Let’s face it. Dutch people are weird. It’s not the first time I’ve said it, it’s not even the second time, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be the last time either. The Dutch just have some very odd Dutch quirks.
It’s also what makes them so lovable (most of the time), and, frankly, it’s what makes the Dutch…well, Dutch! So here are a few more lovely Dutch quirks.
Language
On average, a Dutch person speaks more languages than most. In fact, the Dutch are the best non-native English speakers in the WHOLE world!
Of course, if you’re an international in the Netherlands trying to learn Dutch, it’s a curse as much as it’s a blessing. Want to try practising your Dutch by speaking the language with a Dutch person? Think again!
They’ll just switch to English because why bother listening to you struggle through your non-fluent Dutch?
It’s true; the Dutch seem to have an unspoken rule that they will refuse to speak Dutch with anyone who isn’t at least at conversational level.
Even with my experience, I still haven’t figured out why. Perhaps it’s a need to show off our foreign language capabilities. Or even just a desperate desire to make all those years of studying other languages in school worth it.
It could even just be an act of pity, trying to put the would-be Dutch language student out of their misery. Who knows?
Contradictorily hospitable
The Dutch are not inhospitable, not by a long shot; however, to the untrained eye, they can often appear so.
The Dutch are happy to sit down for a coffee or tea with almost anybody, but it almost always has to be on their own terms.
They’ll happily invite you into their homes — but only on their terms. You will receive all the pleasures of a king as an invited guest.
If you’re not invited….well, you’re subtly and “politely” removed from the household.
There is perhaps no better example than the dreaded 6 PM dinner. It’s a staple even at every traditional Dutch household. 6 PM is dinner time and I mean EXACTLY 6 PM.
If you happen to be visiting a friend during the afternoon for tea and that clock is ticking steadily towards the universal Dutch dinnertime, then expect your host to be expectantly glancing at the clock and psychologically shoving you out of the front door.
After all, they didn’t plan to be cooking for you, and frankly, there’s not enough food for that one extra person. Of course, they’ll never say it outright, but if you hear a Dutch person start blabbering on about how they better get to cooking, you also better get going.
Waiting rooms
The Dutch are simply very good at waiting. I love it, or at least, I love it as much as anyone can like waiting.
Unlike the average American doctor’s office, where you can expect (if you’re lucky) a selection of magazines that somehow never cater enough to your interest.
Coffee, tea, and cookies all seem staple necessities for any Dutch waiting area. Whether you’re waiting at an office or just visiting the barbershop, you’ll find no shortage of beverages to choose from.
When it comes to waiting, the Dutch are ideal. I mean that they won’t bother you, they will simply mind their own business and you won’t have to deal with any disruptive, annoying behaviour during your serene and peaceful wait.
The only downside is that you rarely ever spend much time in those brilliantly designed moments of Zen.
The Dutch love their efficiency too much, so chances are you’ve scheduled your appointment beforehand, and you’ll be on the way to your appointment after only having waited a measly five minutes.
Water management
Ok, so water management doesn’t exactly sound like a Dutch quirk, does it? But I would argue that it is because, quite frankly, the mentality that goes along with Dutch water management has exceptionally far-reaching effects on Dutch behaviour.
It’s no secret that the Dutch are masters of water. We pulled up half of our country out of the sea, after all. Sometimes it helps to visualize things, and luckily the Archivists in Amsterdam have done exactly that.
Just imagine some of the conversations the Dutch have had in the past:
“I’d like to build a palace here.”
“But sir, there’s a river.”
“So what? Let’s move it. Oh, and while we’re at it, let’s just make a river that connects the port directly to the ocean. That seems useful.”
It’s really quite brilliant and probably the reason that we’ve managed to achieve so much. It’s the opposite of saying, ‘If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.’ It’s saying, ‘We can improve it, so let’s improve it.’
After all, we didn’t NEED to move that canal a meter to the left to make the sidewalk slightly bigger, but we CAN, so let’s do it.
What other Dutch quirks have you come across? Tell us in the comments below!
This was excellent. Being the first born in the USA but totally surrounded by Dutch people, Dutch antiques and Dutch ways growing up, I understood all if this and I have inherited some if these, also. Thanks, Annelies van Dommelen
I long to visit again and again and have been many times but I always wonder what my life would have been if I was born there.
I have given these facts a lot of thought myself And came to the conclusion that most of these traits all come down to “not being a burden to others”. We live in a densely populated country where we love our personal space. So talking back in your native language? We dont want to bother you with our own difficult language whilst we speak yours or at least a language you are more familiar with. Being five minutes early for an appointment? We dont want your schedule to fail Because of me being late. Eating at 6 can be explained as well. Because most families dine at 6, every person knows to get out before that. We dont want to be a burden to eat all your food. hence we dont expect anyone for dinner, hence we only have to do shopping for Just enough persons, hence we never have extra food in the house. Etc. Etc. We dont want to be a burden explains a lot actually…
[…] about it. Noah Bloem’s article on weird Dutch quirks was an all year hit! Here’s his sequel with more odd Dutch quirks and his Aurora Signorazzi’s take on the weirdness of the Dutch […]
”The Dutch are simply very good at waiting” LOL
They’re the single most impatient, queue-jumping, shoving others to the side jerks.
They are good at making waiting conditions more bearable (in some places) but they can’t even wait for 10 seconds for another person to move in the supermarket.
That’s partially the reason they use English with foreigners. They wouldn’t wait for you to try to finish a sentence.
Loved reading this and so true. I’ve always found the polite gooie morgen or goede middag on entering a waiting room especially nice. This is also done in Belgium, Austria and Germany! The reason most Dutch switch to your language in conversation is to practice their skills. Dutch people often comment on how nice it is that you’ve learned Dutch and appreciate it. Of course, this is all conveyed in your language. Another funny little quirk is that whilst you’re welcome to take a cookie with your coffee or tea, the cookie jar is quickly put away after you’ve taken one.