Bedeutung
Someone who steals things.
Kultureller Hintergrund
The 'Lange Vinger' cookie is a staple at Dutch children's parties, often served with 'slagroom' (whipped cream). This makes the idiom feel less 'dark' than in other languages. In Flanders, the idiom is used identically, but the cookie is more often called a 'boudoir'. If you say 'lange vinger' in a Belgian bakery, they will understand, but it sounds very Northern Dutch. In the Surinamese-Dutch community, honesty is paramount. The idiom is used, but often supplemented with Sranan Tongo terms for theft, though 'lange vingers' remains the standard for 'sneaky' behavior. The concept of 'long fingers' as a sign of a thief is a common trope in European folklore, often appearing in 19th-century literature to describe pickpockets in Dickensian settings.
The Supermarket Rule
If you see 'Lange Vingers' on a shopping list, it's 100% the cookies. Don't call the police!
Don't use with 'zijn'
Never say 'Hij is lange vingers'. It makes no sense in Dutch. Always use 'hebben'.
Bedeutung
Someone who steals things.
The Supermarket Rule
If you see 'Lange Vingers' on a shopping list, it's 100% the cookies. Don't call the police!
Don't use with 'zijn'
Never say 'Hij is lange vingers'. It makes no sense in Dutch. Always use 'hebben'.
Softening the blow
Use this idiom instead of 'dief' to sound more like a native speaker and less like an accuser.
The Pun
Dutch people love making jokes about the cookies when someone is accused of stealing. Be prepared to laugh!
Teste dich selbst
Vul het juiste werkwoord in.
Pas op voor die man, hij ___ lange vingers.
We use 'hebben' (to have) to describe this character trait.
Wat betekent de zin in deze context?
Context: 'Ik ga naar de supermarkt voor lange vingers.'
In a supermarket context, 'lange vingers' almost always refers to the biscuits.
In welke situatie gebruik je de uitdrukking figuurlijk?
Kies de juiste situatie:
The figurative meaning is about stealing small amounts of money or items.
Maak de dialoog af.
A: 'Waarom is Jan ontslagen?' B: 'Hij werkte bij de kassa, maar hij bleek ___ ___ te hebben.'
Stealing from a cash register is a classic example of 'lange vingers hebben'.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Lange Vingers vs. Lange Tenen
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenPas op voor die man, hij ___ lange vingers.
We use 'hebben' (to have) to describe this character trait.
Context: 'Ik ga naar de supermarkt voor lange vingers.'
In a supermarket context, 'lange vingers' almost always refers to the biscuits.
Kies de juiste situatie:
The figurative meaning is about stealing small amounts of money or items.
A: 'Waarom is Jan ontslagen?' B: 'Hij werkte bij de kassa, maar hij bleek ___ ___ te hebben.'
Stealing from a cash register is a classic example of 'lange vingers hebben'.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
14 FragenYes, it is a negative description of someone's character, though it can be used jokingly among friends.
Yes, but it's more common for petty theft or shoplifting.
Technically 'een lange vinger', but for the idiom, we almost always use the plural 'lange vingers'.
Yes, it is very common in Flanders as well.
It can, but it's a broader term for anyone who steals.
You say 'lange vingers'!
The formal version would be 'neiging tot diefstal' (tendency to theft).
No, 'long thumbs' has no idiomatic meaning in Dutch.
Only if you are talking about the cookies you like. Never use it to describe yourself or others in a professional setting!
Because long fingers can reach further into pockets without the thief having to get too close.
No, it's a standard idiom that everyone from children to grandparents knows.
No, it is strictly for physical objects.
You can say 'Hij heeft echt lange vingers', but be careful of the double meaning!
Yes, especially in crime novels and children's stories.
Verwandte Redewendungen
iets achteroverdrukken
similarTo swipe or pocket something secretly.
een dief
synonymA thief.
zakkenrollen
specialized formPickpocketing.
eerlijk duurt het langst
contrastHonesty is the best policy.
met de noorderzon vertrekken
builds onTo disappear without a trace (often after stealing).
