Dutch
10 Dutch swear words you'll actually hear
A traveller's shortlist of Dutch expletives, insults and exclamations — what they mean, and how strong they are.
Every language swears differently. This guide collects 10 Dutch expressions you're genuinely likely to hear — from mild exclamations to properly strong stuff — and explains what each one actually means, not just its dictionary translation.
Burn Ratings are an approximate, cross-language heuristic. Context, region, tone and who's speaking all change how a word lands. Treat these as a guide, not gospel.
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- 2poep 1/5 · Mild
Literally “poo”. Mild term for excrement. Generally less strong than stront or schijt.
Full entry → - 3potverdorie 1/5 · Mild
Mild euphemistic exclamation roughly like darn. Less strong than godverdomme.
Full entry → - 4
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- 8boerenpummel 2/5 · Coarse
Literally “peasant oaf”. Insult for an uncouth person. Socially disparaging.
Full entry → - 9drol 2/5 · Coarse
Literally “turd”. Turd; also an insult for a fool. Literal and figurative.
Full entry → - 10afzeiken 3/5 · Vulgar
Literally “piss down”. Verb meaning disparage or ridicule harshly. Often describes humiliating criticism.
Full entry →