die Niederlande
neuter, plural
The German word for the Netherlands is die Niederlande. Wiktionary also lists Holland.
Meaning: country in northwestern Europe (name)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| die Niederlande | neuter, plural | |
| Holland | /ˈhɔlant/ | neuter |
The term refers to the country in northwestern Europe. You may also encounter the term Das Königreich der Niederlande (The Kingdom of the Netherlands), which is the official and most formal way to refer to the country.
Which one should you use?
die Niederlande is the correct and formal name for the entire country, whereas Holland is a term often used colloquially to refer to the same place.
How does it change in a sentence?
die Niederlande is a plural noun, which means it requires a plural verb when used in a sentence. Additionally, when using the preposition in to indicate a location, the phrase changes to in den Niederlanden due to the dative case.
Did you know?
- The word nieder in Niederlande is a cognate of the English word 'nether', as in 'the nether regions'.
- While die Niederlande uses the plural form for 'lands', the German word Länder is the standard plural for 'countries'. Use of Lande is more archaic and poetic in modern German.
- The term Holland actually refers to a specific region within the country, not the whole nation, though it is frequently used as a synonym in German.
Examples in context
- Die Niederlande sind ein Fahrradland.The Netherlands is a country of cycling.This sentence uses die Niederlande to describe the country's cycling culture.Tatoeba #1796482 by Esperantostern, translation #5614872 by joshodude_1308
- Die Niederlande sind in zwölf Provinzen unterteilt.The Netherlands is divided into twelve provinces.This sentence uses die Niederlande to describe the country's political division into provinces.Tatoeba #10172192 by Yorwba, translation #7342872 by MarijnKp
- Meine Freundin Judy ist mit ihrer Tante Greta in Holland.My girlfriend Judy is in the Netherlands with her aunt Greta.This sentence uses Holland to describe a person's location.Tatoeba #3280337 by Zaghawa, translation #10700629 by sundown
- Das Königreich der Niederlande ist bekannt für seine schönen Tulpenfelder.The Kingdom of the Netherlands is known for its beautiful tulip fields.
- Wir haben eine Kooperation mit dem Königreich der Niederlande.We have a partnership with the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
- Ich habe vor, diesen Sommer nach Holland zu fahren.I plan to go to Holland this summer.
- Die Niederlande sind für ihre Fahrradkultur berühmt.The Netherlands are famous for their biking culture.
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Felix are talking about their upcoming vacation plans.
- JuliaReist du diesen Sommer in die Niederlande?Are you traveling to the Netherlands this summer?
- FelixJa, ich besuche meine Verwandten in den Niederlanden.Yes, I am visiting my relatives in the Netherlands.
- JuliaDas klingt wunderbar, Felix!That sounds wonderful, Felix!
- FelixIch freue mich sehr auf die Reise.I am really looking forward to the trip.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “netherlands” translations and entries Holland, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Holland, Niederlande, die, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
