Dutch talk

. it was obvious!). Unlike some other Dutch expressions, the origin and meaning of this one isn’t hard to figure out. If you have ever tried on a pair of the famous Dutch wooden shoes . and even if you haven’t . you’ll know that their soles feel as hard as, well, wood, no matter where you walk. A small pebble in the grass, therefore, will go unnoticed if you step on it while wearing wooden shoes. Nonetheless, when the small pebble becomes a brick, you will notice it even if your feet are covered in thick wood. So for instance the next time some shabby looking guy offers you a bike for sale on the street, and you decide to buy it, don’t be surprised if it turns out to be stolen, as that, the Dutch would say, ‘kun je op je klompen aanvoelen!’

(Illustration: Juan Carlos Ortiz Nicolas, Mexico)

Dutch talk

‘Dat kun je op je klompen aanvoelen’ – (literally: ‘You could feel that even if you’re wearing wooden shoes’) – is a very graphic expression the Dutch commonly use when they want to say the English equivalent of, ‘You could see that coming a mile away (i.e. it was obvious!). Unlike some other Dutch expressions, the origin and meaning of this one isn’t hard to figure out. If you have ever tried on a pair of the famous Dutch wooden shoes . and even if you haven’t . you’ll know that their soles feel as hard as, well, wood, no matter where you walk. A small pebble in the grass, therefore, will go unnoticed if you step on it while wearing wooden shoes. Nonetheless, when the small pebble becomes a brick, you will notice it even if your feet are covered in thick wood. So for instance the next time some shabby looking guy offers you a bike for sale on the street, and you decide to buy it, don’t be surprised if it turns out to be stolen, as that, the Dutch would say, ‘kun je op je klompen aanvoelen!’

(Illustration: Juan Carlos Ortiz Nicolas, Mexico)