オランダ語
Oranda-go[o̞ɾã̠nda̠ɡo̞]
In Japanese, the phrase for the Dutch language is オランダ語 (Oranda-go). If unsure, use オランダ語. Wiktionary also lists 蘭語 (Rango).
Meaning: the Dutch language (name)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| オランダ語 | Oranda-go | [o̞ɾã̠nda̠ɡo̞] (narrow) |
| 蘭語 | Rango | [ɾã̠ŋɡo̞] (narrow) |
The term is used to refer specifically to the Dutch language.
Which one should you use?
オランダ語 is the standard way to name the language, while 蘭語 is a more formal or literary abbreviation. If you want to refer to the people from the Netherlands rather than the language, you should use オランダ人 instead.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
オランダ語 is the standard term, whereas 蘭語 is a more formal or literary version used in academic or historical contexts.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The standard way to say 'Dutch' is to take the katakana name for the Netherlands, オランダ and append the suffix 語 (meaning language). To change the meaning from the language to the people, you replace the suffix 語 with 人 (person) to get オランダ人.
How do you pronounce it?
Oranda-go
Did you know?
- The single character 蘭 used in 蘭語 actually means 'orchid' in Japanese, but was chosen as a shorthand for 'Holland'.
- Because the Dutch were the only Europeans allowed to trade with Japan for centuries, 蘭語 was the only Western language officially studied by the shogunate.
- During the Edo period, 蘭語 was the primary gateway for Western science and medicine, leading to a field of study called 蘭学 or 'Dutch Learning'.
Examples in context
- オランダ語を勉強したいの。I want to study Dutch.This sentence is useful for expressing a desire to study オランダ語.Tatoeba #10001895 by bunbuku, translation #4720492 by kawaii
- オランダ語はドイツ語と密接なつながりがある。Dutch is closely related to German.This sentence is useful for noting a linguistic relationship involving オランダ語.Tatoeba #227472 by bunbuku, translation #64824 by CK
- オランダ語を勉強するのは難しくはありません。It's not difficult to learn Dutch.This sentence is useful for commenting on the difficulty level of learning オランダ語.Tatoeba #789576 by arihato, translation #789028 by Zifre
- 彼はオランダの人です。He is Dutch.
- あの人、オランダ人だよ。That person is Dutch.
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yota and Himari are talking about their language studies.
- 陽太 Yota陽葵はオランダ語を話せますか？Himari wa orandago o hanasemasu ka?Himari, can you speak Dutch?
- 陽葵 Himariいいえ、まだ勉強していません。Iie, mada benkyou shite imasen.No, I haven't studied it yet.
- 陽太 Yota僕はオランダ語に興味があります。Boku wa orandago ni kyoumi ga arimasu.I am interested in Dutch.
- 陽葵 Himari一緒に勉強しましょうか。Issho ni benkyou shimashou ka.Shall we study it together?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dutch” translations and entries オランダ語, 蘭語, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
