kietelen
/ˈki.tə.lə(n)/
To tickle in Dutch is kietelen. Wiktionary also lists kriebelen.
Meaning: to touch in a manner that causes tingling sensation (verb)
Ways to say it
| Dutch | IPA |
|---|---|
| kietelen | /ˈki.tə.lə(n)/ |
| kriebelen |
Kietelen is the standard verb used when you are performing the action of tickling another person.
Which one should you use?
While kietelen refers to the physical act of tickling someone, kriebelen refers to the sensation of being ticklish or a tingling feeling, such as when your nose tickles.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables, with the stress on the first syllable. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈki.tə.lə(n)/.
Did you know?
- When someone is feeling restless or has an urge to start a project, they might say their fingers are kriebelen. It is the Dutch equivalent of 'having an itch' to do something.
- Dutch uses kriebelen to describe the 'pins and needles' feeling when a limb falls asleep. This is a sensation English speakers usually describe as 'tingling'.
- The English word 'kittle' is a direct relative of kietelen. While it is rare today, it was once used in English to describe something that is ticklish or difficult to handle.
Examples in context
- Laten we Tom kietelen.Let's tickle Tom.Tatoeba #12301035 by doemaar14, translation #9181168 by CK
- Waarom kunnen we onszelf niet kietelen?Why can't we tickle ourselves?Tatoeba #997045 by Vulgaris, translation #2153 by Tesseract42
- De veertjes kriebelden op mijn neus.The feathers tickled my nose.
- Iemand kriebelen kan een prettig gevoel geven.Tickling someone can give a pleasant feeling.
- Kittelen kan soms een onverwachte lach veroorzaken.Tickling can sometimes cause an unexpected laugh.
- Hij kan echt niet tegen kietelen.He really can''t stand being tickled.
- Laat me je kietelen!Let me tickle you!
- Ik ga je voeten kietelen.I am going to tickle your feet.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Noah and Julia are playing together on the sofa.
- NoahPas op, ik ga je kietelen!Watch out, I am going to tickle you!
- JuliaNee, niet doen, Noah!No, don't do that, Noah!
- NoahMaar je lacht zo leuk.But you laugh so nicely.
- JuliaStop maar, het kietelt te erg!Stop it, it tickles too much!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tickle” translations and entries kietelen, kriebelen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kietelen, kriebelen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
