Local Drinks

1. koffie

   Coffee

   Usage

   In the Netherlands a small biscuit almost always arrives on the saucer. Being asked "Wil je koffie?" on arriving at someone's home is close to a ritual. Colloquially a cup is often called "een bakje koffie"

   Grammar Note

   Masculine noun, so de koffie. It is counted with a container word: "een kopje koffie" (a cup of coffee)

2. koffie verkeerd

   Coffee made with about half hot milk

   Usage

   Literally "wrong coffee" — so called because it has "too much" milk. Traditionally at most half filter coffee and at least half hot milk, which makes it different from a caffè latte in both the coffee and the milk used. In Belgium (Flanders) the same drink is called "lait russe"

   Grammar Note

   De koffie verkeerd. Unusually, the adjective "verkeerd" (wrong) follows the noun and stays uninflected

3. thee

   Tea

   Usage

   The Dutch café standard is a box of tea bags held out for you to choose from. Milk in tea is not customary and sugar is often not offered; "thee met melk" will be understood but is unusual

   Grammar Note

   Masculine noun, so de thee; a cup is "een kopje thee"

4. verse muntthee

   Fresh mint tea

   Usage

   Not a tea bag but whole sprigs of mint in a glass with hot water poured over. It spread through Dutch cities with the Moroccan community and is now on every café menu, usually offered with honey

   Grammar Note

   "Muntthee" is masculine: de muntthee — note the two consecutive t's (munt + thee). The adjective "vers" becomes "verse" before a de-word

5. karnemelk

   Buttermilk

   Usage

   In the Netherlands buttermilk is a drink, not just a baking ingredient: it sits beside the milk in every supermarket and many people drink it with lunch. It is low-fat and sour, which first-timers often mistake for spoiled milk. Informally also called "botermelk"

   Grammar Note

   Takes de: de karnemelk. From karnen (to churn) + melk (milk) — the liquid left after churning butter

6. melk

   Milk

   Usage

   In the Netherlands milk is a mealtime drink: a glass with lunch is normal, and it is stocked in school and workplace canteens. Fat levels are labelled volle (whole), halfvolle (semi-skimmed) and magere (skimmed) melk

   Grammar Note

   Takes de: de melk. An uncountable noun with no everyday plural

7. chocolademelk

   Chocolate milk

   Usage

   Sold both cold and hot; ordering it in a café normally gets you the hot version, and you will be asked whether you want it "met slagroom" (with whipped cream). A fixture of winter markets and ice rinks

   Grammar Note

   Takes de: de chocolademelk. From chocolade + melk; the hot version is "warme chocolademelk"

8. anijsmelk

   Hot milk flavoured with aniseed

   Usage

   Originally milk simmered with aniseed, a Dutch winter drink especially in the northern provinces. Today it is usually made by dissolving "anijsblokjes" (aniseed sugar cubes) in hot milk. It contains no alcohol and is drunk by children too

   Grammar Note

   Takes de: de anijsmelk. From anijs (aniseed) + melk (milk)

9. jus d'orange

   Orange juice

   Usage

   A French spelling that has become an ordinary Dutch word: menus write "jus d'orange" or shorten it to "jus" / "ju". The pronunciation is a Dutch adaptation rather than French. The native word "sinaasappelsap" is equally correct but "jus d'orange" is what you hear in cafés; freshly squeezed is "vers geperste jus d'orange"

   Grammar Note

   A noun phrase: de jus d'orange. Native sinaasappelsap is neuter: het sinaasappelsap.

10. appelsap

    Apple juice

    Usage

    A café and supermarket standard and the usual children's drink. A warmed version, "warme appelsap", appears at Christmas markets

    Grammar Note

    Neuter, so het appelsap — not "de". Every compound ending in "sap" (juice) takes het: het sinaasappelsap, het druivensap

11. ranja

    Orange squash / diluted fruit cordial

    Usage

    Originally a brand name, now the ordinary Dutch word for orange squash — the drink of children's birthday parties and sports clubs. It is a diluted cordial, not a juice; the generic term is limonadesiroop or siroop

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun, so de ranja; the related "limonade" also takes de

12. kraanwater

    Tap water

    Usage

    Dutch tap water is safe and widely drunk straight from the tap, but restaurants do not always serve it free and will often offer bottled water instead. Ask for "een glaasje kraanwater". In Belgium "leidingwater" is also used

    Grammar Note

    Neuter, so het kraanwater — compounds ending in "water" (het water) take het. From kraan (tap) + water

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