Dutch Slang Dictionary
The words, phrases, and swearing Dutch people actually use out loud.
Textbook Dutch only gets you so far. This dictionary covers the informal side of the language: student-association jargon, everyday youth slang, the filler words and idioms that pepper every conversation, and yes, the swear words too - documented factually, with a note on how strong each one is, so you know what you're hearing. Looking for official abbreviations and text shorthand instead? Check out our Dutch Abbreviations Dictionary.
241 words and phrases
🎓 Student Life
Sjaars - A first-year member of a student association.
Feut - A brand-new member of a student association, not yet fully initiated.
Dispuut - A smaller sub-group within a student association who organize activities or share common interests.
Sociëteit (soos) - The clubhouse or regular hangout spot of a student association.
Propedeuse - The diploma awarded after completing all first-year study credits.
Tenta / TT - Tentamen - "exam."
Herkansing / Her - A resit exam, taken after failing (or wanting to improve) the first attempt.
Collegehengst - A student who never misses a single lecture, often said half-jokingly.
UB - Universiteitsbibliotheek - the university library.
Mensa - The student cafeteria/canteen on many Dutch campuses.
Io Vivat - A traditional Latin student song, sung at the start of the academic year and other festive occasions.
Kroeg - A pub or student bar - central to Dutch student social life.
Stufi - Studiefinanciering - Dutch student finance (loans and grants).
Introweek - The orientation/welcome week for new students at the start of the academic year (goes by different names per city, e.g. AID in Amsterdam, KEI-week in Utrecht).
RUG - Rijksuniversiteit Groningen - the University of Groningen.
UvA / VU - University of Amsterdam / Vrije Universiteit (Amsterdam's two main universities).
Twaars - Tweedejaars - a second-year student.
Pluk - An informal, friendly way to refer to a freshman/first-year student.
Solli - Sollicitatie - a job application or interview.
Afstubo - A graduation night out, celebrating the end of your studies.
Bs - Most often short for "Brightspace," the university learning platform. Can also mean "boodschappen" (groceries) or "bullshit."
Cluva - Clubvakantie - a holiday trip with fellow members of a student association.
CV-rukker - Someone who piles activities onto their résumé to look impressive, even ones they have no real interest in.
Dichtgetikt - Someone who's completely absorbed into student-association life and thinks they're cool for it - usually said mockingly.
DSR - "Drie-secondenregel" - the (unofficial) three-second rule for food dropped on the floor.
Dubbel gemengd (wonen) - A student house shared by both men and women, sometimes from different student associations.
Geru / Gr - Gemeenschappelijke ruimte - the shared common room in a student house.
HG - Huisgenoot - "housemate" / "roommate."
Knor - "Kent niet onze regels" - "doesn't know our rules," said about someone unfamiliar with a group's customs.
Mores - The unwritten rules that govern a student association or club (singular: mos).
Nominaal (lopen) - Staying exactly on track with your study schedule, with no risk of falling behind or missing the BSA threshold.
Paardenkut (Pk) - A popular student cocktail made with Apfelkorn and sparkling water. The name is a crude Dutch phrase ("horse [genitalia]"), but it's the drink's actual, widely-used name.
SOG - "Studie ontwijkend gedrag" - "study-avoidant behavior," i.e. procrastinating.
SV - Usually samenvatting - a study summary. In a law course, SV can instead mean Wetboek van Strafvordering (the Code of Criminal Procedure).
Thuis - Your student house/room - as opposed to your parents' place.
Thuis thuis (thth) - Your actual parental home, as distinct from your student home ("thuis").
U - Short for "Utrecht."
Wipsteiger - Another word for a bunk bed or elevated loft bed, common in shared student rooms.
🎉 Everyday & Youth Slang
Gozer - "Dude" / "mate" - used to refer to a friend, often when drawing attention to something.
Maat(je) - "Buddy" / "friend" - one of the most common casual words for a friend.
Kompaan - Another word for "friend" or "pal."
Amice - A slightly old-fashioned, jokey way to say "friend."
Appie / Suup - Nicknames for the supermarket - Appie for Albert Heijn, Suup short for supermarkt.
AVG - A humorous shorthand for "aardappel, vlees, groente" (potato, meat, vegetables) - the classic simple Dutch dinner.
Aight - Borrowed from English - "okay" / "alright."
Abso - Short for "absoluut" - "absolutely," totally agreeing with something.
HDP - "Heerlijk, die peerlijk" - a jokey exclamation of delight, roughly "amazing!"
Hef(tig) - "Intense" / "wild" - can be positive or negative depending on tone.
Normi - Trendy slang for "normaal" - "normal."
Nonchi - Short for "nonchalant" - laid-back, unbothered.
Fantas - Short for "fantastisch" - "fantastic."
Exclu - Short for "exclusief" - "exclusive."
Cappu - Short for "cappuccino."
IJsko - Short for "ijskoffie" - iced coffee.
Havercappu - A cappuccino made with oat milk (haver = oat).
Guac - Short for "guacamole."
Zonto - Short for "zongedroogde tomaten" - sun-dried tomatoes.
Vino - Casual word for wine.
GinTo - Short for "gin and tonic."
Fuif - An informal word for a house party.
Borrel - An informal gathering for drinks - a core part of Dutch work and social culture.
Vrijmibo - "Vrijdagmiddagborrel" - Friday-afternoon office drinks, a Dutch workplace tradition.
Kater - A hangover. Also used, confusingly, as a warm/friendly way to address someone you're grateful to - "bedankt, kater!"
WVO - "Wijntje voor onderweg" - "a little wine for the road," said jokingly when leaving with a drink in hand.
Kro - Short for "kroket" - a popular deep-fried Dutch snack.
Lett - Short for "letterlijk" - "literally."
Irri - Short for "irritant" - "annoying."
Hila - Short for "hilarisch" - "hilarious."
Docs - Short for "Dr. Martens" boots.
Fitje - Short for "outfit."
Verga - Short for "vergadering" - "meeting."
Vaka - Short for "vakantie" - "holiday" / "vacation."
Situ - Short for "situatie" - "situation."
Wobo - Short for "woordenboek" - "dictionary" (fittingly, for a page like this one!).
Wispo - Short for "wintersport" - "winter sports" / a ski holiday.
Doorhalen - Pulling an all-nighter - staying up all night, e.g. for a party or deadline.
Skeer - Being broke / short on money.
Chill(en) - Borrowed from English - to relax, hang out, take it easy.
Random - Used just like in English - unexpected, out of nowhere.
Sowieso - "Anyway" / "in any case" - an extremely common filler/connector word.
Scharrel - Someone you're seeing casually/romantically, without a defined relationship status.
Prela - The early, uncertain stage of a relationship, before it's official.
Rela - Short for "relatie" - a defined, official relationship.
Adidi - That sluggish energy crash after eating a big meal.
Adten / Atten - To down a whole glass of a drink in one go.
Afpilsen - The last beer before you finally leave a party.
Ambu - Slang for an ambulance - also used jokingly for someone who's had way too much to drink ("hij is een ambu-geval").
Ar - A hard grinder/workaholic - often used with a slightly negative edge.
Ari - Something unpleasant, awkward, or uncomfortable.
Arbeider - Someone who earns a living through manual labor; also used loosely for interns.
A's in de B - "Avocados in the Bonus [discount]" - shorthand for "avocados are on sale, quick, to the supermarket!"
Babo - Short for "badkamer borrel" - drinking in the bathroom at a party, because it's the one room with a toilet.
Baco - A Bacardi and cola cocktail.
Bakken vouwen - Drinking a lot of beer, one crate after another.
Barf - To vomit; the diminutive "barfje" is also common.
Batsbereik - The maximum distance you'd realistically travel to hook up with someone.
Batsen - Blunt, casual slang for having sex.
Biba - Short for "bitterballen" - the classic Dutch fried meatball snack.
Bipro - A beer-tasting session.
Bijstandsstokjes - Cheap salted pretzel sticks, usually the bargain supermarket-brand kind.
Bits - Something's gone wrong or is annoying - "bits, man."
Bodem leggen - Eating a solid meal before drinking, so alcohol doesn't hit you too fast.
Boka - Albert Heijn's discount/loyalty card, short for "bonuskaart."
Bokkie - Feeling shaky and worn out the morning after a heavy night.
Bopla - A snack board with various nibbles, shared at a borrel.
Brak - Hungover.
Bruine fruitschaal - Literally "brown fruit bowl" - a platter of fried bar snacks (bittergarnituur).
Brokibu - "Broodje kipburger" - a chicken-burger sandwich.
Brokomo - "Broodje kroket met mosterd" - a kroket sandwich with mustard.
BVO - Beer to go.
BYOB - "Bring your own beer/booze" - a heads-up that the host won't be supplying drinks.
Chlam - Short for chlamydia, a common STI - typically used as a cautionary joke ("pas op voor de chlam").
Coka - Short for "coronakapsel" - overgrown or unkempt hair from a lockdown at home. Not to be confused with Coca-Cola.
Château migraine - A jokey name for cheap wine that leaves you with a headache.
Corneren - Backing someone into a corner at a party - usually in order to kiss them.
D en dz - "Dood en doodziek" - "dead or gravely ill," an exaggerated way to say you feel absolutely awful.
Dapri - Short for "datumprikker" - the Dutch scheduling-poll tool used to pick an event date.
Dixo - A party, from "disco."
Deca - Short for "decadent" - over-the-top, indulgent behavior.
Eigengeiler - Someone who loves talking about themselves.
Eindbaas - Someone who's excellent at something, basically the best - literally "end boss," as in a video game.
Esca - Short for "escalatie" - things escalating, getting out of hand.
Eventuela - A potential relationship still in the information-gathering stage - can develop into a "prela" or "rela."
Esma - Short for "espresso martini."
Flaneren - Trying to be seen/noticed, whether strolling slowly or just standing somewhere visible.
FWB - "Friends with benefits" - a casual, no-strings-attached relationship between friends.
Fluflu / Influ - Short for "influencer."
Gecondo - Short for "gecondoleerd" (condolences) - said sincerely or sarcastically depending on context.
Gemeentebier - Jokey nickname for tap water - literally "municipal beer."
Gemo - A cheerful greeting expressing happiness to see someone, from "gezellie mozzarellie."
Geroza - Short for "gerookte zalm" - smoked salmon.
Gesalu - Short for "gezellig samen lunchen" - having a nice lunch together.
Groene knuppel - "Green club" - a Grolsch beer, nicknamed for its green bottle (mostly heard in the north and east of NL).
Grondpizza (or grondpannenkoek) - Vomit on the ground - literally "ground pizza" / "ground pancake."
Halve leo - Half a liter of beer in a can.
HB - "Hondsbien" - "genuinely awesome."
Helapika - "Oh well, tough luck" - "hela, pindakaas!"
Hert - Informal, casual word for a girl.
HJ - "Hertog Jan" - a popular Dutch beer brand.
Hme - Ironic label for people who exclusively drink oat milk and live sustainably.
Htb - "Honds tantoe bien" - "genuinely awesome" (a variant of HB).
Hvb - "Handen voor bier" - "hands [up] for beer," a call-and-response used to check who wants one.
Ibu - Short for ibuprofen.
Indikken - Asking a group to squeeze together to make room for more people.
Itakru - Short for "Italiaanse kruiden" - Italian herb seasoning.
Japie - A mixed drink, e.g. gin with apple juice.
Jasje dasje - A semi-formal outfit - blazer and tie paired with more casual trousers, usually jeans.
Jeuk - Literally "itch" - slang for feeling frisky, in the mood for romance.
Kanen - A rough, informal word for "to eat."
Kantelen - To down a drink quickly.
Kladiladi - A common, jokey way to say "close your laptop!"
Koco - Short for "kortingscode" - discount code.
Kobo - Short for "korte bon" - the short-receipt option at self-checkout.
Kowa - Short for "korte wandeling" - a short walk.
Kwarrel - A casual sexual partner someone rates highly - i.e. a good hookup.
Labo - Short for "lange bon" - the long-receipt option at self-checkout.
Lawa - Short for "lange wandeling" - a long walk.
MDM - "Met de meiden" - "with the girls," said when an outing is a girls-only group.
Moka - Short for "mondkapje" - a face mask.
Mooikaap - Another nickname for cheap wine.
Morning after pils - A beer had the morning after a heavy night, said to take the edge off a hangover.
Mozaïekje leggen - A euphemism for being about to throw up.
Mozz - Short for "mozzarella," e.g. on a sandwich.
Nassen - Another, more casual word for eating ("eten").
Natte tosti - Someone who's very full of themselves.
Nul - Someone who doesn't add much value in a group setting - an unflattering label, similar in spirit to "feut."
ONS - "One-night stand" - spending a single night with someone, no strings attached (sometimes it happens more than once).
Pabo - Short for "parkborrel" - drinks/a picnic gathering in the park.
Papierneuker - A hole punch. The name is a crude Dutch pun ("paper" plus a vulgar verb), but it's genuinely the everyday word people reach for.
Paspes - Short for "pasta pesto."
Pasta bolo - Short for "pasta bolognese."
Pauper - Someone seen as poor or lacking manners - often used sarcastically, not literally.
Puntenkanon - Someone who's easy to convince to head home once a party winds down.
Quabo - Short for "quarantaineborrel" - a lockdown-era video-call drinks session.
Quali - Casual word for "quality"; also used for a qualifying round in Formula 1.
Quarantaine - Home isolation - illness-related, but also used jokingly for hiding away during exam period.
Rattentaxi - Sneaking out of a bad party without saying goodbye to anyone.
Regenjas - Slang for a condom - literally "raincoat."
Reparadler - A radler (beer-lemonade shandy) drunk to help cure a hangover.
Riba (rietbak) - Drinking fast through a straw.
Rietadt - The act of drinking through a straw.
Shotgun - (1) Piercing the side of a beer can to chug it fast; (2) calling "shotgun" to claim the front passenger seat in a car.
Smoel - Can mean "mouth" / "face" - also shouted on its own to mean "quiet!"
Spa goud - A jokey nickname for a beer, playing on the Spa mineral-water brand.
Spebi - Short for "speciaal biertje" - a specialty/craft beer.
Ska - Another word for "dear" / "sweetheart."
Strawa - Short for "strandwandeling" - a beach walk.
Tequilia teleport - Drinking tequila to instantly liven up the mood.
Tijgerpunten - A joking, informal scale for measuring how much sexual experience someone has.
Tp - Short for "Turkse pizza" - Turkish pizza, a popular late-night snack.
Twarrel - The uncertain stage of a scharrel where doubts about the other person start creeping in.
Vanaaf - Short for "vanavond" - "tonight."
Vebrokibu - "Vegetarisch broodje kipburger" - a vegetarian chicken-burger sandwich.
Vestjeslikker - Someone who's clearly drawn to dating people with higher status.
Vervelie - Another, more casual word for being bored.
Vo - Short for "bravo."
Vomeren - Another word for throwing up.
VVV - "Vriend van vroeger" - "friend from way back."
Wato - "What are the odds" - "what are the chances."
💭 Common Phrases & Idioms
Doe normaal - "Act normal" / "come on, seriously" - said when someone's being over-the-top or unreasonable.
Geen paniek - "No panic" - "don't worry about it."
Dat zien we dan wel weer - "We'll see about that when it happens" - a very Dutch way of postponing a decision.
Kop op - "Chin up" / "cheer up."
Alles kits - "Everything's fine" / "all good."
Lekker belangrijk - Sarcastic - "oh, so important" - said when something clearly isn't a big deal.
Ik heb er geen zin in - "I don't feel like it."
Het zit wel snor - "It'll be fine" / "it'll work out."
Nou en of - "You bet" / "absolutely" - an enthusiastic yes.
Dat meen je niet - "You've got to be kidding" / "no way."
Komt goed - "It'll be fine" - short and reassuring, said to calm someone down.
Geen idee - "No idea."
Hou op zeg - "Stop it" / "come on now" - said in mock disbelief.
Wat een gedoe - "What a hassle."
Doei - A very common, casual "bye!"
Joh - A filler word tacked on for emphasis or casualness, roughly "man" / "seriously" - e.g. "kom op joh."
Zeg - A filler word added for emphasis, similar to "man" or "really" in English - "nou zeg!"
Toch - "Still" / "anyway" - or tacked onto the end of a sentence to seek agreement, like "right?"
Hè - A filler used to seek agreement or express mild surprise, similar to "huh?" or "eh?"
Tja - "Well..." - a shrug turned into a word, used when there's not much to say.
Jeetje - A mild exclamation of surprise, like "goodness" / "wow."
Nou moe - "Well I never" - a mild expression of surprise or exasperation.
Hartstikke - "Totally" / "really" - a very common intensifier, e.g. "hartstikke leuk" (really fun).
Best wel - "Fairly" / "quite" - a softening intensifier, e.g. "best wel goed" (pretty good).
Vet - "Cool" / "awesome" - extremely common youth slang (literally "fat").
Gaaf - "Cool" / "neat" - a classic Dutch word for something impressive.
Te gek - "Insanely good" - literally "too crazy," used as a superlative compliment.
Episch - Borrowed from English "epic," used the exact same way.
Mega - Used just like in English as an intensifier - "mega leuk" (mega fun).
Dope / Sick - Borrowed English youth slang for something impressive, used the same way as in English.
🤬 Curses & Exclamations
Verdomme - A common, moderately strong curse, roughly equivalent to "damn it."
Shit - Borrowed from English, used exactly the same way - from mild to more emphatic depending on tone.
Kut - A vulgar, extremely common all-purpose curse (literally a crude word for female genitalia) - used the way English speakers use "f***" or "shit," e.g. "kutweer" (crap weather). Considered fairly strong.
Klote - A strong, vulgar way to say something is terrible - "klote dag" (a crap day).
Godverdomme - "God damn it" - a strong religious curse, considered quite offensive to some listeners, especially older or religious ones.
Tyfus - Literally "typhus" - Dutch famously curses using disease names; used as a strong intensifier of anger or disgust, e.g. "tyfuswarm" (unbearably hot). Fairly offensive.
Kanker- - Literally "cancer" - the strongest and most offensive of the Dutch disease-curses, used as an intensifying prefix ("kankerlekker," "kankerherrie"). Widely considered very offensive; best avoided.
Lul - A vulgar word for penis, also used generally to call someone a jerk or idiot. Fairly strong.
Sukkel - "Loser" / "idiot" - a much milder insult, not considered very offensive.
Eikel - Literally "acorn" (also slang for the glans) - a common, moderately rude way to call someone a jerk.
Gadverdamme - A milder variant of "godverdomme," mostly expressing disgust or exasperation rather than real offense.
Krijg de tering / Krijg de klere - Extremely strong disease-based curses, literally wishing tuberculosis/cholera on someone - among the most offensive things you can say in Dutch.