Navigating the World of Business Dutch: Frequently Used Dutch Idioms & Expressions in the Workplace (pt. 1)
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Perhaps you are planning to work in the Netherlands or Flanders in the future, or maybe you are already working there. Whatever your situation as a Dutch learner, this blog series will help you learn the intricacies of business Dutch and take your Dutch skills to a higher level.
In this first blog of the series ‘Navigating the World of Business Dutch’ you will learn about Dutch expressions that are often used in the workplace. Besides the literal translation and the meaning of every expression, you will also learn about in what situation it could be used.
Let’s get started:
“Door de mand vallen”
Literal translation:
To fall through the basket
Meaning:
To be revealed for who you really are
A situation in which it may be used:
When an employee, for instance, claims they are exceptionally good in finance, and they are given the task to write the financial year report. When eventually, upon completion, that financial report appears to be jam-packed with mistakes, that person ‘is door de mand gevallen’.
“Wie A zegt moet ook B zeggen”
Literal translation:
Who say A has to say B too
Meaning:
You must finish what you start
A situation in which it may be used:
When you, for instance, proposed an idea to your manager and were asked to draft a proposal. However, three weeks later, there is still no proposal done. Your manager might say “Nou, dit was niet helemaal de afspraak, wie A zegt moet ook B zeggen…”
“De aanhouder wint”
Literal translation:
Those who are persistent will win
Meaning:
If you try long enough, you will succeed eventually
A situation in which it may be used:
This expression could be used, for instance, when a friend is feeling discourageds after applying to over twenty jobs and hasn’t succeeded in getting an offer yet. You can then say to that friend, as comfort and motivation “de aanhouder wint”. It could also be used as a way to indicate that you’re proud of their efforts when that friend eventually does secure a position.
“Nood breekt wet”
Literal translation:
In case of an emergency, you can break the law
Meaning:
Desperate times call for desperate measures
A situation in which it may be used:
When in business there is something that is really urgent and needs to happen very quickly, they might do something slightly out of the usual protocol. Someone who criticises that might say, ‘hey, that’s not the right way to this’. In defence those who went out of protocol could then say “tja, nood breekt wet”.
“Van uitstel komt afstel”
Literal translation:
From delaying comes cancellation
Meaning:
When you delay a task, chances are that it will not get done at all
A situation in which it may be used:
When someone procrastinates a lot in work, or making decisions in general, this expression is often said “van uitstel”. Sometimes as a way to motivate, or after the fact when it’s already too late to make the decision now.
“Laat het kaas niet van je brood eten”
Literal translation:
Don't let the cheese be eaten out of your sandwich
Meaning:
You should stick up for yourself
A situation in which it may be used:
When a co-worker scolds you for whatever reason, those close to you might say “laat het kaas niet van je brood eten”, as a way to encourage you to stand up for yourself.
“Er schuilt een addertje onder het gras”
Literal translation:
There is a snake under the grass.
Meaning:
There is a hidden risk, or plainly: there is catch.
A situation in which it may be used:
When something looks like a great offer on paper, for instance when someone is selling something to you, you should look at all the details because there maybe risks involved that you might not see from the outset.
“Samen uit, samen thuis”
Literal translation:
When you go out together, you come home together
Meaning:
If you start something as a team, you should finish it together as a team
A situation in which it may be used:
Think about a situation when a team is working on tough project together and it seems they have to work late. One person might say ‘I’m tired, I want to go home/quit’, and others on team who are try to encourage team mentality and effort might say “Kom op, schouders eronder! Samen, uit, samen thuis”!
“De kogel is door de kerk”
Literal translation:
The bullet is through the church
Meaning:
A decision has been made
A situation in which it may be used:
After a lengthy debate about a decision within an organisation, people might say “he, he, de kogel door de kerk” as a sigh of relief.
“Uit de hand lopen”
Literal translation:
It walks out the hand
Meaning:
A situation gets out of control
A situation in which it may be used:
This can be used, for instance, when coworkers are having too much fun that it disturbs how productive they are. In that situation, a manager might say ‘kom op jongens, het loopt uit de hand, we gaan weer aan de slag!’.
I hope you enjoyed reading this first part of the blogs series about navigating the world of business Dutch. Learning about these Dutch expressions will deepen your understanding of the Dutch language and business culture. There are many more blogs in this series to come, so if you work in a Dutch speaking country or might want to work there in future, it’s worth it to check out the blog regularly.
Until next time!
Marieke, OLS Community Manager – Dutch
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