The A-Z of Turning Dutch – the Letter B

Want to join in with the A-Z of Turning Dutch? What’s that? I hear you cry. Simply put: what springs to mind about life in the Netherlands when you think of the letter A? What aspect of life in the land of the Dutch do you associate with the letter B? And C? You get the picture. And this post is all about the responses you gave for the letter B.

The The A-Z of Turning Dutch: Letter B

If you missed A then check out the fruity list here. Without further ado, let’s turn our attention to B. It turns out there’s a fair bit of food you associate with B, and bread features heavily…..and bikes of course!

You didn’t say it had to be in Dutch, so B has to be for Bicycle!
In Dutch, blote billen in ‘t gras. Not that I’ve tried it. A mix of runner beans and baked beans does not really sound appetising. Also Boerenbond.

— Sarah Turley (@IntegratedExpat) November 17, 2022

bicycle
blote billen in ‘t gras
boerenbond
bitterballen
Bronovo (a hospital in The Hague)
bodembedekkers
boerenkool
BSO (buitenschoolopvang)
bakfiets
bakfietsmoeder
balen
blank
Boerburgerbeweging
boodschappen
broodje
boterham or even better boterhammen
boterham met kaas
broodje poep
bloemkool met een papje
bittergarnituur
banketbakker
basisschool
bezuinigingen
beleid
borrel
beschuit
boerenkaas
bloody regen
Buienradar (to help you keep ahead of the bloody regen of course)
borrel
Belastingdienst
bier
Beerenburg

Explanations of Some B’s

Some of these B’s need an explanation. Starting with blote billen in ‘t gras. This literally means bare bottom in the grass. Which may seem strange. However, blote billetjes in ‘t gras is actually a bean stamppot.

Broodje poep also needs further explanation for those of you without children in the house. It stems from Ome Willem, as does bloemkool met een papje:

Obviously kids love the idea of broodje poep. It’s hilarious. Apparently. In fact, anything poep related tickles the mind of young Dutch people.

Beerenburg is a Dutch drink consisting of adding herbs to jenever.

First one to come to mind is Beschuit. Beschuit met hagel, met muisjes, met jam, met kaas, met pindakaas zelfs (although that sticks to the roof of your mouth something horrid). Anything more Dutch?

— Wiard Sterk (@wiardsterk) November 17, 2022