veel beterschap
/veːl ˈbeː.tərˌsxɑp/word by word
To say "get well soon" in Dutch, use veel beterschap.
veel beterschap is the standard and most common way to wish someone a speedy recovery in Dutch.
Meaning: expressing hope that someone recovers soon (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of veel (much/a lot of) and beterschap (improvement/recovery).
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /veːl ˈbeː.tərˌsxɑp/. The stress is on the second of four syllables.
When do people say it?
When someone wishes you well, a common response is Dank je wel (Thank you) or the more formal Dank u wel (Thank you).
Did you know?
- If someone has a chronic illness that will not go away, Dutch speakers may avoid veel beterschap and instead use veel sterkte, which wishes the person 'much strength'.
- The suffix -schap in beterschap is a direct cognate of the English suffix '-ship' used in words like 'friendship'.
- The word veel in veel beterschap functions like the English 'much' in 'much success', treating recovery as a quantity one can receive.
Examples in context
- Ik hoop dat je snel weer de oude bent. Veel beterschap!I hope you are back to your old self soon. Get well soon!
- Ik wens je veel beterschap.I wish you a speedy recovery.
- Veel beterschap en rust goed uit.Get well soon and rest up well.
Example conversation
Sophie calls Lucas to check on him because he is sick.
- SophieHoe gaat het nu met je?How are you doing now?
- LucasNiet zo goed, ik ben erg ziek.Not so good, I am very sick.
- SophieO wat vervelend, veel beterschap!Oh how annoying, get well soon!
- LucasDank je wel, Sophie.Thank you, Sophie.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “get well soon” translations and entries veel beterschap, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (veel, beterschap) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries beterschap, veel, CC BY-SA 4.0.
