eet smakelijk
/ˌeːt ˈsmaː.kə.lək/
To say "enjoy your meal" in Dutch, you say eet smakelijk.
The phrase eet smakelijk is a common way to wish someone a pleasant experience while eating. You may also encounter smakelijk eten to convey the same meaning.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase eet smakelijk literally translates to "eat tastily".
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase eet smakelijk, the word eet is the imperative (command) form of the verb eten (to eat).
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˌeːt ˈsmaː.kə.lək/. It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable.
When do people say it?
When someone says eet smakelijk to you, a common response is dank je wel (thank you) or the polite dank u wel (thank you). If you are also about to eat, you can respond by saying jij ook (informal) or u ook (formal) to say "you too".
Did you know?
- Unlike in some cultures where it is polite to wait for the host to start, saying eet smakelijk often serves as the official signal that everyone may begin eating.
- The word smaak in smakelijk is a direct relative of the English word 'smack', which originally referred to the taste or smell of something.
- The Dutch word smaak is used not only for 'taste' but also to describe someone's 'style' or 'preference' in art and fashion.
Examples in context
- Eet smakelijk!Enjoy your meal!This example shows the use of eet smakelijk as a standalone exclamation.Tatoeba #377965 by Dorenda, translation #2370 by CK
- Eet smakelijk, meneer/mevrouw.Enjoy your meal, sir/madam.
- Smakelijk eten, team!Enjoy your meal, team!
- Eet lekker, we hebben hard gewerkt vandaag!Enjoy your meal, we worked hard today!
- Smakelijk, broertje/zusje!Enjoy your meal, little brother/sister!
- Eet smakelijk, iedereen!Enjoy your meal, everyone!
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sophie and Daan are sitting down at a restaurant.
- SophieHet eten ziet er heerlijk uit.The food looks delicious.
- DaanJa, eet smakelijk, Sophie!Yes, enjoy your meal, Sophie!
- SophieDank je wel, Daan.Thank you, Daan.
- DaanJij ook, eet smakelijk.You too, enjoy your meal.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry eet smakelijk, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
