

*Knollen/Appelen voor citroenen verkopen.

Literal Translation: "sell beets/apples as lemons."

Meaning: "Presenting something as something else which is more valuable."

*Lood om oud ijzer.

Literal Translation: "Lead for old iron"

Meaning: It's all the same to me.

English equivalent: "Six of one or half a dozen of the other."

*Maak je borst maar nat.

Literal Translation: "Make your chest wet."

Meaning: "You better prepare yourself."

*Makkelijker gezegd dan gedaan.

Literal Translation: "Easier said than done."

Meaning: "It is easier to speak of something than actually do it."

*Met andermans veren pronken.

Literal Translation: "Showing off with another's feathers."

Meaning: "Presenting someone else's accomplishments as one's own."

English: Borrowed plumage

*Met de deur in huis vallen.

Literal Translation: "Falling with the door into the house."

Meaning: "Getting directly to the point."

*Met de Franse slag.

Literal Translation: "With a French sweep."

Meaning: "Working fast but delivering a product of low quality."

*Met de handen in het haar zitten.

Literal Translation: "Sitting with the hands in the hair."

Meaning: "Not knowing a way out of a problem."

*Met de hoed in de hand komt men door het ganse land.

Literal Translation: "With the hat in the hand one gets through all the land."

Meaning: "A little politeness gets you very far."

English equivalent: "Honey attracts more flies than vinegar."

*Met de mond vol tanden staan.

Literal Translation: "Standing with the mouth full of teeth."

Meaning: "Dumbfounded."

*Met de pet rondgaan.

Literal Translation: "Going around with the hat."

Meaning: "Collecting money."

*Met een kanon op een mug schieten.

Literal Translation: "To shoot a mosquito with a cannon."

Meaning: "Using a tool that is too large for the purpose, overkill."

English equivalent: "Taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut"

*Mosterd na de maaltijd.

Literal Translation: "Mustard after the meal."

Meaning: "Coming up with a solution too late."

*Mierenneuken.

Literal Translation: "Fucking ants."

Meaning: "Being obsessed with details."

English equivalent: "Splitting hairs."Aditional 

note: This proverb may be considered rude (but is not inherently so).

*Na regen komt zonneschijn

Literal Translation: "After rain comes sunshine"

Meaning: "Good things follow bad things"

English equivalent: "Every cloud has a silver lining"

*Natte vingerwerk/Met de natte vinger

Literal Translation: "Wet fingerwork/With the wet finger" (cfr. Germ. "Fingerspitzengefühl")

Meaning: "Guesswork/performed on intuition"Nieuwe bezems vegen schoonLiteral 

Translation: "New brooms sweep clean"

Meaning: "Someone new at a job will change the way things are done (even if only to be noticed)."

*Niet alle wegen leiden naar Rome

Literal Translation: Not all roads lead to Rome

Meaning: Although there are many ways of doing something, not all of them are good.

Note: This proverb is based on Vele wegen leiden naar Rome (Many roads lead to Rome)

*Niet geschoten is altijd mis

Literal Translation: "Not [having] shot is always missed"

Meaning: "If you don't try, you will miss opportunities"

English equivalent: "Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

*Niet over één nacht ijs gaan

Literal Translation: "Not crossing the ice after one night of frost."

Meaning: "Making a decision after careful deliberation."

*Onder de pet houden

Literal Translation: "To keep under the hat."

Meaning: "To cover up something that cannot see the light of day."

*Om de haverklap

Literal Translation: "Every flail on the oats."

Meaning: "Very often."

*Oost west, thuis best.

Literal Translation: "East West, home best."

Meaning: No matter where you travel, it's always great to come home.

English Equivalent: "Home sweet home."

*Op alle slakken zout leggen.

Literal Translation: "Putting salt on every snail."

Meaning: "Looking for all of the smallest errors to comment on."

*Op de neus kijken.

Literal Translation: "Looking down at one's nose."

Meaning: "Being disappointed."

*Op elk potje past een dekseltje.

Literal Translation: "Every little pot has a fitting lid."

Meaning: "There's a solution for every situation. [or] There's a fitting partner for any person."

*Op zwart zaad zitten.

Literal Translation: "Sitting on black seed."

Meaning: "Having no money at all."

*Oude wijn in nieuwe zakken.

Literal Translation: "Old wine in new bags."Meaning: Nothing really new, but put in different terms.

English Equivalent: "The same shit with other flies on it; same meat, different gravy."

*Over lijken gaan.

Literal Translation: "Going over corpses."

Meaning: "Going for your own target however crude the method."

*Potje breken, potje betalen.

Literal Translation: "Break a pot, pay for a pot."

Meaning: You have to pay for the damage you caused.

English Equivalents: "Paying the piper for playing the tune." "You break it, you buy it."

*Parels voor de zwijnen.

Literal Translation: "Pearls for the pigs."

Meaning: Too much effort for those who won't or are not capable to appreciate it.

*Roeien met de riemen die je hebt.

Literal Translation: "Rowing with the oars you have got."

Meaning: "Making do with the means available to you."

*Spreken is zilver, zwijgen is goud.

Literal Translation: "Speaking is silver, being silent is gold."

Meaning: It's better to keep your silence, then to speak (for example in diplomacy or politics).

English Equivalent: "Silence is golden."

*Spijkers op laag water zoeken.

Literal translation: "Looking for nails at low tide."

Meaning: Being pedantic about small details.

English Equivalent: "Nitpicking."

*Stel niet uit tot morgen, wat gij heden kunt bezorgen.

Literal Translation: "Don't postpone until tomorrow, what you can take care of now."

Meaning: Don't procrastinate.

*Stevig in het zadel zitten.

Literal translation: "Sitting securely in the saddle."

Meaning: "Having a solid high position; not easy to overthrow."

*Storm in een glas water.

Literal Translation: "storm in a glass of water."

Meaning: "Making a fuss about nothing important."

English equivalent: "Tempest in a tea pot"

*Twee linkerhanden hebben.

Literal Translation: "Having two left hands."

Meaning: Being clumsy.

English Equivalent: "Being all thumbs."

*Twee vliegen in één in klap slaan.

Literal Translation: "Hitting two flies with one swat."

Meaning: Achieving two goals in a single effort.

English Equivalent: "Killing two birds with one stone."

*Tijd is geld.

Literal translation: "Time is money."

Meaning: Don't waste time, spend it productively.

*Uit het oog, uit het hart.

Literal Translation: "Out of the eye, out of the heart."

English equivalent: "Out of sight, out of mind."

*Uitstel is afstel.

Literal translation: "Postponement is cancellation."

Meaning: "Postponing something could be the final end of what you were doing."

*Van de hoed en de rand weten

Literal Translation: "Knowing of the hat and the brim."

Meaning: "Having good thorough knowledge."

*Van een mug een olifant maken.

Literal Translation: "To make an elephant out of a mosquito."

Meaning: "Greatly exaggerating something."

English equivalent: "Making a mountain out of a molehill."

*Vele handen maken licht werk.

Literal Translation: "Many hands make light work."

Meaning: "A task is easier if you work together."

*Vele wegen leiden naar Rome.

Literal Translation: "Many roads lead to Rome."

Meaning: "There are several ways to accomplish something"

*Van hetzelfde laken een pak

Literal translation: " a suit made from the same cloth"

Meaning: "exactly the same holds for ...". Typically used when telling off somebody, after you told off one individual already.

*Voor de wind gaan

Literal translation: "To sail in the downwind"

Meaning: "Being successfull in life, getting rich."

*Voor de kat zijn viool/knoop/kut.

Literal Translation: "For the cat's violin/button/cunt."

Meaning: "For no purpose, useless."

*Voor een appel en een ei

Literal Translation: "For an apple and an egg."

Meaning: "Buying something really cheap, paying very little money."

*Voorkomen is beter dan genezen.

Literal translation: "To prevent is better than to cure."

Meaning: "It is better to prevent/avoid something that can cause problems before it is too late." 

Clear example: "It's better to see your doctor reguarly, than having to go to the hospital with a serious disease (that could have been prevented by seeing your doctor in an earlier stage)".

English equivalent: A stitch in time saves nine.

*Voor niets gaat de zon op.

Literal Translation: "The sun rises for nothing."

Meaning: "Everything else costs money."

English equivalent: "Aught for naught, and a penny change."

*Voorzichtigheid is de moeder van de porseleinkast.

Literal translation: "Prudence is the mother of the china cabinet."

Meaning: Don't rush into things, you should always be very cautious. Used more specifically to mean "be very cautious not to step on the toes of people that might have some (be it perceived) power over you"

English equivalents: Look before you leap; Safety first.

*Waar een wil is is een weg.

Literal Translation: "Where there's a will, there is a way."

Meaning: "There is a way to achieve anything, if one really tries."

*Water naar zee dragen.

Literal Translation: "Carrying water to the sea."

Meaning: "Futile activity."English proverb: "Carrying coals to Newcastle."

*Waar het hart vol van is daar loopt de mond van over.

Literal Translation: "What the heart is full of, the mouth overflows with."

Meaning: "If someone is enthusiastic about an idea he will be always talking about it."

*Wat de boer niet kent dat eet hij niet.

Literal Translation: "What the farmer doesn't know, he doesn't eat."

Meaning: "A stick-in-the-mud will try nothing new."

*Weet wat je zegt, maar zeg niet alles wat je weet.

Literal Translation: "Know what you say, but don't say all that you know."

Meaning: "Be sure of your facts before speaking, but some things are best left unsaid."

*Weten waar Abraham de mosterd haalt.

Literal Translation: "Knowing where Abraham gets the mustard."

Meaning: "Being well-informed." Also "He has turned 50."

*Wie de bal kaatst, moet hem verwachten.

Literal Translation: "He who throws the ball, must expect it [back]."

Meaning: "Expect the repercussions of your actions."

English equivalent: "What goes around, comes around."

*Wie de schoen past, trekke hem aan.

Literal Translation: "He whom the shoe fits should put it on."

Meaning: An appeal to take responsibility for ones actions.

English equivalent: "If the shoe fits, wear it."

*Wie goed doet, goed ontmoet.

Literal Translation: "He who does good, will meet good."

Meaning: "Who does good things to others, will receive good things in return."

*Wie het laatst lacht, lacht het best.

Literal Translation: "He who laughs last, laughs best."

Meaning: Don't laugh your enemy in the face when you are temporarily winning, because he can be more determined to defeat you.Meaning: The last man standing in a lethal conflict has a real good reason to party.

English equivalent: He who laughs last, laughs loudest

*Wie zijn neus schendt, schendt zijn aangezicht."

Literal translation: "He who hurts his nose, hurts his face."

Meaning: Accusing a close relative will usually damage your own reputation as well.

English equivalent: "To cut off one's nose to spite one's face."

*Wie wind zaait, zal storm oogsten.

Literal translation: "He who seeds wind, shall harvest storm."

Meaning: "Who causes trouble, will be a victim of the trouble."

English equivalent: A more specific form of "You reap what you sow."

*Wie zwijgt stemt toe.

Literal translation: "He who is quiet, agrees"

Meaning: "Taking someone's silence as a sign that they agree."

*Zachte heelmeesters maken stinkende wonden.

Literal translation: "Gentle healers make stinking wounds."

Meaning: "It is better to treat a problem thoroughly even if the treatment is painful, otherwise it may get worse."

*Ze niet allemaal op een rijtje hebben.

Literal translation: "Not having all of them in a row."

Meaning: "Being a dime short of a dozen."

*Zich met hand en tand verzetten.

Literal translation: "To resist with hand and tooth."

Meaning: "To resist with every possible means, not giving in in any way."

English equivalent: "Digging one's heels in."

*Zich ergens met een Jantje van Leiden afmaken

Literal translation: "To get off with a Jan van Leiden"

Meaning: "To make lame excuses, to deliver sloppy and hasty work.

Note:Jan van Leiden was a 16th century cult leader, infamous for his inane ramblings.

*Zij zijn twee handen op één buik.

Literal translation: "They are two hands on one belly."

Meaning: "They don't let you have a say in a decision, because they are always cooperating with each other to exclude you."

English equivalent: "(They are) hand in glove."

*Zijn hand er niet voor omdraaien.

Literal translation: "Not turning his hand around for it."

Meaning: "It is an easy job for him."

*Zoals de waard is, vertrouwt hij zijn gasten.

Literal translation: "Like the innkeeper is, so he trusts his guests."

Meaning: "A person who is untrustworthy is unlikely to trust others."

English equivalent: "You measure other people's cloth by your own yard."

*Zoals het klokje thuis tikt, tikt het nergens.

Literal translation: "Like the clock ticks at home, so it ticks nowhere [else].

Meaning: "You can travel the world, but the best place is home."

English equivalent: "There's no place like home."

*Zo dom als het achterend van een varken.

Literal translation: "As stupid as a pig's bottom."

Meaning: "Very stupid."

*Zo lang er leven is, is er hoop.

Literal translation: "As long as there's life, there is hope."

Meaning: "Never despair."

English equivalent: "Where there's life, there's hope."

Dutch winter proverbs

These five Dutch proverbs all use the word "winter":

› Als de dagen gaan lengen, gaat de winter strengen.

- Literal translation: When the days get longer, winter gets colder.
- Meaning: The coldest part of winter comes after the shortest day.

› Een bonte kraai maakt nog geen winter.

- Literal translation: One crow does not make winter. The bonte kraai is a species of crow that spends the winter in the Netherlands.
- Meaning: Just one example is not enough for a definitive conclusion.

› Zachte winters vette kerkhoven.

- Literal translation: Mild winters fat graveyards.
- Meaning: Mild winters often led to more disease than cold winters.

› Men hoort van ver dat de winter koud is.

- Literal translation: One hears from faraway that the winter is cold.
- Meaning: It becomes quickly known when there is danger somewhere.

› Zo komt Jan Splinter door de winter.

- Literal translation: That's how Jan Splinter gets through the winter.
- Meaning: That's how poor people get through the winter.

Dutch sayings about ice

These six Dutch sayings all use the word "ice":

› Als de kalveren op het ijs dansen.

- Literal translation: When the calves dance on the ice.
- Meaning: Never.

› Als het water zakt, kraakt het ijs.

- Literal translation: When the water goes down, the ice cracks.
- Meaning: Every cause has an effect.

› Met de klompen op het ijs komen.

- Literal translation: Going onto the ice with clogs.
- Meaning: Going where you don't belong, being careless.

› Met de klompen van het ijs blijven.

- Literal translation: To keep one's clogs off the ice.
- Meaning: Minding your own business.

› Niet over een nacht ijs gaan.

- Literal translation: Not walking over ice formed after one night.
- Meaning: Thinking before you act.

› Zich op glad ijs begeven.

- Literal translation: Venturing onto slick ice.
- Meaning: Talking about something you know very little about.

Dutch expressions about snow

These two Dutch expressions are all about snow:

› De engeltjes schudden hun kussens uit.

- Literal translation: The angels are fluffing their pillows.
- Meaning: It snows.

› Aprilletje zoet, heeft nog wel eens een witte hoed.

- Literal translation: April sweet, sometimes has a white hat.
- Meaning: It can snow in the beginning of April.

Dutch proverbs on freezing

A couple of Dutch proverbs about freezing:

› Op oud ijs vriest het licht.

- Literal translation: On old ice it freezes lightly.
- Meaning: An old buried hurt or love can quickly surface again.

› Het kan vriezen en het kan dooien.

- Literal translation: It can freeze and it can thaw.
- Meaning: It can go either way.

Old Dutch spring weather lore

› Zoveel nevels zich in maart vertonen, met zoveel onweer zal de zomer lonen.
As much fog as there is in March, there will be just as many thunderstorms in the summer.

› Zoveel nevel in maart, zoveel regen na Pasen.
As much fog as there is in March, as much rain there will be after Easter.

› Op de lentedag wind uit noord, blaast ze nog zeven weken voort.
If there is a northern wind on the day of spring (March 20), it will continue for seven more weeks.

› Al brengt Maria Boodschap lente in het land, koude krijgt nog vaak de overhand.
Even if there is spring weather on March 25, there often will be a cold spell after.

› Als het dondert in het dorre hout, blijft de hele zomer koud.
If it thunders in the dry wood, the whole summer will be cold.

› Als het helder is op Sint Jozefdag, men een goed jaar verwachten mag.
If it is clear on St. Joseph day (March 19), one can expect a good year.

› Als maart zacht is in wil, verwacht men een koude april.
If March is mild, April will be cold.

› Als maart geeft april weer, april geeft maarts weer.
If March gives April weather, April will have March weather.

› Als maart niet gaart en april niet wil, doet mei het voor allebei.
When March and April are a let-down, May does it for both.

› Als vroege krokussen bloeien, zullen ze met koude stoeien.
When the crocuses flower early, they will fight the cold.

› Bloeien de bomen tweemaal op een rij, zal de winter zich rekken tot mei.
When the trees flower twice in a row, the winter will stretch until May.

› Als de spinnen vlijtig buiten weven, zullen wij mooi weer beleven.
If the spiders are diligently weaving outside, we will have good weather.

› April klaar en rein, mei zal des te wilder zijn.
If April is clear and dry, May will be wilder.

› Dondert het in de maand maart, in mei dekt de sneeuw de aard.
When it thunders in March, in May snow will cover the earth.

› Op een droge april, een natte zomer volgen wil.
A dry April is followed by a wet summer.

› Als in April de kevers ontstaan, dan zal mei van de kou vergaan.
If the beetles come up in April, there will be cold in May.

› Noorden wind in april en mei, maakt augustus en september blij.
A northern wind in April and May, makes August and September happy.

Dutch spring-related sayings

Here are three of our favourite spring-related sayings:

› Een zwaluw maakt de lente niet.
- Literal translation: One swallow does not make a spring.
- Meaning: It takes more than one instance of something to draw a general conclusion.

› Het gras in de knieen hebben.
- Literal translation: Having grass in the knees.
- Meaning: Suffering from spring fatigue.

› Een nieuwe lente, een nieuw geluid.
- Literal translation: A new spring, a new sound.
- Meaning: Experiencing something new.

Examples of Dutch proverbs, sayings and expressions translated into English

So here are some more Dutch proverbs and sayings (literally translated into English). Let's see if you can make out what they mean:

1. Lachen als een boer met kiespijn
› Laughing like a farmer with a painful molar

2. Oude koeien uit de sloot halen
› Getting old cows out of the ditch

3. De kogel is door de kerk
› The bullet is through the church

4. Daar lust ik wel pap van
› I would like porridge from that

5. Je weet nooit hoe en koe een haas vangt
› You will never know how a cow catches a hare

6. Je moet een gegeven paard niet in de bek kijken
› You should never look at a given horse in the mouth

7. Wie boter op het hoofd heeft, moet uit de zon blijven
› He who has butter on his head should stay out of the sun

Actual meanings of the Dutch proverbs, sayings and expressions

1. Pretending to laugh with others, though it is insincere
2. Opening up old wounds
3. A decision has been made that cannot be reversed
4. Not being able to get enough of something
5. Never rule anything out, no matter how unlikely
6. You cannot complain about something that is for free
7. First look at yourself before judging others

Wise words: Seven pillars of Dutch wisdom1. Zuinigheid met vlijt (frugality with effort)

Most Dutchies grow up with this maxim imprinted in their brains. Live according to this Calvinist principle and you will achieve a life full of bliss. Be frugal, work hard!

This wordly wisdom goes hand in hand with "arbeid adelt" (there is nobility in labour). The full saying is "zuinigheid met vlijt bouwt huizen als kastelen" or "paleizen" (thrift with diligence builds houses like castles or palaces).

Is there an equivalent in other languages? I doubt it as I couldn't find anything similar in German, French or English.

2. Alles met mate (moderation in all things)

"Doe maar gewoon, dan doe je gek genoeg" (act normally and you'll act oddly enough) is usually attributed to mums and dads who wish to remind their offspring that they should behave according to the unwritten social rules of their generation.

The successful eighties pop group Doe Maar (1978 - 1984) probably took its name from this saying, ironically implying of course that the young generation should really do what they want to do (doe maar) and break the rules of their parents.

One of their hits, "" questioned the function of traditional marriage:
"We leven trouw het leven van zo velen
Ik wil iets meer, ik wil 'n beetje los"

"Faithfully we live the lives of so many
I want a little more, I want to let myself go a little."

Yes, Dutch kids should question their parents' rules. Such is life in Holland, but not too much, just a little! Be crazy but in moderation.

3. Meten is weten (to measure is to know)

A life of moderation is the Dutch ideal, but how can moderation be measured? What is moderate to one person is excessively crazy to another. Yet many Dutch people live according to the principle that everything in life can be measured.

The verb "to measure" is "meten". If we know the measurements, then we can continue to do our tasks. Or alternatively, people can only do their work properly if they are certain about the measurements, hence the saying "meten is weten".

Isn't this a beautifully rhyming maxim? Just observe the symmetry of "M" and inverted "W". And isn't it true that real knowledge can only be achieved if we sound the profundity of the mind and the depths and heights of reality?

4. Wat lijkt dat blijkt (what appears will become evident)

No, said the distinguished scientist Christiaan Huygens (1629-1695), master of "meetkunde" (geometry) and an obsessive measurement taker. He held that people cannot know anything for certain but everything probably.

Huygens' first scientific principle was observation. What occurs in reality may deceive our senses, so we have to put more effort into watching.

The Dutch poet K. Schippers (1936) framed this insight into a wonderfully poetic line: "Als je goed om je heen kijkt dan zie je dat alles gekleurd is" (If you look carefully enough around you, then you'll see that everything is coloured) - which is also the title of a magnificent anthology of children's verse (highly recommended).

The phrase "wat lijkt dat blijkt" was coined by classicist and poet Jan Pieter Guépin (1929-2006), who I was fortunate enough to be tutored by, in the 1970s.

5. Liegen loont niet (Lying doesn't pay)

Have you noticed that the Dutch love little rhymes? So many of their sayings and proverbs are rhyming couplets. "Al is de leugen nog zo snel, de waarheid achterhaalt haar wel." (Lies may be fast, but the truth always catches up).

This popular saying was invented four centuries ago by the Dutch poet and statesman Jacob Cats (1577-1660). His collected poems were so popular that many upright merchants used to keep his emblem book next to the Bible.

So when in Dutchland don't waste any energy trying to tell fibs or fables. Truth will out.

6. Laat je niet gek maken (wise up)

Most Dutch are men and women of few words. They hate those who profess "veel geschreeuw maar weinig wol" (much cry and little wool).

"Laat je niet gek maken" (literally don't let yourself be fooled) is a wise piece of advice. Many people's favourite Dutch "philosopher" who exemplifies this adagium, is neither academic nor artist but a football player and trainer. His quotes and sayings are near and dear to many hearts. You've guessed his name: Johan Cruyff (1947).

If Cruyff received a euro each time someone uttered his saying, "Ieder nadeel heb zijn voordeel" (each disadvantage has its advantage), he'd be the richest man in the Netherlands.

Note that the verb in this truism is the ungrammatical "heb", and not as it should be: "heeft". I suspect that the "heb" is an involuntary tribute to the Dutch national hero.

By the way the word "truism" in Dutch is "de waarheid als een koe" (truth like a cow).

7. Don't worry, be happy!

Yes, this pepper-upper has no translation because it entered the Dutch language in its English form. Originally it was a popular song sung by Bobby McFerrin in 1988.

In 1989 Dutch DJ Alfred Lagarde (1948-1998) under the name Johnny Camaro. Except for these five words it was sung in Dutch with a heavy Surinam accent.

And now, whenever a Dutchie sees another human down, or in the process of going down, they sling this annoying phrase at the unfortunate one - to no avail of course.

The last word

When it comes to happiness, it's best to read the works of the greatest of all Dutch philosophers. His name, of course, is Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677). His works may look extremely difficult, yet their message is very simple. You guessed it: "don't worry, be happy"!

When Cruyff said: "Voetballen is heel simpel, maar het moeilijkste wat er is, is simpel voetballen." (Playing football is very simple, but the most difficult of all is to play football simply), he showed that his understanding of Spinoza is profound.

Spinoza ended his "Ethics" (the guide to end all guides to happiness) as follows: "Al het voortreffelijke is even moeilijk als zeldzaam" (All things excellent are as difficult as they are rare).

In other words, being simply happy without worries is not easy and will take a lot of effort.

Credit thanks to my cousin.. you are rock bro.. miss you too.. thanks for remembering me, that i am still a sixteenth (one sixteenth) in Dutch's blood (Nakomelingen van de Nederlanders).. hahahahha *www.iamexpat.nl*