Avoid Confusion With These Common Dutch-English False Friends
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Many words in Dutch look or sound exactly like English words.
This often leads learners to assume they mean the same thing.
These tricky words are known in language learning as false friends.
Using them incorrectly will cause a lot of confusion in your conversations.
I’ll show you the most common Dutch-English false friends so you can avoid these mistakes.
Actueel
The Dutch word actueel looks just like the English word “actual”.
It actually means “current” or “up to date” in Dutch.
You’ll often see this word used in the news to describe current events.
If you want to say “actual” in Dutch, you should use the word eigenlijk or werkelijk.
Is dit nieuws nog actueel?
Eventueel
This is one of the most common mistakes English speakers make.
The word eventueel looks exactly like the English word “eventually”.
However, it translates to “possibly” or “potentially” in English.
If you want to say that something will happen “eventually”, you need to use the word uiteindelijk.
Ik kan je eventueel morgen helpen.
Raar
You might think raar means “rare” because of how it’s spelled.
In Dutch, raar actually means “weird” or “strange”.
If you want to talk about something being rare or uncommon, you must use the word zeldzaam.
Dat is een heel raar verhaal.
Slim
Calling someone slim in Dutch has nothing to do with their body weight.
The word slim means “smart” or “clever”.
It’s a great compliment to give someone.
If you want to say someone is “slim” or “thin”, you should use the word slank.
Jouw dochter is erg slim.
Brutaal
The word brutaal looks like “brutal”, which sounds very violent and harsh.
In the Netherlands, brutaal simply means “cheeky”, “sassy”, or “disrespectful”.
Teachers and parents often use it to describe a child who’s talking back.
If you want to describe something as truly brutal, you use the word wreed or bruut.
Doe niet zo brutaal!
Map
Don’t ask for a map if you’re lost in Amsterdam.
In Dutch, a map is a “folder” or a “binder” that holds papers.
If you need a geographical map to find your way, you should ask for a kaart or a plattegrond.
De documenten zitten in de blauwe map.
Fabriek
The word fabriek looks completely identical to the English word “fabric”.
It actually translates to “factory” in English.
If you go to a store looking for fabric to sew a shirt, you need to ask for stof.
Hij werkt in een grote fabriek.
Recept
This word causes a lot of confusion at the cash register.
The word recept means “recipe” for cooking, or a medical “prescription” from a doctor.
It doesn’t mean “receipt”.
When you pay for your groceries and want your receipt, you must ask for a bonnetje or a kassabon.
Heeft u een recept van de dokter?
Summary table of false friends
Here’s a quick overview of the false friends we just covered.
You can use this chart as a cheat sheet to review later.
| Dutch Word | What It Looks Like | Actual English Meaning | How to Say the English Word in Dutch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Actueel | Actual | Current / Up to date | Eigenlijk / Werkelijk |
| Eventueel | Eventually | Possibly / Potentially | Uiteindelijk |
| Raar | Rare | Weird / Strange | Zeldzaam |
| Slim | Slim (thin) | Smart / Clever | Slank |
| Brutaal | Brutal | Cheeky / Disrespectful | Wreed / Bruut |
| Map | Map | Folder / Binder | Kaart / Plattegrond |
| Fabriek | Fabric | Factory | Stof |
| Recept | Receipt | Recipe / Prescription | Bonnetje / Kassabon |
Learning these false friends will immediately improve your Dutch comprehension.
