Sure, I am Always Talkin’ Food, but I teach NT2 (Dutch as a second language) on the side. Mainly to young foreigners who came to Amsterdam for or with love and intend to stay. For privacy reasons the names in these columns are fictitious.
It is a recurring theme in my Dutch class: the reluctance of Amsterdammers to converse in Dutch with foreigners who make an effort to speak their language.
But my students are getting more and more creative every day in turning this predicament around.
When Massimo from Italy orders a loaf of bread in Dutch, only to be answered in English, he normally surrenders, albeit reluctantly.
But last week he tried out a new tactic: ‘I replied in Italian,’ he gloats. ‘Then the baker assumed that I couldn't speak English, and since she didn't speak Italian, Dutch was the only common language left.’
Massimo is cheered at by his fellow students for this cunning trick.
’Did it work?’ everybody is eager to know.
‘It worked wonders,’ he proclaims with great satisfaction. ‘We now speak Dutch. Even if it's just over a loaf of bread.’
After class, we go out for a borrel. Because our regular bar is not available, we swerve to a vintage “Jordanees” bruin café. One with an all-wood interior, stained glass, red velvet curtains and old-fashioned shaded lamps.
Upon entry, we cause quite a stir. The elderly regulars are shaken up by this diverse group of young foreigners.
They are even more astonished that everyone orders their fluitjes and vaasjes in Dutch.
’No tourists?’ you can hear them thinking.
As our Dutch conversation at the stamtafel unfolds, more and more stamgasten try to listen in, whispering to each other in awe: 'They’re still speaking Dutch!'
When it's time to go home, our hero of the day Massimo asks for the rekening at the bar.
In Dutch, this goes without saying.
This is the moment the bar flies have all been waiting for. They fire their prying questions at Massimo: ‘How come you all speak Dutch? How did you learn it?’
No one even thinks of switching to English.
In chorus they address the whole group: ‘Petje af (hats off) for speaking our language.’
That night my students leave the café as if walking on air.
Café lingo
De borrel - glass of jenever. Also: the act of having drinks together
Het fluitje - thin beer glass filled with 18cc of draft beer (literally: whistle)
Het vaasje - thick tapered beer glass filled with 25cc of draft beer (literally: small vase)
De stamtafel - the regulars’ table
De stamgast - the regular
De rekening - the bill
Oud bruin
In Amsterdam’s De Jordaan district, you can still find bruine café’s where time seems to have stood still. Dark brown bars, thanks to the vintage wooden interior and cigarette smoke stains on the ceiling from the days when smoking was allowed inside. With over three and a half centuries of history, Café Pieper on the edge of De Jordaan is one of the city’s oldest café’s and a real gem, full of original regulars.
Café Pieper (since 1665), Prinsengracht 424 Amsterdam. Open: Mon-Wed 4 PM-1 AM, Thur 12 noon-1 AM, Fri-Sat 12 noon-2 AM, Sun 1 PM-midnight.