Updated: May 20, 2013, however, believe me, these sayings are older than that....
Welcome, visitors from other lands, other desktops and other laptops. There is often no place more beautiful than your birthplace - and that, for me, is Twenthe.

Scanned photo of our farm house in Harbrinkhoek, Twenthe (from family collection).

Proverbs du jour, Sayings, Words and the Holland-America One Liners
The following are some literal translations of various Dutch and Twents proverbs and sayings which you may not have heard of before. My apologies to native Dutch or Flemish speakers for fractured translations.... Incorporate some of the quotes below and spice up your e-mail to colleages. Either language will work..... For those of you with an interest in languages, pay attention to the cognates. Dutch is closely related to English.
Updated: May 20, 2013, however, believe me, these sayings are older than that....
40 Proverbs and Sayings Today! The latest are at the top. If you are new to this page, work your way up from the bottom.

• Translation: You can't build a railroad without crossties.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Genne spoorlien zonder dwesliggers".
  Source: Twents Spreukenkalendar 1996
  Language Notes: Lots of interpretations here. Dwesligger is Twents for Dutch "dwarsligger" or crosstie. Dwars means diagonally or transverse. In this case, something that lays across the bed.
• Translation: Delicious dreams, brave little dog.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Droom maar lekker, braaf hondje." Sammy, our Basset - April 14, 1991 - January 29, 2004.
  Source: n/a
  Language Notes: n.a.
• Translation: Some people eat biscuits in order to save on bread.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Sommige mensen eten beschuiten om brood te sparen."
  Source: Twents Woordenboek, 3rd ed.
  Language Notes: Note use of eten' for eating. See saying further below about the pants being on the second clasp, regarding 'vreten' and its use for eating as well.
• Translation: He's such a liar, you can feel it with your wooden shoes.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Hee leug da'j 't met de klompe kon'n veulen."
  Source: Twents Woordenboek, 3rd ed.
  Language Notes: klompen' are wooden shoes. There are few places where 'klompen' are still made.
• Translation: It's not difficult to become a farmer, but it is difficult to remain a farmer.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Het is geen kunst om boer to worden, maar om boer to blijven."
  Source: K. Ter Laan
  Language Notes: Use of 'boer' in Dutch for farmer. 'kunst' can also mean skill. In this case, you can also translate it as: "it is no skill to be a farmer, but it is skill to remain a farmer. Side comment - the Dutch word 'boter' is English for butter, so 'kunstboter' is Dutch for margarine.
• Translation: They're fishing behind the net.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Zij vissen achter het net."
  Source: n/a
  Language Notes: Meaning: They missed their chance.
• Translation: He has a house with silver tiles.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Ie hat 'n hoes met zulvern pannen."
  Source: Twents Woordenboek, 3rd ed.
  Language Notes: Means that his roof is made out of silver tiles. Meaning someone who is carrying a large mortgage.
• Translation: What does a dog understand about rats and mice?
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Wat har den hond verstand van rotten en muze?"
  Source: Twents Woordenboek, 3rd ed.
  Language Notes: hond' in Dutch is equivalent to our 'hound'. Which means that Elvis was really using a redundancy when he sang about his 'hound dog'.
• Translation: That will take care of the mice, said the farmer as he set his house on fire.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Dat helpt vuur de muuz, " zee de boer, dow stak ie 't hoes in 'n braand."
  Source: Twents Woordenboek, 3rd ed.
  Language Notes: Note 'boer' in Dutch for farmer.
• Translation: Who servers two masters has to lie to one.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Wee twee meesters deent moet tegn een van beidn leegn." Literal "Who two masters serves, must against one of both lie."
  Source: Twents Spreukenkalendar 1996
  Language Notes: Observe the way how the verb is located the end of each of the above clauses. This is one reason you can't win arguments by interrupting Germanic language speakers since you never know how their sentence will finish... or close... or sound.
• Translation: The strength of a tree lies in its roots - not its branches.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Nich in de tek mer in de worteln zit de kracht van nen boam."
  Source: Twents Spreukenkalendar 1996
  Language Notes: Literally, "Not in the branch but in the roots sits the strength of a tree."
• Translation: Don't stand in the sun if you've got butter on your head.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Wie boter op zijn hoofd heeft moet niet in de zon gaan staan."
  Source: Twents Woordenboek, 3rd ed.
  Language Notes: Actual Twents "Wel botter op 'n kof hef, moet nig in de zunne gaon staon." Having butter on your head refers to one not having a clear conscience.
• Translation: If wealth were divided today according to reason, a lot of rich people would be poor tomorrow.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "As vandaag t geeld noar t verstaand verdeeld woer, wat zondn der dan morgn voel riekn aarm wean..."
  Source: Twents Spreukenkalendar 1996
  Language Notes: n.a.
• Translation: "Where there are people there are customers" said the fish farmer, and went into the church with his wheelbarrow full of mussels.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Woar volk is, bint klaantn, zea n visboer, en hee stapn met ne schoefkoar mosseln de keark in."
  Source: Twents Spreukenkalendar 1996
  Language Notes: Literal translation of this Twents saying is: Where there are folks, there are clients, said a fish farmer, and he stepped with a shove kart of mussels into the church. A great business saying, urging us to go where the customers are. Compare to: Early to bed, early to rise, work like a dog and advertise.
• Translation: He won't find any fish bones in it.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Hij vindt er geen graten daarin." Meaning: It will be easy work for someone. It refers to eating fish but having someone remove the bones first.
  Source: K. Ter Laan
  Language Notes: In English, we use the word 'bones' whether speaking of animals or humans (chicken bones, dog bones, fish bones, the hip bone, etc). In Dutch, it is different. Chickens and people have 'botten', but fish have 'graten'. In this case, the Dutch translates literally into: he won't find any fish bones.
• Translation: His pants are always fastened on the second clasp.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Zijn broek staat altijd op de vrethaak."
  Source: Twents Woordenboek, 3rd ed.
  Language Notes: Meaning: A big eater. Derived from fact that some trousers have a second clasp, which you could use to give yourself a little room after a meal. Let's examine the formation of this Twents word for the second hook/clasp - 'tweede haak'... First, there are two verbs for 'eating' in Dutch: when people eat, you use some form of the verb 'eten' and when animals eat, you use 'vreten'. The English equivalent of 'he eats like a pig' is simply stated in Dutch 'hij vreet'. It is impolite to describe someone's eating habits with that verb. Second, 'haak' = hook. So now you know.... 'Vrethaak' is made up of two words = vret(en) + haak.
• Translation: If it were a dog, it would have bitten you already.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "At e ne hond was, dan e oew allange ebettene."
  Source: Twents Woordenboek, 3rd ed.
  Language Notes: Said to someone who is looking for something which is right under his nose. In English we say, if it were a snake, it would have bitten you.
• Translation: It's better that the bakers are on horseback than the doctors.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Het is beter de bakkers te paard, als de dokters."
  Source: K. Ter Laan
  Language Notes: It is better that the bakers are wealthy than the doctors....
• Translation: He's sniffing the ground like a dog on the potato fields from the farmers.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Hij snuffelt als een hond over de aardappelakkers van de boeren."
  Source: Twents Woordenboek, 3rd ed.
  Language Notes: If you have ever seen a dog out in the open on a scent, you've got the idea of this saying. Aardappel = literally 'earth apple' = potato. The same logic is used in the French word for potato: 'pomme de terre' in French. In Dutch an orange = sinasappel or "apple from China".
• Translation: Even if it rained milk, his bowls would be upside down.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Als 't melk regent, zijn zijn schotels omgekeert."
  Source: K. Ter Laan
  Language Notes: Someone who always has bad luck.
• Translation: Don't replay a losing game.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Men moet nooit nakaarten."
  Source: K. Ter Laan
  Language Notes: Literally, one must not 'replay' one's cards. Once the cards have been played, you must forget about how it could have gone.
• Translation: If you're not doing the cooking, you can't give away the spoon.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Wie de pot niet regeert kan de pollepel niet afgeven."
  Source: Twents Woordenboek, 3rd ed.
  Language Notes: n.a.
• Translation: He is sticking his hand in a wasp nest
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Hij steekt zijn hand in een wespennest." Meaning: He is getting into something that will lead to nothing but trouble.
  Source: K. Ter Laan
  Language Notes: n.a.
• Translation: He wants to learn how to shave using my beard.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Hij wil aan mijn baard scheren leeren." Meaning: He wants to prove or do something at my expense.
  Source: K. Ter Laan
  Language Notes: n.a.
• Translation: A kiss without a beard is like an egg without salt.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Een kus zonder baard is een ei zonder zout." Meaning: Ask the ladies on this one. Carries with it the meaning of not marrying too you.
  Source: K. Ter Laan
  Language Notes: The Germans say "Eine Kuss sonder Schnurrbart ist wie Suppe sonder Salz." By now, you should be able to see that they like salt with their soup. Soft-cooked eggs are a staple of many European breakfast tables. The eggs are served in a little holder, upright. The trick was to take your knife and hack the top of the egg off just right, so you could eat the egg with that special little spoon.
• Translation: He talks like a sausage without the fat.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Hij praat als een metworst, die het vet ontlopen is."
  Source: K. Ter Laan
  Language Notes: Meaning someone with not much to say. When the fat is gone from the sausage, not much is left.
• Translation: Whoever wants to sit on two chairs at the same time, will hit the ground.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Die teffens op twee stoelen wil zitten, raakt onderwijl op den grond."
  Source: G.A. Mesters
  Language Notes: Stoelen is Dutch for 'chairs', but you can also find the origins in a word such as 'step stool'.
• Translation: When old dogs bark, it's time to watch out.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Als oude honden blaffen, is het tijd om uit te zien."
  Source: K. Ter Laan
  Language Notes: Pay heed to the warnings of those who are experienced.
• Translation: He's eating with long teeth.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Hij eet met lange tanden."
  Source: n/a
  Language Notes: He doesn't want to eat - even though he is sitting at the table. Tanden is Dutch for 'teeth', similar to root word in dental. Now substitute the 'd' for 't' in tanden and you can figure out what a dandelion really describes.... a flower with teeth of the lion.
• Translation: He's got it as busy as the hens before Easter.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Hij heeft het zo druk als de kippen voor Pasen."
  Source: n/a
  Language Notes: Pasen is Dutch for 'Easter', similar to a major brand of food coloring for Easter eggs. Coincidence? You be the judge....
• Translation: He fell with his nose in the butter.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Hij is met zijn neus in de boter gevallen."
  Source: n/a
  Language Notes: Someone who is lucky.
• Translation: Let it roll, it will right itself.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Loat maer kuuln, 't loep wa loes." Meaning: Let nature take its course.
  Source: n/a
  Language Notes: This is not official Dutch, but Twents.
• Translation: He's putting too much hay on his pitchfork.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Hij neemt te veel hooi op zijn vork."
  Source: K. Ter Laan
  Language Notes: He's biting off more than he can chew. vork is Dutch for 'fork', an example of a 'v' becoming 'f' in English.
• Translation: He's forgotten his worn shoes.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Hij heeft zijn versleten schoenen vergeten."
  Source: n/a
  Language Notes: He's forgotten where he came from.
• Translation: You never know how a cow catches a rabbit.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Je kan nooit weten, hoe een koe een haas vangt."
  Source: K. Ter Laan
  Language Notes: Anything can happen - that is, when conditions are right, the most improbable things can occur.
• Translation: You've got to stare the cat down out of the tree.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Je moet de kat uit de boom kijken."
  Source: n/a
  Language Notes: Meaning that you've got to let some things work out for themselves. This was my father's favorite expression.
• Translation: I wish that he would sink as deep in the ground as a hare can run in ten years. "
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "If wou dat hij zo diep in den grond zonk als een haas in tien jaar lopen kan."
  Source: G.A. Mesters
  Language Notes: n.a.
• Translation: It's easy to cut big chunks from someone else's cheese.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Van andermans kaas is het licht grote hompen snijden."
  Source: G.A. Mesters
  Language Notes: Someone else's money spends easily.
• Translation: When butter gets expensive, you learn to eat your bread dry.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: "Als de boter duur wordt, leert men het broodje droog eten."
  Source: G.A. Mesters
  Language Notes: n.a.
• Translation: It is better to ride for half a year on a good horse, than to spend your entire life riding on a mule.
  Original in Dutch or Twents: " 'tis beter een half jaar op een goed paard rijen als je hele leven op een ezel."
  Source: G.A. Mesters
  Language Notes: n.a.

Source of quotes citing G.A. Mesters is the following: Prisma Spreekwoorden boek, G.A. Mesters , 14th ed.Het SpectrumB.V., Utrecht/Antwerpen, 1982
Source of quotes citing K. Ter Laan is the following: Nederlandse Spreekwoorden Spreuken en Zegswijzen, K. Ter Laan, 24th ed., Elsevier, 1987
Wherever possible, sources are credited and copyright(s) are indicated. Unless otherwise indicated, all translations are my own. Unless otherwise stated, permission is granted for any non-profit institution to use this material in any fashion except for profit. If there are copyright infringements, bring them to my attention.
For those readers who had the fortitude to make it this far, remember: "Oons Tweante dat is zo'n mooi laendke."
See also Languages
See also previous entries from Quotes and Thoughts of The Week

Contact Sammy for updates or suggestions or corrections.