Common Dutch Proverbs

Facts

Common Dutch proverbs/phrases which I have obtained during my 9 years of residence:

Dutch Proverb: "Achter het net vissen"
Literal Translation: "To fish behind the net"
Meaning: "to be too late for having success, doing things without result"

Dutch Proverb: "Als een kip zonder kop."
Literal Translation: "Like a chicken without a head"
Meaning: "To act like a fool"


Dutch Proverb: "Appels met peren vergelijken"
Literal Translation: "Comparing apples to pears"
Meaning: "Comparing things that are impossible to compare"
English equivalent: "Comparing apples to oranges."

Dutch Proverb: "Beter één vogel in de hand dan tien in de lucht"
Literal Translation: "Better one bird in the hand than ten in the sky"
Meaning: "One bird in the hand is better than two in the bush".


Dutch Proverb: "Beter laat dan nooit."
Literal translation: "Better late than never"
Meaning: It's better to arrive late than never.


Dutch Proverb: "De appel valt niet ver van de boom"
Literal Translation: "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree."
English: "A chip off the old block"

Dutch Proverb: "De pen is machtiger dan het zwaard."
Literal translation: "The pen is mightier than the sword".
Meaning: Words are more powerful than violent acts.

Dutch Proverb: "Een appeltje voor de dorst"
Literal Translation: "A little apple for the thirst."
Meaning: "Something you save for a time when you really need it."
English equivalent: "Save (something) for a rainy day."

Dutch Proverb: "Geen nieuws is goed nieuws."
Literal translation: "No news is good news."
Meaning: Bad news has wings, so if nothing bad has been heard, nothing bad has happened.

Dutch Proverb: "Jong geleerd is oud gedaan."
Literal Translation: "Learned when young is done when old."
Meaning: "Something learned at an early age will be easy when one is old(er)."

Dutch Proverb: "Makkelijker gezegd dan gedaan."
Literal Translation: "Easier said than done."
Meaning: "It is easier to speak of something than actually do it."

Dutch Proverb: "Een beschuitje met iemand willen eten"
Literal Translation: "Wanting to eat a little biscuit with someone"
Meaning: "Feeling attracted to someone / Having sexual feelings for someone"

Dutch Proverb: "Oost west, thuis best."
Literal Translation: "East West, home best."
Meaning: No matter where you travel, it's always great to come home.
English Equivalent: "Home sweet home."


Dutch Proverb: "Uit het oog, uit het hart."
Literal Translation: "Out of the eye, out of the heart."
English equivalent: "Out of sight, out of mind."


Dutch Proverb: "Voor een appel en een ei"
Literal Translation: "For an apple and an egg."
Meaning: "Buying something really cheap, paying very little money."


Dutch Proverb: "Wat de boer niet kent dat eet hij niet."
Literal Translation: "What the farmer doesn't know, he doesn't eat."
Meaning: "A stick-in-the-mud will try nothing new."

Dutch Proverb: "Waar een wil is is een weg."
Literal Translation: "Where there's a will, there is a way."
Meaning: "There is a way to achieve anything, if one really tries."

Dutch Proverb: "Wie goed doet, goed ontmoet."
Literal Translation: "He who does good, will meet good."
Meaning: "Who does good things to others, will receive good things in return."

Dutch Proverb: "Wie het laatst lacht, lacht het best."
Literal Translation: "He who laughs last, laughs best."
Meaning: Don't laugh your enemy in the face when you are temporarily winning, because he can be more determined to defeat you.

Educate your self with even more Dutch Proverbs at Wikiquote!