Finding love in the Netherlands: 5 ways to meet your very own ‘schatje’

Tips on how to get laid and then make a run for it… a “love ’em and leave ’em” guide to finding love in the Netherlands.

No, not really. If you are that kind of person, then (hopefully someday) you will be slapped by the merciless dating love god and Zeus’ half-brother, Mike.

Now, let’s get right to it. When you were a kid, making new friends or finding that cute loved one with no cooties was relatively easy peasy. There was school, sports, and a bunch of extracurricular activities where you met other kids and built relationships.

Unlike in those good old days, in your current adult life, starting a relationship or two is not quite so lemon squeezy.

Work or commitments can get in the way of your free time. Plus, especially if you aren’t initially from the Netherlands, loneliness can creep up on you if you don’t have a special loved one to go to.

It can also feel awkward now to ask someone you barely know, “Hey, do you want to hang out?” *queue cricket chirp*

So, my fellow readers, this article is about finding that love. Luckily, love can take shape in many forms, be it an intimate one or just a casual friendship. There’s a two-metre-tall Dutchie out there for everyone. 🥰

1. Dating apps

For the more socially inhibited ones, dating apps can help open the door to finding that special someone.

Whether you are a Tinder fan or not, in today’s world, when meeting new friends, or dare I say ‘baes’, apps can be an essential guide for a new adventure.

As it happens, there are now some dating apps in the Netherlands that can help you find your knight (or dame!) in shining armour. Hey, it’s the 21st century! Anything is possible! 😊

First, there is a friendly dating app called Bumble. This is a great one to find friends, dates, and even networks for career building.

Another exciting app you can give a go to is the ‘private’ dating app called Coffee Meets Bagel. It only shows you when the other person is interested in you.

CMB lets you see people who have liked you, so no torturing yourself about “the one that got away.” Time effective indeed.

Finally, if you’re allergic to texting, we recommend Breeze: a Dutch dating app that, when you match with someone, directly organizes your first date for you. Say doei to those awkward online conversations!

If you are interested in a new adventure, these apps can definitely give a boost to your smooch (or friend) life.

2. Join a group

To build relationships and to find ‘true love’, you need consistency. In our younger years, this was simple. You went to school and summer camps and played outside with the other neighbourhood kids until ‘dinner is ready!’ was yelled from the window.

As grown-ups, it is unusual to have that kind of consistency outside of work. One way to solve that is by joining groups that meet regularly, such as associations, networking clubs, book clubs, classes, and workshops.

READ MORE: This Dutch-born dating app is your best bet for finding love at first swipe

For example, Meetup can help you join groups or clubs based on your interests and vicinity. Talk about practicality done right…

When you join a group, people will show up without you having to invite them. The purpose is to practice doing things together and piece the common puzzles in your lives together.

However, don’t be discouraged, but keep in mind that it might take several practices with someone before you feel like you make a friend.

3. Go to a bar

Hey, there’s nothing wrong with doing it the old-fashioned way. 😉

The best thing to do is to drag a friend along who can play wingman (or wingwoman), and then you have a backup at hand.

If you’re going it alone, this can be more difficult. If it’s in the daytime, take a book or a laptop, look like you’re clearly not hanging around to pull, then go in for the kill if the time is right. The number one thing is not appearing creepy. No. Nope. Nee.

If it’s in the evening, you’ve got to play the game a little differently. Sitting in the corner with a book while everyone is being social and having a good time just makes you look unapproachable as hell.

Get talking with people, mingle: if you find someone and offer to buy them a drink, they may just be sold.

4. Make your intentions clear

It’s a common belief that Dutch people aren’t very good at spotting the signs. So, if you do find someone you’re interested in and it’s going well, make your intentions clear — in the most non-creepy way ever, of course.

Afterall, if you really want to stand out, taking the Dutch trait of directness to your advantage is a good idea.

Again, you’ve got to be blunt to an extent, and you don’t want to come bounding up to the new love of your life saying, “Hi, we might get married and have six children; can we just date now?”

I mean, hey, it could work out, but chances are they’ll be cycling away faster than you can say, “marry….me…”

5. Check our guides to be a real pro

Hopefully, the above thoughts will help you to find that friend or loved one you can be silly with.

But if taking the step to putting yourself out there (or on a dating app *wink wink*) is still too daunting, we have some more detailed advice for you on how to date the Dutch — even in a video format!

Hey, you never know, the new love of your life could have been reading the exact same guides. 😏

Do you have any tips or funny experiences to share with us? Let us know them in the comments below!