Comments on: Do You Know The Difference Between Holland And The Netherlands?

By: Jo

Jo — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 00:58:01 +0000

As I’m Dutch I find this all very amusing. Never realized that it was so confusing. But thank you for the history! Taught me some as well! This is how it’s used in Nederland:

- Nederland (or “The Netherlands” in English) is the name we use when we speak of our country

- Nederlands (or “Dutch” in English) is the language

- Holland is not a name we often use. It’s mostly heard in songs, expressions, or in the context of football. But when used by somebody from the Netherlands, they will mean the country as a whole and not the two states.
Even though that is technically wrong.

The problem lies in our history. As is said before “Holland” refers to the two states and “Dutch” to our connection with Germany / Deutschland.

Just use the first two and you’ll be fine (and very Dutch). And just to be clear we do not use the term The “Netherlands” or “Dutch” ourselves, that’s English, we say Nederland and Nederlands.

By: Silvana

Silvana — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 23:12:36 +0000

at first i thought Holland was The Netherlands in Dutch. Nice information. I found interesting fact about the naming though. Recently i received a pair of wooden shoes-slippers from Netherlands. The slippers have picture of windmills and tulips, with big letter,”HOLLAND”.
I directly checked where the slippers were made. I read in the brochure sent with the slippers, and they’re made in Luttenberg. I thought Luttenberg must be in one of the two regions, North or South Holland.
But i was wrong. Luttenberg is in Overijssel region and the slippers maker name the country Holland instead of Netherlands!!

By: Joseph Kawele

Joseph Kawele — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 10:24:52 +0000

I am so enlightened by your clear clarification between Holland and Netherlands. For all along I was thinking Holland was the first name and later Netherlands but just to learn it from your site today.

Great for that distinction. I have been to Netherlands.

Thank you.

By: Argee

Argee — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 06:54:29 +0000

I think it’s a bit like England, Ireland & Scotland !!!

It was pretty confusing for me (i’m from India) till one Irish friend explained it to me. Actually, I know that North Ireland, Wales & Scotland are now part of Great Britain and South Ireland is now the actual Ireland.

By: Bart

Bart — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 18:19:23 +0000

@Matt is right almost nobody would be offended because nowadays we also use it as a synonym to the Netherlands.
We just use Holland because it’s shorter and easier to pronounce:P.

Btw I’m from Holland and live in the province gelderland.