So you’ve nailed the basics of goedemorgen and dank je wel, and you can order a beer with mag ik een biertje? But guess what? To truly sound like a local, it’s time to master Dutch slang. From Amsterdam to Rotterdam—and from Groningen down to Limburg—these playful expressions permeate daily life. In this guide, you’ll find 100 essential Dutch slang terms that will help you blend in, make friends laugh, and unlock that casual, laid-back vibe the Dutch are famous for.
Why Learn Dutch Slang?
1. Genuine Connection
Using slang shows you’re not just a language learner stuck in textbooks. It demonstrates genuine interest in Dutch culture and everyday life. Locals appreciate when you’re comfortable with their colloquial phrases—they might even open up more and switch from English to Dutch for good!
2. Cultural Insights
Slang often reflects cultural values, inside jokes, and generational trends. By learning common Dutch slang, you gain a deeper glimpse into the Dutch sense of humor, their often direct nature, and the beloved gezelligheid (coziness and conviviality) vibe.
3. Confidence Booster
When you drop a well-timed lekker bezig! or klets niet! you’ll feel more at ease in casual settings—like a fun conversation at a café or a spontaneous chat at a local market.
Fun Fact: According to a 2020 survey by the Taalunie, over 70% of Dutch speakers between 18-35 years old use slang words daily in casual conversations. So if you want to speak the “real” language, slang is indispensable.
Quick Tips for Dutch Slang
- Watch the Context: Many slang words can be affectionate, comedic, or even insulting depending on your tone and relationship with the listener.
- Regional Variation: Some expressions are more common in Amsterdam, while others pop up in Rotterdam or Brabant. Pay attention to local usage.
- Listen to Locals: The best way to pick up slang is by hearing it in context—Dutch YouTubers, local podcasts, or simply eavesdropping in a café.
- Have Fun: Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. The Dutch are generally chill and will often find your attempts to use slang endearing.
Category 1 – Greetings & Casual Expressions
- Hoi / Hey
- Meaning: “Hi” / “Hey”
- Usage: Common informal greeting. “Hoi, hoe is ’t?” = “Hi, how are things?”
- Dag
- Meaning: “Hello” / “Goodbye”
- Usage: A short, friendly greeting or farewell. “Dag!” can mean “Bye!” too.
- Doei
- Meaning: “Bye!”
- Usage: Very common, casual goodbye. Used among friends or peers.
- Houdoe
- Meaning: “See you” (Brabant region)
- Usage: A regional variant for “Take care!” or “Bye!” in the south.
- Mooi zo
- Meaning: “Good job,” “Nicely done”
- Usage: Encouraging phrase, e.g., “Je hebt je examen gehaald? Mooi zo!”
- Lekker bezig
- Meaning: “Good going,” “Well done”
- Usage: Used when praising someone’s progress. “Lekker bezig met het koken!”
- Toppie
- Meaning: “Great,” “Awesome”
- Usage: “Dat is toppie!” = “That’s awesome!”
- Te gek
- Meaning: “Too crazy,” but used for “Awesome” or “Cool”
- Usage: “Dit feestje is te gek!” = “This party is awesome!”
- Effe
- Meaning: Slang for “even,” meaning “just a moment” or “quickly”
- Usage: “Wacht effe!” = “Wait a sec!”
- Zo hé
- Meaning: “Wow,” expressing surprise
- Usage: “Zo hé, wat een lekker weer!” = “Wow, such nice weather!”
Category 2 – People & Relationships
- Gozer / Goser
- Meaning: “Guy,” “Dude”
- Usage: Informal, typically for male friends. “Die gozer is echt grappig!”
- Gozerin
- Meaning: “Girl,” “Chick” (less common)
- Usage: Used similarly to “gozer” but for females. Some find it outdated or joking.
- Maat
- Meaning: “Mate,” “Buddy”
- Usage: “Hey, maat, hoe gaat ’t?” = “Hey, buddy, how’s it going?”
- Gabber
- Meaning: Originally “buddy” in Amsterdam dialect, but also refers to hardcore techno fans
- Usage: “Hij is mijn gabber sinds de middelbare school.” = “He’s been my pal since high school.”
- Schat
- Meaning: “Sweetheart,” “Honey”
- Usage: Used affectionately between partners or to kids, e.g., “Dank je, schat.”
- Schatje
- Meaning: “Cutie,” “Sweetie” (diminutive of schat)
- Usage: “Alles goed, schatje?” = “All good, sweetie?”
- Kerel
- Meaning: “Guy,” “Fella”
- Usage: “Wat een grote kerel is hij!” = “He’s quite a big guy!”
- Chickie
- Meaning: “Girl,” borrowed from English “chick,” can be flirty
- Usage: Slang among youth. “Zag je dat chickie daar?”
- Knul
- Meaning: “Kid,” “Boy”
- Usage: “Die knul kan hard rennen.” = “That boy can run fast.”
- Meissie / Meisje
- Meaning: “Girl,” with “meissie” as more slang-ish
- Usage: “Leuk meissie, toch?” = “She’s a nice girl, right?”
Category 3 – Everyday Positive & Negative Adjectives
- Gaaf
- Meaning: “Cool,” “Great”
- Usage: “Dat concert was echt gaaf!” = “That concert was really cool!”
- Vet
- Meaning: “Fat,” but slang for “Awesome”
- Usage: “Vet hoor!” = “Wow, that’s awesome!”
- Koel
- Meaning: “Cool,” borrowed from English
- Usage: “Dat idee is best koel.” = “That idea is quite cool.”
- Top
- Meaning: “Great,” “Excellent”
- Usage: “Die film is echt top.” = “That movie is really great.”
- Kicken
- Meaning: “Thrilling,” “Awesome,” derived from “to kick”
- Usage: “Een kicken ervaring!” = “A thrilling experience!”
- Bagger
- Meaning: “Lousy,” “Terrible”
- Usage: “Het weer is echt bagger vandaag.” = “The weather is really lousy today.”
- Kut
- Meaning: Vulgar slang for “crap,” literally female anatomy
- Usage: Strong negative expression. “Wat een kutdag…” = “What a crappy day…”
- Suf
- Meaning: “Dull,” “Boring,” “Sleepy”
- Usage: “Dit feestje is suf.” = “This party is lame.”
- Matig
- Meaning: “Mediocre,” “So-so”
- Usage: “Het eten was matig.” = “The food was so-so.”
- Flauw
- Meaning: “Tasteless,” “Corny,” or “Silly”
- Usage: “Een flauwe grap.” = “A silly joke.”
Category 4 – Food & Drink Slang
- Bakkie pleur
- Meaning: “Cup of coffee,” literally “cup of mud”
- Usage: “Zin in een bakkie pleur?” = “Fancy a cup of coffee?”
- Bakkie troost
- Meaning: Also “cup of coffee,” literally “cup of comfort”
- Usage: “Ik neem even een bakkie troost om wakker te worden.”
- Patat
- Meaning: “French fries,” though in some regions it’s “frieten”
- Usage: “Zullen we patat halen?” = “Shall we get fries?”
- Kapsalon
- Meaning: A fast-food dish (fries, shawarma, cheese), from Rotterdam
- Usage: “Heb je al eens een kapsalon geprobeerd?”
- Broodje
- Meaning: “Sandwich,” though can be slang for a quick bite
- Usage: “Even een broodje scoren bij de kantine.”
- Biertje
- Meaning: “Beer,” diminutive for a small or friendly vibe
- Usage: “Zin in een biertje vanavond?”
- Pilsje
- Meaning: Another term for a small beer or lager
- Usage: “Pak jij een pilsje voor me uit de koelkast?”
- Hapje
- Meaning: “Small bite,” “Snack”
- Usage: “We nemen nog een hapje en dan gaan we.” = “We’ll have one more snack and then leave.”
- Eetsmakelijk
- Meaning: “Enjoy your meal,” sometimes shortened to “smakelijk!”
- Usage: Common courtesy before meals.
- Borrelen
- Meaning: Having casual drinks/snacks, typical Dutch concept
- Usage: “Zullen we vanavond borrelen na het werk?” = “Shall we grab some drinks after work?”
Category 5 – Emotions & Reactions
- Lekker puh
- Meaning: “Serves you right!” or “Ha, in your face!”
- Usage: Teasing expression when someone gets what they deserve.
- Echt waar?
- Meaning: “Really?” or “Seriously?”
- Usage: Express surprise or mild disbelief.
- Joh
- Meaning: Filler word like “Oh,” “Hey,” or “Come on”
- Usage: “Joh, dat had ik niet verwacht.” = “Oh, I didn’t expect that.”
- Nee joh
- Meaning: “No way!” or “Nah!”
- Usage: “Nee joh, dat kan niet.” = “No way, that can’t be.”
- Geen zin in
- Meaning: “Don’t feel like it,” “Not in the mood”
- Usage: “Ik heb geen zin in werken vandaag.” = “I’m not in the mood to work today.”
- Tjonge jonge
- Meaning: “Wow,” “Geez,” mild exasperation or surprise
- Usage: “Tjonge jonge, wat een drukte!” = “Wow, it’s busy!”
- Zucht
- Meaning: “Sigh,” can represent frustration or exhaustion
- Usage: “Zucht, moet ik weer de afwas doen?”
- Wauw
- Meaning: “Wow”
- Usage: Straight-up borrowed from English. “Wauw, dat is mooi!”
- Nou en?
- Meaning: “So what?”
- Usage: A bit confrontational. “Jij bent te laat.” “Nou en?” = “You’re late.” “So what?”
- Goh
- Meaning: “Huh,” “Well,” “Hmm”
- Usage: Often used as a filler: “Goh, dat is interessant.”
Category 6 – Funny or Mildly Insulting Terms
- Eikel
- Meaning: “Jerk,” literally “acorn”
- Usage: Mild insult: “Wat een eikel!” = “What a jerk!”
- Sukkel
- Meaning: “Fool,” “Dork”
- Usage: “Hij liep tegen de deur, wat een sukkel.”
- Mafkees
- Meaning: “Crazy person,” “Weirdo”
- Usage: “Die vent is een mafkees!” = “That guy is a total weirdo!”
- Droeftoeter
- Meaning: “Sad trumpet,” slang for “sad sack” or “loser”
- Usage: “Hij zit alleen maar te klagen, wat een droeftoeter.”
- Gekkie
- Meaning: “Silly person,” “Mad one”
- Usage: “Kom op, gekkie, we gaan dansen!”
- Trut
- Meaning: “Bitch,” but less harsh than English usage
- Usage: Can be very offensive depending on context. “Wat ben jij een trut!” is quite rude.
- Klets niet
- Meaning: “Don’t talk nonsense,” “Stop yapping”
- Usage: “Klets niet, dat geloof ik niet!”
- Watje
- Meaning: “Wimp,” “Softie,” literally “cotton ball”
- Usage: “Durf je niet? Watje!” = “You don’t dare? Wimp!”
- Zeikerd
- Meaning: “Whiner,” “Complainer,” literally from zeiken (to pee)
- Usage: “Hij zeurt altijd, echt een zeikerd.”
- Mierenneuker
- Meaning: “Nitpicker,” literally “ant-f***er”
- Usage: Very informal. “Hij is zo’n mierenneuker over details.”
Category 7 – Money & Shopping Slang
- Poen
- Meaning: “Cash,” “Money”
- Usage: “Ik heb geen poen meer.” = “I’m out of money.”
- Flappen
- Meaning: “Bills,” also “cash”
- Usage: “Even wat flappen pinnen.” = “Let me withdraw some cash.”
- Geld zat
- Meaning: “Plenty of money”
- Usage: “Hij heeft geld zat.” = “He’s loaded.”
- Bierbuik-pinpas
- Meaning: Joke term for paying in beer (like a “beer-belly bank card”)
- Usage: Not super common, but can pop up in humorous contexts.
- Snuffelen
- Meaning: “To browse,” “to sniff around” in shops or markets
- Usage: “Ik ga even snuffelen bij de uitverkoop.” = “I’m going to browse the sale.”
- Uitverkoop
- Meaning: “Sale,” “Discount season”
- Usage: “Tijdens de uitverkoop kun je goedkopere kleding scoren.”
- Een koopje
- Meaning: “A bargain”
- Usage: “Deze trui was echt een koopje!”
- Afrekenen
- Meaning: “To pay,” or “to check out” at a store
- Usage: “Zullen we gaan afrekenen?”
- Gratis en voor niks
- Meaning: “Free and for nothing,” emphasizing something’s totally free
- Usage: “Ze gaven gratis koekjes weg, gratis en voor niks!”
- Toko
- Meaning: Originally Indonesian for “shop,” used for Asian grocery stores
- Usage: “Ik haal mijn kruiden altijd bij de toko.”
Category 8 – Travel & Transportation
- Fietsen
- Meaning: “Cycling,” but also used slangily for going somewhere by bike
- Usage: “Ik fiets wel even naar de stad.” = “I’ll just bike to the city.”
- OV
- Meaning: Short for “openbaar vervoer” (public transport)
- Usage: “Ik ga met de OV naar werk.” = “I’m taking public transport to work.”
- Treinen
- Meaning: “To go by train,” or literally “train-ing”
- Usage: “We treinen naar Groningen.” = “We’re taking the train to Groningen.”
- Lopen
- Meaning: “To walk,” but also used figuratively for “working fine”
- Usage: “De bus loopt niet? Nee, staking.” = “The bus doesn’t run? No, there’s a strike.”
- Op de fiets
- Meaning: “By bike,” the standard Dutch approach
- Usage: “We gaan op de fiets naar het festival.”
- Scooteren
- Meaning: “To go by scooter,” borrowed from English
- Usage: “Ik scooter naar mijn werk deze zomer.”
- Karren
- Meaning: “To drive fast,” slang for operating a car or going quickly
- Usage: “Hij karte op de snelweg.” = “He was speeding on the highway.”
- Struinen
- Meaning: “To wander,” often used for strolling around
- Usage: “Ik ga even door de stad struinen.”
- Op pad gaan
- Meaning: “To go out,” “to hit the road”
- Usage: “We gaan op pad om nieuwe plekken te ontdekken.”
- Vertraging
- Meaning: “Delay,” extremely common in Dutch train culture
- Usage: “Er is weer vertraging bij de NS.”
Category 9 – Tech & Internet Slang
- Appen
- Meaning: “To WhatsApp” or “to text”
- Usage: “Ik app je vanavond.” = “I’ll text you tonight.”
- Bellen
- Meaning: “To call,” standard but used casually
- Usage: “Zal ik je bellen in plaats van appen?”
- Lekker scrollen
- Meaning: “Nicely scrolling” on socials, akin to mindless browsing
- Usage: “Ik lag op de bank, lekker scrollen door Instagram.”
- Laptopje
- Meaning: “Laptop,” diminutive for cuteness
- Usage: “Even m’n laptopje pakken.”
- Liken
- Meaning: “To like” (a post), borrowed from English
- Usage: “Wil je mijn foto liken op Facebook?”
- Volgen
- Meaning: “To follow” someone on social media
- Usage: “Ik volg haar al op Instagram.”
- Hashtag
- Meaning: “#,” used ironically sometimes in speech
- Usage: “Hashtag moe…” = “Hashtag tired…”
- Swipen
- Meaning: “To swipe” (Tinder, apps)
- Usage: “Ik zat de hele avond te swipen.”
- Surfen
- Meaning: “Surfing” the internet
- Usage: “Nog even surfen voor info over dat concert.”
- Inloggen
- Meaning: “To log in,” standard but used commonly in casual contexts
- Usage: “Kan je even inloggen op mijn account?”
Category 10 – Random Everyday Slang & Expressions
- Hé, doe normaal
- Meaning: “Hey, act normal,” a very Dutch phrase to tell someone to calm down or behave
- Usage: “Doe normaal, je maakt me gek!” = “Act normal, you’re driving me crazy!”
- Boete
- Meaning: “Fine” (as in penalty), used frequently due to strict Dutch rules
- Usage: “Pas op, je krijgt een boete als je verkeerd parkeert.”
- Kapot
- Meaning: “Broken,” “Exhausted,” or “Worn out”
- Usage: “Ik ben kapot na het sporten.” = “I’m exhausted after the workout.”
- Echt niet
- Meaning: “Really not,” “No way”
- Usage: “Echt niet dat ik dat ga doen.”
- Met een schuin oog kijken
- Meaning: “Look sideways,” meaning “keep an eye on” or “check out with suspicion”
- Usage: “Ze keek met een schuin oog naar mijn stapel werk.”
- Af en toe
- Meaning: “Every now and then,” “Occasionally”
- Usage: “Ik ga af en toe naar de markt op zaterdag.”
- Zit wel snor
- Meaning: “It’s all good,” literally “the mustache is fine”
- Usage: “Maak je geen zorgen, het zit wel snor.”
- Lang verhaal kort
- Meaning: “Long story short”
- Usage: “Lang verhaal kort, ik ben mijn sleutels kwijtgeraakt.”
- Ik snap er geen hol van
- Meaning: “I don’t understand a thing about it,” literally referencing “backside”
- Usage: “Deze wiskunde is te moeilijk; ik snap er geen hol van.”
- Voor de gein
- Meaning: “Just for fun,” “for a laugh”
- Usage: “Ik deed het alleen voor de gein.”
Conclusion – Level Up Your Dutch (and Have Fun)
You’ve just uncovered 100 Dutch slang terms that can unlock everyday conversations. Whether you’re heading to a friend’s borrel, describing the bagger weather, or praising someone with “lekker bezig,” these expressions will help you sound more in sync with local Dutchies. Remember: context is king—some terms are more polite, others might be borderline rude depending on your tone and audience.
Make It Stick
- Practice Daily: Incorporate a few of these words each day. Don’t be shy—your Dutch friends will likely be impressed or eager to correct you gently.
- Observe & Listen: Watch Dutch YouTubers, TV shows like De Wereld Draait Door, or local vlogs to see these slang terms in action.
- Stay Curious: Dutch is constantly evolving. New slang emerges, old slang fades. Keep an ear out for what’s hot in your region.
Pro Tip: If you want formal language help alongside your slang journey, try resources like Nederlands leren or the Language Exchange subreddit to find practice buddies.
Call to Action – Share Your Favorites
Which Dutch slang term is your new favorite? Have you come across any that we missed? Drop a comment below or share this guide with your fellow language enthusiasts. Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter for more language tips, cultural insights, and fun expressions from around the world.
Tot ziens en veel succes! (See you and good luck!) You’re now well on your way to speaking Dutch like a true local—lekker bezig!
See Also: Spanish Slang Guide: 100 Essential Terms to Master Street-Level Spanish
