The animal kingdom is a fascinating area of Dutch vocabulary. Whether you love pets, enjoy wildlife documentaries or simply want to chat about the animals at the zoo, this guide has you covered. Dutch animal names often have logical compound structures that make them easier to remember once you know the pattern.
Wist je dat?
The Dutch word for hippopotamus is nijlpaard, which literally means "Nile horse"! Similarly, a rhinoceros is a neushoorn — "nose horn". These compound words reveal exactly how Dutch speakers saw these exotic animals for the first time.
🐾 Pets: Huisdieren
| Emoji | Dutch | English |
|---|---|---|
| 🐕 | de hond | dog |
| 🐈 | de kat | cat |
| 🐇 | het konijn | rabbit |
| 🐹 | de hamster | hamster |
| 🐠 | de vis | fish |
| 🐦 | de vogel | bird |
| 🦜 | de papegaai | parrot |
| 🐢 | de schildpad | turtle / tortoise |
🐄 Farm Animals: Boerderijdieren
| Emoji | Dutch | English | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐄 | de koe | cow | moo! |
| 🐖 | het varken | pig | oink! |
| 🐑 | het schaap | sheep | baa! |
| 🐐 | de geit | goat | meh! |
| 🐴 | het paard | horse | neigh! |
| 🐓 | de kip | chicken / hen | cluck! |
| 🦆 | de eend | duck | quack! |
🦁 Wild Animals: Wilde Dieren
| Emoji | Dutch | English |
|---|---|---|
| 🦁 | de leeuw | lion |
| 🐘 | de olifant | elephant |
| 🦒 | de giraf | giraffe |
| 🦛 | het nijlpaard | hippopotamus |
| 🦏 | de neushoorn | rhinoceros |
| 🐻 | de beer | bear |
| 🦊 | de vos | fox |
| 🐺 | de wolf | wolf |
| 🐒 | de aap | monkey / ape |
| 🐯 | de tijger | tiger |
| 🐆 | de luipaard | leopard |
| 🦓 | de zebra | zebra |
🌊 Sea & Water Animals
| Emoji | Dutch | English |
|---|---|---|
| 🐋 | de walvis | whale |
| 🦈 | de haai | shark |
| 🐬 | de dolfijn | dolphin |
| 🦭 | de zeehond | seal |
| 🦀 | de krab | crab |
| 🪼 | de kwal | jellyfish |
| 🐊 | de krokodil | crocodile |
In Nederland zien we vaak konijnen en vossen in de natuur.In the Netherlands we often see rabbits and foxes in nature.
✏️ Practice
- I have a dog and a cat → Ik heb een hond en een kat
- The elephant is big → De olifant is groot
🔗 Continue Learning
- 👉 Weather & Nature
- 👉 Family — including pets!
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