If you’re learning Dutch, sooner or later you’ll come across proverbs (spreekwoorden). You read a sentence, but the meaning doesn’t add up if you take it literally. What does an apple have to do with a tree when someone is talking about their father? Nothing. Yet every Dutch person understands it instantly.
A proverb is a short, fixed expression that conveys a general piece of wisdom. The literal meaning isn’t always accurate. What matters is the figurative meaning. “De appel valt niet ver van de boom” (“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree”) doesn’t mean there’s an apple tree somewhere, but that children resemble their parents.
It’s also useful to know the difference between a proverb and an idiom, so you don’t mix them up. A proverb is always a complete sentence. An idiom is a phrase, not a full sentence. “Iemand voor de gek houden” (“To pull someone’s leg”) is an idiom. “Leugens hebben korte benen” (“Lies have short legs”) is a proverb. In this article, I’ll explain what proverbs are, where you’ll encounter them, and how to handle them smartly while preparing for the exam.
Key takeaways from this blog
- A proverb is a fixed sentence with a figurative meaning that you don’t translate word for word.
- You’ll encounter proverbs in both listening and reading, two components tested in the exam.
- You don’t need to memorise proverbs by heart, but you do need to be able to work out the meaning from context.
- Practising with proverbs also helps strengthen your general vocabulary and language comprehension.
- Authentic Dutch material such as TV and radio is a good way to hear proverbs in their natural setting.
The definition: what makes a proverb a proverb?
A proverb can be recognised by three features. First, it’s a complete sentence, with a subject and a predicate. Second, it has a figurative meaning: the words say something other than their literal meaning. Third, the wording is fixed. You don’t adapt the words. You don’t say “De peer valt niet ver van de boom” or “De appel rolt niet ver van de boom.” The sentence is exactly as it is, and that’s how it should be.
That’s also what distinguishes a proverb from an idiom and from a saying (gezegde). Below you can see the differences in one overview:
| Term | Complete sentence? | Figurative meaning? | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proverb | Yes | Yes | “De appel valt niet ver van de boom.” |
| Idiom | No | Yes | “Iemand voor de gek houden.” |
| Saying | Often yes | Sometimes figurative, sometimes literal | “Zoals het klokje thuis tikt, tikt het nergens.” |
The fact that the wording is fixed is exactly why proverbs are tricky when you’re learning the language. You can’t reason your way to the meaning from the individual words. You need to know the fixed combination, or be able to infer the meaning from the situation in which it’s used.
Why do proverbs appear on the inburgering exam?
Proverbs in listening and reading texts
Proverbs are part of everyday, ordinary Dutch. Dutch speakers use them in conversations, in newspaper articles, on the radio and on TV. Because the exam tests whether you understand Dutch the way it actually sounds and reads in real life, proverbs can turn up in the listening and reading texts you hear or read during the exam.
In the listening exam, you hear fragments from everyday life. If a speaker says “we moeten het ijzer smeden als het heet is” (“we must strike while the iron is hot”), the exam expects you to understand what the speaker means, not that you know how hot iron gets. In the reading exam, you read texts and answer questions about their content and meaning. Proverbs can be part of those texts.
What the exam expects from you
The exam doesn’t require you to know a list of proverbs by heart. What it does require is that you understand the meaning from context. That’s a skill you can train. If you’re used to figurative language, and you know that a proverb is a fixed sentence with a figurative charge, you’re already most of the way there.
The setup and structure of the exam are fixed, but the content of the questions differs each time. So you can’t predict exactly which proverb will come up. What you can do is train your language comprehension as broadly as possible, so you can also make sense of unfamiliar expressions.
Common Dutch proverbs
Below are ten proverbs that are common in everyday Dutch, along with their figurative meaning. Don’t use them as a list to memorise; read through them and try to see the logic.
- “De appel valt niet ver van de boom.” Children resemble their parents.
- “Zoals het klokje thuis tikt, tikt het nergens.” Nowhere feels as good as home.
- “Leugens hebben korte benen.” Lies get found out quickly.
- “Al draagt een aap een gouden ring, het is en blijft een lelijke ding.” Appearance doesn’t change someone’s true nature.
- “Beter één vogel in de hand dan tien in de lucht.” Being certain of something is better than hoping for more.
- “We moeten het ijzer smeden als het heet is.” Seize the opportunity at the right moment.
- “Een gewaarschuwd mens telt voor twee.” Being warned means you can prepare well.
- “Oost west, thuis best.” Home is the best place there is.
- “De kat op het spek binden.” To tempt someone with something they shouldn’t have.
- “Nieuwe bezems vegen schoon.” New people do things differently.
These examples show just how wide-ranging the subjects are. Animals, the home, blacksmithing, lies: proverbs come from all corners of life. That’s also what makes them interesting to get to know.
How do you practise proverbs for the exam?
Learn the context, not just the sentence
The best way to learn proverbs is to hear or read them in a real situation. Not as a word list, but in use. If you hear a proverb in a conversation on TV, in a radio interview, or in a newspaper article, you immediately grasp the kind of situations in which people use it. That sticks better than a dry definition.
Authentic Dutch material such as regular TV, radio and podcasts is valuable for this. It’s sometimes harder than the exam level, but that’s exactly the point: once you’re used to language that’s a bit more complex, the exam level feels easier afterwards. Don’t get frustrated if you don’t understand everything. That’s normal, and it’s part of the learning process.
Train your language comprehension broadly
Proverbs are just one part of a bigger whole. The more words you know and the more used you are to figurative language, the better you’ll also handle unfamiliar proverbs. For level A2, it’s about the most common words in Dutch; for B1, a broader vocabulary. Knowing the most frequently used words gets you a long way in both cases.
Whether you’re working towards A2 as an “overige inburgeraar” such as a family or labour migrant, or towards B1 as a status holder: at Inburgering Online you’ll find video explanations and direct guidance on the core structures of Dutch that match your level.
Practise in a targeted way per level
Status holders take the exam at B1 level. At that level, more is expected of you in terms of language accuracy. Incorrect use of “de” and “het” isn’t overlooked at B1, but it is at A2. The same goes for understanding figurative language: B1 requires broader and deeper language comprehension.
Preparing for B1? Check out the practice material on the B1 page of Inburgering Online. Working towards A2? Then you’ll find matching material on the A2 page.
Frequently asked questions about Dutch proverbs
What’s the difference between a proverb and an idiom?
A proverb is always a complete sentence, such as “De appel valt niet ver van de boom.” An idiom is a phrase without a full verb or subject, such as “iemand voor de gek houden.” Both have a figurative meaning, but a proverb stands on its own as a sentence.
Do I need to memorise proverbs for the inburgering exam?
No, you don’t need to memorise a list of proverbs. What you do need to be able to do is understand the meaning of a proverb based on context. The exam tests your language comprehension, not your memory for fixed sentences. The exam’s setup is fixed, but exactly which proverbs come up varies each time.
Where do I encounter proverbs in everyday Dutch?
You’ll come across proverbs everywhere: in conversations, in newspapers, on the radio, on TV and in books. They’re part of ordinary, everyday Dutch. Listening to Dutch radio or TV is a good way to hear and understand them in their natural context.
Are proverbs the same as sayings (gezegden)?
Not entirely. Proverbs are complete sentences with a figurative, timeless piece of wisdom. Sayings are also fixed expressions, but their meaning can vary more, sometimes figurative and sometimes more literal. In practice, the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but for language teaching it’s useful to know the distinction.
Do proverbs appear in both the listening and reading exams?
Yes, proverbs can appear in both components. In the listening exam, you hear them in spoken fragments. In the reading exam, you may come across them in texts you answer questions about. In both cases, what matters is that you understand the meaning from context.
Does the difference between “de” and “het” matter with proverbs?
With proverbs, you use the fixed wording as it is. If you’re working at B1 level, incorrect use of “de” and “het” isn’t accepted. At A2 level, it’s judged less strictly. Either way, it’s worthwhile to learn the articles properly, beyond just proverbs.
Keep practising with Inburgering Online
Understanding proverbs is one part of your preparation for the inburgering exam or the NT2 state exam. It takes practice, a broad vocabulary, and getting used to real Dutch language use. That takes time, but it’s achievable.
At Inburgering Online you’ll find easy-to-follow video explanations and practice material that directly matches what’s asked in the exam. Prepare for A2 via the A2 page or for B1 via the B1 page. For €11.95 per month, you get access to all the material you need.
