Long Dutch Words – You Can’t Make This Stuff Up

My latest article has just been published on expatsHaarlem on the topic of long Dutch words. The Dutch string words together (that have meaning on their own) to make uber words.

This is a great example:

Appelbanaanperenaardbeienframbozengrapefuitdruivenbramensinaasappelgranaatappelmandarijncitroenroomgebakje 

Although of course it’s not a word you would hear being uttered in day to day life, it is a real word. And in case you were wondering, it’s a fruit cake with every kind of fruit imaginable in it – but listed individually.

It’s Not Just the Dutch

As children my dad and Gran used to wow my brother and me by reciting the longest place name in Wales (they are both Welsh):

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwll-llantysiliogogogoch

And no, I won’t repeat that. (Thank goodness for copy and paste).

Thinking back on this made me curious to know what the longest place name in the Netherlands is. Turns out it is Gasselterboerveenschemond. Say that after a glass or two of wine.

Read the Article

For more Dutch scrabble tips, head on over to expatsHarleem: http://expatshaarlem.nl/mastering-dutch-words-longer-arm

You’ll also learn which word is officially the longest Dutch word (the fruit cake one above doesn’t count)…..

Over to You

I would love to know what the longest word in your mother tongue (or second language) is. And the longest place name in your home or host country?