The Influence of Other Languages on Dutch: Loanwords and More

Dutch may be a Germanic language at its core, but it has never been shy about borrowing words from its neighbors and even far-off lands. Linguists estimate that roughly 20% of Dutch vocabulary comes from other languages (Haspelmath & Tadmor, 2009).

Over the centuries, Dutch has been a linguistic sponge. It absorbed Latin terms from scholars and priests, French words from fashion and nobility, German words from close cousins, English buzzwords from pop culture, and plenty more. For English-speaking adults learning Dutch, this is good news. Those foreign influences mean you already know more Dutch than you might think.

Let’s explore how Latin, French, German, English, and other languages have shaped Dutch, with examples of loanwords and tips on turning them into your vocabulary allies.

Latin: Ancient Roots in Modern Dutch

Latin was the international language of education, religion, and science in Europe for centuries. So it’s no surprise that Latin left an early mark on Dutch (Lendering, n.d.). As far back as the Roman era and the Middle Ages, Latin terms slipped into Dutch for things the local language hadn’t named yet.

The Catholic Church and medieval universities operated in Latin, introducing words related to religion, learning, and governance. For example, the Dutch word universiteit (university) comes straight from Latin universitas (Talkpal, 2023). Likewise, medicijn (medicine) and chirurgie (surgery) draw on Latin and Greek roots common across Europe.

Even everyday words have Latin origins. Straat (street) traces back to Latin strata (paved road), and kerk (church) comes via Latin from Greek kyriakon. Dutch often “dutchifies” these imports. It adjusts the spelling or pronunciation. But if you recognize the Latin root, you’re one step closer to understanding the meaning.

Words ending in -tie, like informatie or organisatie, are basically the same as English -tion words. Recognizing these Latin cousins can give your vocabulary a quick boost.

French: Ooh La La, Très Dutch!

French influence on Dutch vocabulary has been huge, especially since the 12th century (Haspelmath & Tadmor, 2009). French-speaking Burgundy ruled parts of the Low Countries in the late Middle Ages. Napoleon annexed the Netherlands between 1810 and 1813, making French an official language (Lendering, n.d.).

The result? Thousands of French words waltzed into Dutch. About one-third of all Dutch loanwords are from French (Haspelmath & Tadmor, 2009). Fancy terms related to art, fashion, food, and government often have French roots. Dutch even retains a few French phrases.

Some common examples:

• paraplu (umbrella)
• portemonnee (wallet)
• toilet (toilet)
• restaurant (restaurant)

Even the Dutch word helaas (unfortunately) comes from French hélas. If you know some French or French-derived English words, you’ll recognize a lot in Dutch. Terms like mode (fashion), hotel, bureau (office/desk), and chauffeur are virtually identical. Pronunciation might differ slightly, but the meaning is clear.

German: Close Cousins and Shared Words

Dutch and German are close cousins. Both are West Germanic languages that grew up next door. They share over 75% of their basic vocabulary (Lewis, 2020).

It can be tricky to say whether a common word is a loanword or a shared root. But German has definitely influenced Dutch. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Dutch borrowed words from High German and Low German (Lendering, n.d.). These loans often got “Dutchified.”

For example, the German Fremdling (stranger) entered Dutch as vreemdeling. The meaning stayed the same, but the spelling became more Dutch. The word überhaupt is used in Dutch too, meaning “in general.”

Dutch and German regions near each other have influenced each other a lot. If you’ve studied German, you’ll notice similarities immediately. Even if you haven’t, words like broek (pants), hand, land, and water will feel familiar. Whether loanwords or shared roots, the similarities help learners decode new words faster.

English: The Modern Invasion (It’s Friendly!)

English is the most recent and ever-growing influence on Dutch. Since the 19th century, English words have flooded into Dutch (Haspelmath & Tadmor, 2009).

Today, English is everywhere in the Netherlands. Pop culture, tech, and business are full of it. Dutch simply adopts English terms on top of native words. Words like computer, internet, email, online, smartphone are used almost identically.

Dutch even makes verbs out of English nouns. For example:

• treinen (to travel by train)
• babysitten (to babysit)
• emailen (to email)

Oké (okay) gets a Dutch accent. But often, the original form is kept. Office Dutch is full of Dunglish: meeting, deadline, update. This makes Dutch easier to pick up for English speakers.

Research shows that cognates and familiar loanwords are easier to remember and retrieve (Rogers et al., 2015).

Other Languages: A World of Influence

Dutch picked up words from many other languages through trade and colonization. From Portuguese and Spanish:

• tabak (tobacco)

From Italian:

• opera, pizza, casino, sonnet

From Indonesian (Malay):

• saté (satay)
• loempia (spring roll)
• toko (Asian grocery store)

From Yiddish and Hebrew:

• mazzel (luck)
• lef (guts)

These words often appear in food, slang, or cultural contexts. They add color to Dutch and reflect its global connections.

Making Loanwords Work for You

As a learner, loanwords are your secret weapon. They help you guess meanings from context and build vocabulary faster.

For example:

• informatie looks like “information”
• bibliotheek looks like “bibliothèque” or “biblioteca”

Spotting these patterns builds confidence. Tip: English -tion words often become -tie in Dutch. Like migratie (migration), communicatie (communication). English -ity becomes -iteit: realiteit (reality), activiteit (activity).

Recognizing these forms helps you read faster and remember more. Loanwords aren’t cheats. They’re stepping stones. And they’re proof that Dutch isn’t completely foreign. It’s part of a shared language history.

Conclusion: Embrace the Mix

Dutch is a blend of Germanic roots and international influences. Latin, French, German, English, and more have all left their mark.

For learners, this is an advantage. You don’t start from zero. You build on what you already know. So next time you order a koffie verkeerd or emailen a friend, know that your Dutch is already multilingual.

Ready to take it further? Try our Dutch courses or download the DutchFluency app. You’ll be amazed how quickly your vocabulary grows when you recognize its roots.

Veel succes!

References

Haspelmath, M., & Tadmor, U. (2009). Loanwords in the world’s languages: A comparative handbook. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton.

Lendering, J. (n.d.). Dutch Language. Livius.org.

Rogers, J., Webb, S., & Nakata, T. (2015). Do the cognacy characteristics of loanwords make them more easily learned than noncognates? Language Teaching Research, 19(1), 9–27.