Reaction To What to Know Before You Visit The Netherlands

[@jooproos6559]

That story about the stairs is just to find in the very old buildings..99% off the houses has normal stairs!!

[@jooproos6559]

@@fvefve12 I just say NO again.The vast amount off normal houses are much newer than what you think is the standard house in the Netherlands.Of course there are more houses with this kind of stairs,but the vast majority DONT have that kind off stairs.I live in Almere,and i think that the normal stairs in the houses of Almere are more than these steep stairs in those old houses.

[@marcelrenes2435]

Utrecht is a great place to go. It has everything Amsterdam has but on a little smaller scale. It has canals, museums, restaurants, pubs and coffeeshops if you're in to that. And you're at the hub of public transport and highways. From Utrecht you can go to any place in The Netherlands.

[@DutchyHusky]

Being a Dutchie, myself, living in Zuid Holland / South Holland, slap-bang in the middle of the Flowerbulb region (De Bollenstreek), which has the vibrant flowering fields, and above all else, we have the famous Keukenhof...the most important thing I'd say, especially for flower tourism: Please don't stop in the middle of the road to take pictures of the flowers. Find a place to park, and walk back to where you saw a nice photo opportunity. Please respect boundaries and fences. If a flower farmer fences off their fields, please, PLEASE do not find ways to enter the fields. These flowers are their bread and butter. We don't make the flowers bloom all over the place just to look pretty. The flower farmers actually do this, to multiply the bulbs, so they can sell them in a couple of years (yes, it takes years to grow seeds into viable bulbs! Every bulb that gets trampled or destroyed can result in a substantial loss). We don't plant the flowers to attract tourism, at all, in fact...most flower farmers hate tourist season, cause fields get trampled, bulbs and crops get destroyed, all because people want to take pictures. If you see a fancy pretty flower field, and you find even the slightest notion or resemblance of a fence or whathaveyou...please, DO NOT ENTER. Trampling the flower beds will result in destroyed crops for the farmer. Also! If you don't know how to ride a bicycle, please, PLEASE do not rent one until you've had some instructions on how to use one. Us Dutch, we can ride our bikes, and we ride them fast. If suddenly a tourist tries to hop onto a bike and obstructs the whole cycling path, it can very easily lead to accidents, which is the last thing anybody wants. Be aware of your surroundings. Don't stand in the middle of a cycle path to take a picture of things. Don't slow down in the middle of the road. Don't park awkwardly to take pictures of things, because, all these things will get a lot of Dutch people quite ticked off. You'll hear plenty Dutch cursing and shouting, because you are keeping up traffic and delaying a lot of people. Don't walk on the cycle lanes unless you have no other choice. If you have no other choice, be sure to walk on the opposite side of the road, so you're walking into oncoming cyclists. This way, they can see you coming, and you can see them coming, and as such, everyone can be safe and get out of one anothers ways. Never ever walk in the same direction as the cycle lane, for safety.

[@RenghisKhan]

In Dutch a staircase is called a 'trap'. This is not without reason.

[@vexisonline]

Nijmegen is lovely. Very open and friendly and has beautiful scenery surrounding the city.

[@MLWitteman]

There are hardly any safety issues in the Netherlands. The big cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam & The Hague are dealing with usual crime and beggars. But not as much as in our surrounding countries. And yes, the British tourists do cause some mayhem during the weekend in the summer.

[@Thuras]

Our public transport is fantastic, just very expensive. Amsterdam is not a good model city for the rest of the Netherlands especially crime wise. I live on the east side of the Netherlands, very very low crime here and very safe. The steep stairs are only on old buildings (a few centuries old) since in the old day you paid tax on the size of your land, so people bought smaller land and build there houses very narrow. Newer buildings have normal stairs. We call our country Nederland(so The Netherlands), Holland is only the 2 provinces in the west on the coast. We eat a lot of different foods and yes also a lot of fries krokketten, bitterballen and good quality mayonaise (English Mayonaise we call salad dressing). Do not do drugs and alcohol at the same time... a very very bad combination British tourists do have the name to be loud and drunk, but I have an English partner, so I am not going to say to many negative things :D Centuries before and until the 2nd WW Amsterdam was a city thriving due to Jewish people and that is still noticeable in the local dialect, there are very many Jewish words in the Amsterdam local dialect. Maastricht is my favorite Dutch City, but Arnhem and Nijmegen are really nice aswell, to be honest many cities here are quite nice Many Dutch cities have an old middle age looking city center, except those that have been bombed in the 2nd WW. For example Rotterdam does not have an old city center anymore and I believe Den Helder (Marine base) have been obliterated in the 2nd WW. We have a very digital society, which means you can pay electronically almost everywhere, but cash still works aswell, but among Dutch people less and less common, my daughter doesn't even know what some of the euro paper money bills look like. The Netherlands used to be less expensive than Scandinavia or Brittain and about the same as Germany and France, this is not the case anymore. we are more expensive than Germany for sure and similar to Scandinavia and Britain nowadays, some things more expensive and some things less, but average is about the same as Britain now

[@EstherWijsbeek]

I'm Dutch and 2 years ago I've traveled in Great Britain for 3 weeks ( England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland and North Ireland) and the prices for everything were so much more then in the Netherlands....I've even paid 10 euros for 1 glass of white wine ...It was insane...

[@StevenQ74]

The UK has gotten more expensive after Brexit

[@MLWitteman]

I work at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, so I go there a lot of course. But it sure is worth it to visit more often. Even I haven’t seen it all yet. I’m from the city of Haarlem, which is located west of Amsterdam. Haarlem is the capital of the province of North Holland. And it lies near the coast, and the seaside town of Zandvoort. You might know that from the Formula 1 racetrack. Haarlem is older, but smaller than Amsterdam. And that gives it its charm. We’ve got some great museums too, including the oldest and most beautiful museum in the Netherlands: Teylers Museum. You can reach Haarlem with a 15 min train ride from Amsterdam. Or by bus from Schiphol Airport.

[@1lurch11]

Dus je weet van de geheime ingang onder een brug

[@MLWitteman]

@@1lurch11er zijn maar weinig echte geheimen ;)

[@1lurch11]

@@MLWitteman ik weet er alleen van omdat een maat van mij geholpen heeft met de renovatie

[@maidenekker]

I like your channel and I really like your accent! I live in the Netherlands, in Groningen. To me Amsterdam has become an annoyance, I used to love going there, one of my girlfriends lived there, but the last ten years it has become unbearable to be in the city center. There are only tourists. Also the shops and restaurants are owned by foreigners, so nobody speaks Dutch anymore. I really don't like that. Outside the city center you will find more Dutch people, but the prices of houses or rent have become so high that a lot of people cannot afford to live there. Russians are buying houses. A lot of expats (from the USA, from Asia) are renting the heigh priced appartments that no Dutchie can afford anymore. These people don't integrate in the Netherlands, they don't learn Dutch, they can come by in English. To me that is not a development I like. Trainrides are expensive, I think. But you can get really about the country by train. I live in Groningen, in the north of the country. It is a city full of students, very lively, but also small and quiet in my opinion. Nice city, old buildings, nice surroundings. Haarlem and Utrecht are really nice to visit. Maastricht is beautiful. So nice you take an interest in our country.

[@dutchman7623]

University cities are usually very joyful, lots of young people going out and having a good time. Utrecht, Nijmegen, Maastricht, Groningen, Leiden, Delft, Breda, Tilburg, even Eindhoven and Enschede have their charms. Amsterdam and Rotterdam have universities but their student population is overwhelmed by tourists, snobs and workers. And yes, there is more than only the shithole called Mokum...

[@JCBrt760]

Public transport like trains busses subways and trams will get you anywhere in the country. It is indeed very sophisicated and organized but be aware there is also a running gag here for a reason. it goes like this: "Al is de reiziger nog zo snel, de NS vertraagt hem wel." which roughly translates too: "No matter how fast the traveler is, the NS will slow them down." The NS here being the company who is responsible for roughly 90% of the trains going through the netherlands. The planning for public transport here is so tight that a transit to the next train can be just a couple minutes apart. Which means that any delay at all means you will either have to run to catch the transit or just causes you to miss it outright. In most cases you will run to catch your transit only to see it leave the station right before your very nose. This can be especially frustrating during the early morning commute, for which in turn you either call school or your boss citing this gag as to why you are going to be late this morning.

[@dennisvb77]

I regularly have to go to Newcastle, I try to avoid my KLM flight back on Friday due to wasted British

[@KeesBoons]

Groningen has became pretty well known around the world. Mostly because of their choice for concentrating on a very nice infrastructure. The centre is all about pedestrians, cyclists and public transport. Less nuisance from our cars. I can take a bit longer to get there, as it's way up north and relatively close to the German border. There is a decent population of foreign students as well. I personally always liked Groningen, but as I life in the South of the country, I don't go there as much any more.

[@EstherWijsbeek]

Hello fellow Groninger ❤

[@sinterklaas4874]

The issue with the stairs is a little exaggerated.. if you visit historic and thin buildings (mostly in Amsterdam; yes they can be steep. Also in windmills. For the rest we have the same stairs as anywhere else. Public transport is expensive in my opinion. €40-45 for a return ticket (one hour ride one way) is what you can expect. The NS Spoordeelwinkel can have some better deals.

[@lws7394]

That's what you think !! The spiral stairwell in a lot row houses in NL are illegal in the States ... (fire codes it think ,.). To walk them is strange for most americans ..

[@MLWitteman]

Calling our country Holland has to do with our history. When we gained our independence from Spain in the late 16th century, we started out as a republic. This country was know as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands. One of these states within the Dutch Republic was Holland. This state includes the cities of Amsterdam, Haarlem, Leiden, Delft, Rotterdam, Gouda & The Hague. So the biggest cities and the largest population can be found in Holland. Most of our merchants that went overseas always told people they were from Holland. Instead of saying the Netherlands. So all Dutch people are from the Netherlands, but only a portion of the dutch people are actually Hollanders. Even though it’s the largest part of the Dutch population. And the nickname stuck internationally, just like the name England for the entire United Kingdom. It’s very similar to that situation.

[@woutervandenbosch8161]

Good explanation. 👍 Saves me a lot of typing and correcting my own English. Not even trying to make a difference between north holland and south holland. That only complicates things. Our own goverment made a world wide sort of advertisement telling and showing the world, it's not Holland but The Netherlands. But I guess a lot of people in the world have never seen it. The Netherlands supporters also should start to use it in stead of those orange Holland gadgets we carry al over the world... Or not the supporters but those who manufacture them. And supporters, should stop using it while jelling... 😂 Not Holland (clap, clap, clap) Holland but Nederland (clap, clap, clap) Nederland! Or something like that. 😅

[@gertstraatenvander4684]

Yeah, we did it IN THE WRONG ORDER. They all start out as monarchies and end up republics.

[@sytzedam4506]

At the time all the 7 Netherlands were independant states. Holland was the country that colonised, not the others, so that name got stuck. also the first King of the Netherlands was the brother of Napoleon and his title officially was King of Holland. Napoleon had no clue how different the countries al were. Some have even a different language! Friesland was the first country in the world that recognised the USA as an independant state. Small ode to fame for a province less known.

[@gertstraatenvander4684]

@@sytzedam4506 Zeeland was colonising too, but yeah, mostly Holland.

[@woutervandenbosch8161]

​@@sytzedam4506 add to the Frisk history, they once helpt to sack Rome but back then their "country" was bigger then it is today.

[@Robvanlinda]

I am Dutch and I lived in Amsterdam l, before I started travelling. To be honest, I never saw those beggars

[@-_YouMayFind_-]

hahah I never had issues with these stairs, neither with the beggers and I studied in Amsterdam. Amsterdam is busy though with tourists, but I think he overreacts looking at the Netherlands in general. Its one of the safest places actually, but obviously bigger cities have more crime in comparison to other cities or neighborhoods. I never got bothered by it. I traveled on my own by train to get to by study. I walked through Amsterdam on my own. I live in The Hague though which is the 3th largest city in the Netherlands. I live perfectly safe. I saw a lot of beggers in Rome (Italy).

[@SideWalkAstronomyNetherlands]

Salted Herring with chopped onions is the best street - sea food.

[@dimrrider9133]

Breda by far the nicest city in the Netherlands but yes im from Breda. The rest will say the same about their city ;p

[@johnveerkamp1501]

The tourist smokes the most ,not the DUTCH.

[@daviddevos3518]

I suppose you don't live in Rotterdam-Zuid? Because then you would say something different.

[@Jesse1.12]

I realy like your channel

[@JuniItalie]

Ik ga niet zo vaak naar Amsterdam omdat er soms meer toeristen zijn dan inwoners . De toeristen maken het onveilig de laatste tijd. Ik ga liever naar Haarlem, Utrecht of Dordrecht. Noorwijk, zandvoort en Bloemendaal voor een dagje strand.

[@AdrievanZuidam]

Of course the cost of food is less in the villages. You buy cheese, eggs, milk etc. etc, by the Farmer. Apples, cherry's, plumes by the Orchards etc.

[@remcohoman1011]

I love Groningen.. been all over the country, Groningen has 24/7 nightlife thanks to a butload of students, it is too far from amsterdam to be corrupted by it, so it still has its own identity, a city that feels like a village.. Amsterdam is great for tourists, being myself one, and love it to be the capitol of our country, but it is metropoletan, not Dutch alone anymore, but great to spend day there.

[@snoepnr1]

You know this is what you get when a Tourist in Amsterdam Thinks he knows the country because he been to Amsterdam haha its NOT the norm that we gave these stairs it is normal in the very old Amsterdam houses but Amsterdam is not the rest of the country

[@StevenQ74]

Tip Nr1: the Netherlands is not just Amsterdam. If you want to visit several good cities in the same trip Rotterdam, Delft and The Hague are really close to eachother with cities like Dordrecht and Leiden close by as well.

[@gertstraatenvander4684]

All of that is still Holland, North or South.

[@Jesse1.12]

Amsterdam is so expensive compared to the rest of the Netherlands

[@patrickbultman3426]

I lot of dutch people say Holland. Even when the national football team is playing we have songs with Holland in stead of the Netherlands. So its no problem

[@sytzedam4506]

Well, obviously you're from Holland. I'm not. So do not call me a Hollander, I come from another area and have another mentality. Nothing wrong with Hollanders but I just don't feel being a Hollander. Sorry.

[@patrickbultman3426]

@@sytzedam4506 Ten eerste ik kom uit Brabant dus verkeerde aanname, ten tweede ik heb jou helemaal niks genoemd. En ten derde het klopt nog steeds wat ik zei, in liedjes, filmpjes etc. Wordt vaak Holland gebruikt i.p.v. Nederland. Ik zal nu dan misschien een verkeerde aanname doen maar jij zal dan wel uit Limburg of Friesland komen.

[@i_am_human76]

Not much People say Holland and it is even scrapped in the Netherlands to call it Holland a couple years back. I'm from noord Brabant as well and i dont know anyone who will call it Holland.

[@kiwiciwi123]

Cost of living is raised like 30/40 percent while earnings maybe 5/10% I went to Edinburgh last year and I would say prices were pretty simulair for tourist places . I can’t compare for the rest tho .

[@hamishmackinnon2231]

I've been to Amsterdam three times, and I've never seen any aggressive beggars. Though when I was visiting Brussels, I constantly had beggars in my face.

[@gerbentvandeveen]

Would you also like to come to Bunschoten-Spakenburg? One of the oldest villages in the Netherlands. It is located on the old Zuiderzee and the river Eem to Amersfoort. Now closed off from the North Sea, with the newest province of Flevoland 600 yards in front of our seaport. Every 1st Saturday of September is Fihseryday in Spakenburg. Then we go back in time. With traditional costumes and everything that had to do with life at that time. Greetings from Spakenburg, Netherlands. Gerben T.

[@lime7253]

is that the village where it stinks so much because of the fish -can- industrie?

[@EstherWijsbeek]

I really think everything here is cheaper then in Great Britain but visit Groningen, its beautiful, i prommis ❤

[@EstherWijsbeek]

I forgot, you live in Malaysia....then yeah, bring your card❤

[@macmartin86]

@7:11 Yeah, just don't stay in the city center in one of those creeky "old" houses, just book a normal hotel just outside of the center, it's better quality and less expensive. Also, they adjusted the drug laws in the Netherlands as of 2023 to combat the drug tourism, as a tourist you're not allowed to buy softdrugs it anymore.

[@Abihef]

The main problem is pickpockets and stay away from any street dealers. Only drugs that are semi condoned is weed steer clear of the rest

[@KazuyaYuza]

I eat fries and snacks at least once a week. And I think many people do, tbf.

[@helenooft9664]

Amsterdam is expensive than the rest of the Netherlands, there are a lot of tourists and the crime is higher than the rest of the Netherlands. I love the Rijksmuseaum and the van Gogh museaum, my favorite painter. And also the Albert Cuypmarkt, the biggest market from Amsterdam. We have a very good Transport system, but it is also the most expensive in Europe. Our road network will always updated with the latest innovations. I am Dutch and after a holliday abroad, i am alway's glad to be back in my country where everything is so well organized. I am still happy in my country. And yes, also in the Netherlands the cost of living has become more expensive. I still believe that little villages in the Netherlands are much nicer to see, than the big city's with so much tourists.

[@lenieamels1270]

Albert Cuyp is also a tourist trap.

[@helenooft9664]

@@lenieamels1270 Amsterdammers but they dont buy everything on that market.

[@Robvanlinda]

In the Netherlands cash is not the norm. A rising number of shops/restaurants don't accept cash

[@Jila_Tana]

On the money topic : I have a 20 Euro bill in my wallet that has been there for the last 6 years. I never need it, everything I pay on debit bank card. To illustrate, I still have to look really good if the coin in my hand is a 1 or a 2 Euro coin, one may expect that after using the Euro for over 20 years, that we'd be used to it by now. Yet, we don't use it, we pay digital.

[@StoffyToffeePudding]

It’s true, the Netherlands is mostly cashless now, especially in the Randstad.

[@Jila_Tana]

@@StoffyToffeePudding "Especially in the Randstad" ?? You think the rest of the country lives in the past ? I think the opposite is true due to tourism.

[@StoffyToffeePudding]

@@Jila_Tana those are your words not mine. I never mentioned the rest of the country, other than to say “the Netherlands is mostly cashless now”.

[@JCBrt760]

Yes do be aware that even though Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands it also the city where the most crimes take place. It ranks #1 on the list by volume. Mostly though this has to do with either shoplifting, scams, robbing and drug related crimes. Murder, rape and sexual violation are also up there however you are way, way less likely to come into contact with that part of town as a tourist then the locals. Murder in these parts is mostly related to drug/gang crimes and is thus predominantly experienced by those with ties to the "underworld".

[@gertstraatenvander4684]

Dutch conversation: Hoe is 't? Goed, met jou? Ook. Kom je doen? How you doing? Good, you? Same. Whar d'you want?

[@1lurch11]

Trains are imo quite expensive. Taking a bus is much cheaper. Those stairs are from amsterdam. Also one time on a party i saw a group of tourists and one girl was going bad, i told my friends look at her she is going bad, then i walked to the girl next to her, and asked is that a friend of yours. She said yes i told her to ask security for help. Cause the moment u ask for help they need to help you they wont fine u if you have just a little drugs on u they rather want u to not die, if u have dealer lvl of drug with u u can get problems. If u caught with drugs u can get a fine but the moment u ask for help they will ask what drug u took just give it to them they wont fine u (unless you have dealer amounts) they can help u better cause they analize it, here we rather save someone than fine them

[@Jesse1.12]

Leewarden is a gread city in the Netherlands

[@woutervandenbosch8161]

This guy we are watching mentioned drugs, and then said try this and that, Do Not go for the strong stuff. That's very good advise. But he mentioned one of the things to start with space cake and there he's wrong. You should never start with space cake! It takes a long long time to start working so it is not imediatly like when you smoke it. It can take up to a hour or more with space cake. So, not noticing anything people tent to take more, or go and do something els while the space cake is digesting and if you are totaly new to it, it can potentialy be dangerous. Depending on the situation you are in at that time that it does starts working.

[@deetgeluid]

As a Dutchie, I love to get drunk with British people.

[@stefanhuijberts367]

Safety: i am dutch and the beggers never come to me. That is probably for you the same in your country. Brittish people: act 'normal'. Don't smoke after you drink, if you are not used to it. Reverse is oké. Together too. That will help the Brittish i think😂

[@jurgenvoogt1638]

Holland and the Hollanders are just the most successful and best part of the Netherlands 😂😂😂. Especially Rotterdam

[@Seahorn_]

Keep on dreaming

[@jurgenvoogt1638]

You will feel safer in A'dam than in Glasgow. NL is way softer

[@richardhltrp1791]

Holland is banned in the government since 1 jan 2019 its just The Netherlands now ! it's still used by many people but every government agency will only use The Netherlands now !

[@jankokoens1838]

Groningen is the capital of the world.

[@Jesse1.12]

We eat a lot of fries

[@carlakleinheerenbrink8767]

Rent a bike by a trainstation and follow the knooppunten in the Netherlands.

[@daphnelovesL]

Begging is illegal in Rotterdam!

[@eert148]

Safe tourist couse

[@eert148]

Fry !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! With moyo

[@Jesse1.12]

It is just save

[@JokerNL070]

I feel alot saver in my own city of the hague then amsterdam. Cant believe I say the name. But yeah. I think most people feel saver in there ow city.

[@Braamscovic10]

Watch the mocro maffia docu... you wil find out about the crime in the netherlands

[@henkhemming6674]

Haarlem a nice little town??? pop 162.000..... ,it feels like a nice little town though

[@Mx-Alba]

Holland vs the Netherlands is kinda like England vs UK. Seeing as you're from Scotland, I presume you can appreciate that difference. :D Most Dutch people won't really mind, though... They'll just roll their eyes at the illiterate tourist calling Limburg or Fryslân "Holland" and not think much more of it.

[@mikefreyr]

❤Haarlem ❤

[@freudsigmund72]

My favourite place in the Netherlands is anywhere outside Amsterdam. I live 30 km from Amsterdam, but haven't been there in decades and I have no intention to go there at all.

[@TregMediaHD]

#Zwolle

[@ronaldderooij1774]

This Dutchman thinks that Dutch street food is ok, but German street food is better. Not as varied, but I don't care.

[@deetgeluid]

The Hague!

[@Frahamen]

It's not even the best street food between all countries where Dutch is an official language.

[@lime7253]

Mert,are you Scottish?

[@eert148]

The cwalitie of trains is not perfact

[@cb1636]

Amsterdam is the worst now. Go check out Haarlem, Alkmaar, Utrecht, Den Haag, Delft, Leiden, Nijmegen, Arnhem, Maastricht, Groningen.

[@Thuras]

In the East we have a row of hansiatic cities with old city centers, Kampen, Zwolle, Deventer, and Zutphen which are very nice aswell

[@Lord_RFAS]

Please, ignore whatever that Wolter dude says. He doesn't know shit what he's talking about. I've grown to dislike him like he's Harkonnen and I'm Atreides.

[@stefanhuijberts367]

Check Den Bosch ('s-Hertogenbosch) and Eindhoven.

[@stefanhuijberts367]

The Netherlands is absolutely more expensive than Germany and Belgium..

[@Seahorn_]

Germany and Belgium? You mean our outer provinces 😁

[@SideWalkAstronomyNetherlands]

Maas stri CH t with ch as in Scottish licht loch nicht. ch is always CH in dutch except for in names like Den Bosch, sch at the end of a name is pronounced S, not, s Ch, or s SH. So please no Bosh, no maa strikked etc... and no den Haak G= CH so den Haag, no k sound . no kooken haug either kEUken hofffff eu as in german öö or norwegian ø aa is pronounced like ah in after , and not like e as in bay... say aaah as at the doctor not e as in say yeah and ee is pronounced like ee as in say, nay pay ii is pronounced like i as in it, or ie as in sea, ei/ij is pronounced like high sort off less sliding at the end, and ie is pronounced like ea as in see. oe is pronounced like oe as in shoe, oo is o as in go or o as in mot au/ou is like ow as in thou or now... so ch=g....v isto f, what z is to s, NOT a www sound vvvvalkenburg busszzzes, it does not whale. People speaking city slang will pronounce v like f and z like s, do not copy that, or s like z, do not copy that either.. c is either like s or like k, keizer /ceasar is the same word, the old version, and the new version keizer is older and closer to the original...in the middle qagges the c became an s sound so cent is pronounced sent...what more....the d at the end of words is pronounced like a t, except if there is a e behind it ...as in hinde female deer , linde the tree ( lin duh, hin duh). So Dutch is basically like Old english in pronunciation of the letters. genoeg - enough guess how it was pronounced in old english and still so in dutch licht light vecht fight macht might nacht nicht, lach laugh knecht (servant) knight the k before an N is pronounced in Dutch, we do how ever have knoop and noot, knot and nut, so... some ks got lost in the past... if they got lost, we do not write them either..