Dutch Emotions Vocabulary

Here are Dutch words for emotions to start with: boos (angry), blij (happy), verdrietig (sad), enthousiast (excited). Below are 48 words (A1–B2) with their English translations and part of speech, across 6 themed lists.

A smiling baby peeking out from behind a wall
Photo: StockSnap

Emotions Basics

A1–B1
EnglishDutchTypeLevel
angryboosadjA1
excitedenthousiastadjA1
happyblijadjA1
sadverdrietigadjA1
disappointedteleurgesteldadjA2
happinessgeluknounA2
joyvreugdenounA2
sadnessverdrietnounB1

The rest of this pack is in the app

Emotions Intermediate

A1–B1
EnglishDutchTypeLevel
hungryhongerigadjA1
peacerustnounA1
tiredmoeadjA1
boredverveeldadjA2
nervousnerveusadjA2
angerwoedenounB1
anxietyangstnounB1
calmkalmadjB1

Emotions Advanced

A2–B2
EnglishDutchTypeLevel
pridetrotsnounA2
emotionemotienounB1
excitementopwindingnounB1
fondnessgenegenheidnounB1
gratitudedankbaarheidnounB1
irritateirriterenverbB1
contemptminachtingnounB2
empathyempathienounB2

More from this pack waits in the app

Complex Emotions

B1–B2
EnglishDutchTypeLevel
admirationbewonderingnounB1
envyafgunstnounB1
guiltschuldgevoelnounB1
shameschaamtenounB1
aweontzagnounB2
dreadvreesnounB2
resentmentwroknounB2
spiterancunenounB2

Positive Emotions

A1–B2
EnglishDutchTypeLevel
pleasurepleziernounA1
confidencezelfvertrouwennounB1
delightvreugdenounB1
ecstasyextasenounB1
enthusiasmenthousiasmenounB1
warmthwarmtenounB1
contentmenttevredenheidnounB2
optimismoptimismenounB2

Negative Emotions

B1–B2
EnglishDutchTypeLevel
annoyanceergernisnounB1
despairwanhoopnounB1
ragerazernijnounB1
sorrowverdrietnounB1
terrordoodsangstnounB1
hopelessnesshopeloosheidnounB2
lonelinesseenzaamheidnounB2
rejectionafwijzingnounB2

Keep going with this pack in the app

Emoji: Twemoji, CC-BY 4.0

A sample of the A1–B2 words. The rest are in the app

Watch Your LanguageVocabulary widgets for iPhone & Apple Watch

These lists show a sample of the A1–B2 words for emotions. The packs in Watch Your Language hold more and reach the advanced levels, along with every other topic.

The app shows them to you a few at a time, in a widget on your iPhone Lock Screen and on your Apple Watch face, and brings back the ones you keep forgetting.

Common questions

Which Dutch words should I learn for emotions?

You could start with words like boos (angry), blij (happy), verdrietig (sad), enthousiast (excited). This page lists 48 Dutch words for emotions (A1–B2), each with its English translation and part of speech.

How can I remember these Dutch words?

Reading a list once is rarely enough. Watch Your Language shows Dutch words like these in a widget on your iPhone Lock Screen and on your Apple Watch face, and schedules repeats so the words you keep forgetting come back more often.

Are these word lists free?

Yes. The lists on this page are free to read, with no sign-up. The app holds more words for each topic.

More Dutch word lists