Don't Say This in Dutch!

You're at a Dutch birthday party. Someone asks you how you are doing and you confidently say: “Ik ben goed.” They giggle and give you a funny look. Has this happend to you? Many English speakers learning Dutch fall into the same traps: translating English phrases too literally, or using words that seem obvious, but actually mean something very different. 

In this blog, I’ll explore some of the most common “pitch falls” made by English speakers learning Dutch, so you can avoid them! I’ve collected 10 phrases to watch out for and 10 false friends that don’t mean what you think. 

Phrase #1
🚫 Ik ben (niet) zeker.
This is not how we say that we’re sure or not sure in Dutch!
The correct form should be:
✅ Ik weet het (niet) zeker. (I (don’t) know it for sure).

Phrase #2
🚫 Ik ben goed.
This would translate to a sort of self-congratulatory: “I am great/a good person”. 
If you want to say you are doing well, the correct form is: 
✅ Het gaat goed. (It goes well).

Phrase #3
🚫 Ik ben fijn.
The word fijn in Dutch usually means something like “nice”, “lovely” or “pleasant.” It’s also used to describe very small particles of something, like fine sand. We don’t say about ourselves we are that. People are not fijn, so the English I’m fine is best translated as: 
✅ Ik ben oké. / Het gaat prima. 

Phrase #4
🚫 Ik ben warm/koud.
If you are feeling hot or cold we use the verb hebben: “I have it warm/cold.” 
✅ Ik heb het warm/koud.

Phrase #5
🚫 Ik weet (niet).
Do you know the correct way to say this? I know!
✅ Ik weet het (niet).

Phrase #6
🚫 Ik begrijp (niet).
Again, the little het needs to be there!
✅ Ik begrijp het (niet).

Phrase #7
🚫 Ik zoek voor werk.
In Dutch, we don’t look for but look to something (zoeken + naar).
The correct form should be:
✅ Ik zoek naar werk. 
Although Dutch natives usually say:
✅ Ik zoek werk or Ik ben op zoek naar werk.

Phrase # 8
🚫 Het is klaar.
Okay, we could say this - it would mean that something is ready, like: Het eten is klaar! (The food is ready!)
If you want to say that something makes sense or is clear, we say: 
✅ Het is duidelijk. 

Phrase #9
🚫 Ik denk zo.
This is literally translated from the English I think so, but the correct form is: 
✅ Ik denk het wel. 

Phrase #10
🚫 Ik woon voor 2 jaar in Nederland.
Please leave out the voor. You could optionally replace it with al (“already”) 
✅ Ik woon (al) 2 jaar in Nederland. 

How many oopsies have you made with any of the phrases above? Don’t worry, now you know!

Let’s continue and take a closer look at some false friends - words that are written (almost) exactly the same but mean something completely different! Did you know any of the examples listed below? English is on the left, Dutch on the right - with translations and examples.