Dutch has a knack for sounding either adorable or mildly obscene to English ears. Some words sound like baby talk, others like insults, and a few are just wonderfully bizarre. Here are some of the funniest Dutch words that might make you giggle – along with their actual meanings.
Words That Sound Like They Belong in a Nursery
Poepie
/ˈpupjə/“Little poop”
Frokkel
/ˈfrɔkəl/“Fluff, lint”
Kakelen
/ˈkaːkələ(n)/“To chatter”
Words That Sound Like Accidental Swearing
Kut
/kʏt/“Vulgar term for female anatomy”
Slikken
/ˈslɪkə(n)/“To swallow”
Pik
/pɪk/“Peak or vulgar term for male anatomy”
Just Plain Silly-Sounding Words
Muts
/mʏts/“Hat, beanie”
Pindakaas
/ˈpɪndaːˌkaːs/“Peanut butter”
Sloffen
/ˈslɔfə(n)/“Slippers”
Bonus: Ridiculous Compound Words
Tandartsassistent
/ˈtɑntɑrtsɑsɪsˌtɛnt/“Dental assistant”
Hottentottententententoonstelling
/ˈɦɔ.tə(n).tɔ.tə(n).ˌtɛn.tə(n).tɛn.ˌtoːn.stɛ.lɪŋ/“Exhibition of Hottentot tents”
Why Dutch Sounds So Funny to English Speakers
Dutch shares Germanic roots with English, so many words sound like distorted versions of familiar terms. The guttural 'g' and abrupt endings give it a punchy, sometimes comical rhythm. Plus, the Dutch love blunt descriptions – hence 'peanut cheese'.
- Shared roots mean words often sound like English gone wrong ('apple' is 'appel', but pronounced like you’re choking).
- Dutch is direct – no sugar-coating. A vacuum cleaner is a 'stofzuiger' (dust sucker).
- The language has a knack for onomatopoeia. 'Snor' (moustache) sounds like a cartoon villain twirling his facial hair.
If you’re just starting with Dutch, don’t miss our list of Top 50 Everyday Dutch Words for Beginners – though fair warning, some of those sound funny too.
