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Kate Hildenbrand (DE)rootsandcalluses@norden.social
Oct 12, 2026, 2:21 PM
@peterbrown @moxie @finn I have lived in Germany and the Netherlands. I an fluent in English and German. I barely speak any Dutch. I learned Spanish and English in school.
Dutch always sounded to me like a person from some British backwater with a heavy accent trying to speak German. And then I actually learned some, and it's a really pretty language. And now, I can only tell you that I am not a banana. Not great for a year there...
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Replies

Michaël Maexmichaelmaex@mathstodon.xyz
Oct 12, 2026, 3:27 PM
@rootsandcalluses @peterbrown @moxie @finn That's actually not too bad, considering the willingness (or lack thereof) of the dutch to speak their language with non-native speakers. Even as a native Dutch speaker with a Belgian accent, people in Amsterdam will sometimes respond in English to me. I guess because they don't immediately recognize the accent so instead of taking one second to realize we speak the same language, they just switch? At least they don't confuse me with fruit. Ik ben ook geen banaan!
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Kate Hildenbrandrootsandcalluses@mstdn.social
Oct 12, 2026, 3:32 PM
@michaelmaex I kept trying to learn but people either immediately switched to English or tried to get out of the conversation if that was not an option. Strange!
@peterbrown @moxie @finn
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Daniel Bohrerdaniel_bohrer@chaos.social
Oct 12, 2026, 4:43 PM
@rootsandcalluses @michaelmaex @peterbrown welkom bij de niet-een-banaan-club 😁
I recently started watching Dutch late-night comedy TV on YouTube with subtitles, and I have the feeling that it helps to get a broader vocabulary. It still takes me about three times as long when I have to look up most words, but it's getting better!
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Sibrosansibrosan@mastodon.social
Oct 12, 2026, 9:18 PM
@daniel_bohrer @rootsandcalluses @michaelmaex @peterbrown
Kijk ook eens https://youtube.com/watch?v=Lkjo9UR03wQ
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the_doctorthe_doctor@nrw.social
Oct 13, 2026, 8:06 AM
@rootsandcalluses @michaelmaex @peterbrown @moxie @finn Dutch people from near Aachen experienced THW same in the far West oft the Netherlands. People thought they were germans trying to speak dutch.
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I AM BANKSY ☕ / 🗑‍🔥xinit@mastodon.coffee
Oct 15, 2026, 9:09 AM
@rootsandcalluses
... And when you get someone to agree to speak Dutch, they do it as fast as humanly possible.
@michaelmaex @peterbrown @moxie @finn
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Carmilla-Lisandrette 🧛‍♀️carmenlisandrette@mastodon.social
Oct 16, 2026, 7:28 AM
@rootsandcalluses @michaelmaex @peterbrown @moxie @finn
Best place to learn Dutch might be here in Auckland tbh. We have sooooo many Dutch immigrants.
The first gen is usually delighted to chat with you in Dutch. Some of the elderly speak very little English and really enjoy being able to talk to new people as well.
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Kate Hildenbrandrootsandcalluses@mstdn.social
Oct 16, 2026, 8:03 AM
@carmenlisandrette I lived in the Netherlands after living in Auckland. Unfortunately, I didn't know we'd have to leave NZ, and definitely didn't know we'd move to NL next. A missed chance, it seems. @michaelmaex @peterbrown @moxie @finn
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Mysturjimysturji@mastodonapp.uk
Oct 12, 2026, 10:43 PM
@rootsandcalluses @peterbrown @moxie @finn
So how DO you say “I am not a banana” in Dutch (or indeed, German)?
That could be useful some day.
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Kate Hildenbrandrootsandcalluses@mstdn.social
Oct 13, 2026, 5:12 AM
@mysturji
Ich bin keine Banane (German)
Ik ben geen banaan (Dutch, hopefully spelled right)
@peterbrown @moxie @finn
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Mysturjimysturji@mastodonapp.uk
Oct 13, 2026, 7:28 PM
@rootsandcalluses @peterbrown @moxie @finn
Thank you! I’ve saved it to notes on my phone.
Can anyone provide the same phrase in other languages? I like to travel. 🙂
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Kate Hildenbrandrootsandcalluses@mstdn.social
Oct 14, 2026, 12:49 PM
@mysturji
No soy un banano. (Spanish)
Je ne suis pas une banane. (French)
@peterbrown @moxie @finn
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