badkamer
/ˈbɑtˌkaː.mər/feminine
The Dutch word for bathroom is badkamer.
The term badkamer refers specifically to a room that contains a bathtub or a shower. In Dutch, if you are referring only to the room containing the toilet, you should use toilet or wc instead.
Meaning: a room with a bathtub (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
badkamer is a compound of bad, meaning bath and kamer, meaning room.
Which one should you use?
While badkamer describes a room with bathing facilities, the words toilet or wc are used when referring to the room that contains only the toilet.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of badkamer is badkamers. The word is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbɑtˌkaː.mər/. The stress is on the first of three syllables.
When do people say it?
On signs, you will often see Heren to indicate the gentlemen's bathroom and Dames to indicate the ladies' bathroom.
Did you know?
- In many Dutch homes, the toilet is located in its own tiny, separate room rather than being part of the badkamer, a layout quite different from many English-speaking countries.
- The term wc is a very common abbreviation used in the Netherlands, derived from the English 'water closet', which remains a standard way to refer to the restroom in daily life.
- The word kamer is a direct relative of the English word 'chamber'. Over time, the initial 'ch' sound in the Dutch version was dropped.
Examples in context
- Is er een badkamer?Does it have a bathroom?This sentence is useful for asking if a place has a badkamer.Tatoeba #8991418 by Nylez, translation #319808 by CM
- Dit is de badkamer.This is the bathroom.This sentence is useful for pointing out which room is the badkamer.Tatoeba #9072154 by MarijnKp, translation #2547621 by CK
- De badkamer is boven.The bathroom is upstairs.This sentence is useful for stating the location of the badkamer.Tatoeba #4457078 by Sanura, translation #3259038 by CK
- Mag ik even naar het toilet gaan?May I use the bathroom real quick?
- Ik moet echt even naar de WC. Waar kan ik die vinden?I really need to go to the bathroom. Where can I find one?
- 42 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Noah are at a hotel.
- JuliaHeeft dit hotel een badkamer?Does this hotel have a bathroom?
- NoahJa, de badkamer is groot.Yes, the bathroom is large.
- JuliaIs er een badkamer in de kamer?Is there a bathroom in the room?
- NoahNee, maar de badkamer is dichtbij.No, but the bathroom is nearby.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bathroom” translations and entries badkamer, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
