toilet
/tʋaːˈlɛt/neuter
The English phrase restroom is translated into Dutch as toilet or WC.
Meaning: public room containing a toilet (noun)
Ways to say it
| Dutch | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| toilet | /tʋaːˈlɛt/ | neuter |
| WC | /ʋeːˈseː/ | masculine |
Both terms refer to a public room containing a toilet. While toilet can refer to the specific fixture or the room itself, it is a standard polite way to ask for the restroom in public settings. The abbreviation WC is also very common in spoken Dutch. You can also use more specific terms like de dames-wc for the women's restroom or de heren-wc for the men's restroom. For a humorous and lighthearted approach, some people use the phrase het kleinste kamertje, which literally means the smallest room.
Which one should you use?
The two main forms differ in grammatical gender. toilet is a neuter noun, whereas WC is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/tʋaːˈlɛt/
Did you know?
- The word toilet comes from the Old French word toile, meaning 'cloth'. It originally referred to the small cloth draped over a dressing table where people performed their morning grooming.
- In the Netherlands, it is common to find public restrooms in train stations that require a small fee, often paid via a contactless card or a specific token.
- The phrase het kleinste kamertje uses a diminutive form, which is a common way in Dutch to make a topic sound more polite or less direct.
Examples in context
- Waar is het toilet?Where's the restroom?This sentence is useful for asking where the restroom is located using toilet.Tatoeba #379482 by Dorenda, translation #38932 by CK
- Ik zoek het toilet.I am looking for the restroom.This sentence is useful for stating that you are looking for the restroom using toilet.Tatoeba #6058410 by Mandalay, translation #7431277 by MarijnKp
- Mag ik naar de wc gaan?May I go to the restroom?This sentence is useful for asking permission to use the restroom using WC.Tatoeba #690762 by martinod, translation #517399 by CK
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lisa and Daan are at a busy cafe.
- LisaDaan, weet jij waar het toilet is?Daan, do you know where the restroom is?
- DaanJa, het is daar achterin de gang.Yes, it is back there in the hallway.
- LisaBedankt, ik ben snel terug.Thanks, I'll be right back.
- DaanIs goed, ik bewaak de tafel.All right, I'll watch the table.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “restroom” translations and entries toilet, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Pronunciation from the Wiktionary entry wc.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries toilet, wc, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
