Random Dutch Word Generator
Enter a number from 1 to 10 and get that many common Dutch words, each shown with its English meaning on its own card.More Word & Language Generators
The Random Dutch Word Generator gives you one to ten Dutch words per click, each on a card with its English meaning underneath. The list holds 966 words taken from the most frequently used Dutch vocabulary, so what comes up is the language people actually speak in the Netherlands and Flanders: hij (he), voor (for), broer (brother), ei (egg), zout (salt), neus (nose), waarschijnlijk (probable), werelddeel (continent). It is a vocabulary drill and a word-picker for games, not a dictionary.
How it works
There is one control, the number of words, from 1 to 10. Press Generate Dutch Word and the list is shuffled; the first however-many words come back as cards showing the Dutch word in large type and a one- or two-word English gloss below it. Press again for a new set. There is no filter by part of speech, length or letter, and no audio or pronunciation guide.
What the word list looks like
Because the list is built from a frequency ranking rather than a themed vocabulary, it is heavy on the small words that make up most of any sentence: als (as), dat (that), op (on), met (with), zijn (his, and also are), was (was). Alongside those are the everyday nouns and adjectives a learner meets in the first months: bedden (bed), energie (energy), woede (anger), vordering (claim), meervoud (plural). A few points to know:
- Some entries are Dutch words that happen to be spelled the same as their English meaning, such as water, land, wind, arm, station and instrument. They are real Dutch words, not mistakes.
- A few words appear twice with different meanings because the Dutch word covers both; zijn is the clearest case (his / are). The card shows whichever meaning was stored with that entry.
- Glosses are short. Waarschijnlijk is given as “probable”, though “probably” is the more common use. Treat the meaning as a hint and check a dictionary before you rely on it.
- Nouns are shown without their article, so the card will not tell you whether a word takes de or het.
Uses
- Daily vocabulary. Ten words a day from a frequency list is a sensible way to build Dutch, since the common words are what you will hear on the street and in the news.
- Flashcard seeds. Generate a batch, put the Dutch on one side of a card and the gloss on the other, then add the article and an example sentence yourself.
- Word games. Pictionary, charades or a quick spelling bee for a Dutch class; the short function words are easy, the longer nouns like werelddeel are the hard rounds.
- A random Dutch word for a name or a prompt. Writers looking for a Dutch-sounding name for a place or a boat, or a single word to write around, can press once and take what comes.
Other languages
The same one-input format exists for German, which is the closest relative of Dutch and worth comparing side by side, as well as French, Spanish, Japanese and Latin. If you have not settled on a language yet, the Random Language Generator will pick one. Everything else is under all word & language generators.
Frequently asked questions
- How many Dutch words can I generate at once?
From 1 to 10 per click. The full list of 966 words is reshuffled each time.
- Does it show the English meaning?
Yes. Every card has the Dutch word with a short English gloss under it. It does not show the article (de/het), pronunciation or example sentences.
- Are these common words or rare ones?
Common. The list comes from a frequency ranking, so it is dominated by function words, basic nouns and everyday adjectives rather than specialist vocabulary.
- Can I filter by word type or letter?
No. The only setting is the number of words. For letter and length filters, the English Random Word Generator has them, but this Dutch list does not.