Signs

1. Ingang

   Entrance

   Usage

   Displayed at the entrance of buildings, stations, and facilities; signs show it as "INGANG"

2. Uitgang

   Exit

   Usage

   Displayed at exits of buildings, stations, and facilities; signs read "UITGANG", often with an arrow in stations

3. Nooduitgang

   Emergency exit

   Usage

   Emergency exit sign, shown with the white-on-green running-man pictogram; signs read "NOODUITGANG"

4. Open

   Open (door sign)

   Usage

   The flip sign hanging on a shop door; spelled like English but a genuine Dutch word, and the usual wording on shopfronts

5. Gesloten

   Closed (door sign)

   Usage

   The "closed" side of a shop door sign; also marks closing days inside an "openingstijden" (opening hours) notice

6. Geopend

   Open for business

   Usage

   Signage on banks, post offices, and public offices stating they are currently open — more formal than the "Open" flip sign

7. Tijdelijk gesloten

   Temporarily closed

   Usage

   Dutch has no exact equivalent of the Japanese "junbichuu" sign; this is the closest common wording. A weekly closing day is posted as "Rustdag" and a holiday closure as "Wegens vakantie gesloten"

8. Heren

   Men

   Usage

   Marks the men's restroom; also written "Mannen" or "WC Heren"

9. Dames

   Women

   Usage

   Marks the women's restroom; also written "Vrouwen" or "WC Dames"

10. Verboden toegang

    No entry

    Usage

    Posted on doors and areas closed to the public; signs read "VERBODEN TOEGANG". "Verboden toegang voor onbevoegden" and "Alleen voor personeel" mean the same

11. Verboden te roken

    No smoking

    Usage

    No-smoking sign in stations, indoors, and in restaurants; "Roken verboden" and "Rookvrij" mean the same, with "rookvrij" now common for smoke-free zones

12. Rookruimte

    Smoking area

    Usage

    Marks a designated smoking room or area at airports and stations; outdoor zones are also signed "Rookzone"

13. Trap

    Stairs

    Usage

    Directional sign pointing to stairs; a lift is signed "Lift" and an escalator "Roltrap"

14. Duwen

    Push

    Usage

    Sign on a door telling you to push; shown as "DUWEN". In Flanders it is sometimes posted as "Stoten"

15. Trekken

    Pull

    Usage

    Sign on a door telling you to pull; shown as "TREKKEN"

16. Werk in uitvoering

    Works in progress

    Usage

    Posted at roadworks and closed-off passages; the site itself is signed "Bouwplaats" and road digging "Wegwerkzaamheden"

17. Buiten gebruik

    Out of order

    Usage

    Posted on lifts, ticket machines, and toilets that are not in service; signs read "BUITEN GEBRUIK", and a breakdown may be marked "Defect" or "Storing"

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