aardappel
/ˈaːr.dɑ.pəl/feminine
The Dutch word for potato is aardappel. If unsure, use aardappel. Wiktionary also lists pieper and patat.
Meaning: plant tuber eaten as starchy vegetable (noun)
Ways to say it
| Dutch | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| aardappel | /ˈaːr.dɑ.pəl/ | feminine |
| pieper | /ˈpi.pər/ | masculine |
| patat | /paːˈtɑt/ /pɑˈtɑt/ |
feminine |
The term refers to the plant tuber eaten as a starchy vegetable.
What does it mean word for word?
The word aardappel is a compound of aard (earth) and appel (apple).
Which one should you use?
While aardappel refers to the vegetable itself, patat specifically refers to French fries.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Pieper is a colloquial or slang term for a potato.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural of aardappel is typically formed by adding -s to get aardappels.
How do you pronounce it?
aardappel is pronounced /ˈaːr.dɑ.pəl/. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- The Dutch aardappel is a direct cognate of the Old English eorþæppel, which was used to describe a cucumber.
- While aardappel is the standard term, you might hear the slang pieper used instead, which literally translates to 'squeaker' or 'one who peeps'.
Examples in context
- Ik ben een aardappel.I am a potato.This sentence uses aardappel to demonstrate a simple subject-verb-object structure.Tatoeba #7319038 by MarijnKp, translation #6590457 by Eccles17
- Tom is een aardappelboer.Tom is a potato farmer.This sentence shows the use of aardappel within a compound noun for a profession.Tatoeba #7319080 by MarijnKp, translation #6558785 by Hybrid
- Ik hou van aardappelsalade.I like potato salad.This sentence demonstrates how aardappel is used in a compound noun for a food item.Tatoeba #7319021 by MarijnKp, translation #1721095 by Spamster
- 23 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daan and Julia are cooking dinner together.
- DaanZullen we een aardappel schillen?Shall we peel a potato?
- JuliaJa, ik doe dat nu.Yes, I will do that now.
- DaanHoeveel aardappels hebben we nog?How many potatoes do we still have?
- JuliaEr liggen er nog vijf in de mand.There are five more in the basket.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “potato” translations and entries aardappel, pieper, patat, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries aardappel, patat, pieper, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
