Student
Typical Dutch

Number confusion

When I arrived in the Netherlands, I couldn’t wait to pick up my room key. I was curious to see whether I had a nice view from my window and who my corridor mates were. But the process of getting into my room wasn’t as smooth as I imagined. It involved some funny confusion about…
Gastredacteur

Shortly before I came to the Netherlands, I was informed that I had room number 97 in a student apartment. In Wageningen I met the caretaker to introduce myself and collect the key. He was friendly and gave me some brochures about the regulations and living in the building. When it came to the key, he handed me a key with number 97 on its keyring. However, he told me (in English) that my room was number ‘79’. I showed him the number on my keyring and told him it was ‘97’. But he said: ‘No, your room number is 79.’ We argued a bit but he insisted that my room was 79, so I decided just to try my key in the doors of both rooms. It fitted the door of room number 97.

‘Ninety seven’ is ‘seven and ninety’ in Dutch. So next time I experience number confusion I will know why

A month later, the puzzle was solved over lunch with my colleagues, when we talked about Dutch ways of saying things. Apparently, the Dutch way of saying numbers is the other way round to the English way. For example, in number 97 in English the ‘ninety’ comes before the ‘seven’, just as it is written. In Dutch, however, this number is described as ‘zevenennegentig’, which means ‘seven and ninety’. So next time I experience number confusion in the Netherlands, I will know why.

Sri Sunarti, PhD Researcher in Plant Sciences, from Indonesia

Do you have a nice anecdote about your experience of going Dutch? Send it in! Describe an encounter with Dutch culture in detail and comment on it briefly. 300 words max. Send it to resource@wur.nl and earn twenty-five euro and Dutch candy.

NL: Verkeerd om

Sri Sunarti had een wonderlijk meningsverschil met de huisbaas toen ze de sleutel van haar Wageningse kamer ging ophalen. Hij gaf haar een sleutel waar ‘97’ op stond en zei – in het Engels – dat ze kamer ‘79’ had. ‘U bedoelt 97’, opperde Sri, maar hij hield vol dat het 79 was. Uiteindelijk probeerde Sri de sleutel op beide kamerdeuren. Hij paste op 97. Later hoorde ze dat tweecijferige getallen in het Nederlands anders worden uitgesproken dan in het Engels: zevenennegentig in plaats van negentigzeven. ‘Dus de volgende keer dat ik nummerverwarring ervaar, weet ik waarom.’

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