aangenaam
/ˈaːn.ɣəˌnaːm/
In Dutch, "nice to meet you" can be expressed as aangenaam.
The phrase is a polite greeting used when meeting someone for the first time. The complete phrase Aangenaam kennis te maken translates to "pleasant to make your acquaintance."
What does it mean word for word?
The word aangenaam literally means "pleasant" or "agreeable."
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The standalone word aangenaam is quite formal and polite. The full phrase Aangenaam kennis te maken is a formal way to say "Nice to meet you." For more informal situations, you can use Fijn om kennis te maken or use the phrases Leuk je te ontmoeten or Leuk jullie te ontmoeten.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase Aangenaam kennis te maken, the word kennis refers to the act of making an acquaintance.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈaːn.ɣəˌnaːm/. It has 3 syllables and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- The term kennis in the phrase Aangenaam kennis te maken is the same word used for 'knowledge' in many other contexts, meaning you are literally 'making knowledge' of a person.
- The Dutch word aangenaam is a linguistic sibling to the German 'angenehm' and the Yiddish 'ayngenem'.
- While aangenaam is the standard polite greeting, Dutch culture often emphasizes the physical gesture of a firm handshake to validate the phrase during a first introduction.
Examples in context
- Aangenaam kennis te maken.Nice to meet you.This example shows the standard phrase for "Nice to meet you."Tatoeba #384963 by Dorenda, translation #499617 by Shishir
- Aangenaam kennis te maken!Nice to meet you!This example adds an exclamation point for emphasis to the phrase "Nice to meet you!"Tatoeba #7786504 by Micsmithel, translation #2732594 by mackay
- Ik heet Kyril, aangenaam kennis te maken.My name's Cyril. Nice to meet you.This example shows how to introduce yourself followed by the phrase using aangenaam.Tatoeba #378789 by Dorenda, translation #1346838 by CN
- Goedemiddag, mijn naam is Anna. Aangenaam kennis te maken.Good afternoon, my name is Anna. Nice to meet you.
- Dank u voor de uitnodiging. Leuk u te ontmoeten.Thank you for the invitation. Nice to meet you.
- Hoi, ik ben Peter. Leuk je te ontmoeten.Hi, I'm Peter. Nice to meet you.
- Wat gezellig! Fijn om kennis te maken.How nice! Nice to meet you.
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sophie and Daan are meeting at a social event.
- SophieHallo, ik ben Sophie. Aangenaam.Hello, I am Sophie. Nice to meet you.
- DaanHoi Sophie, ik ben Daan. Insgelijks.Hi Sophie, I am Daan. Likewise.
- SophieBen je hier alleen, Daan?Are you here alone, Daan?
- DaanNee, ik ben met een vriend.No, I am with a friend.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry aangenaam, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries aangenaam, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
