Bedeutung
Everyone has their own preferences.
Kultureller Hintergrund
The Dutch value 'nuchterheid' (down-to-earthness). This phrase helps maintain that by preventing overly emotional arguments about things that don't really matter, like house paint. In Flanders, you might hear 'Ieder zijn meug' more often than in the north of the Netherlands, but 'Over smaak valt niet te twisten' is universally understood. In the multicultural context of the Netherlands, this phrase is often used to bridge the gap between different culinary traditions. Because this is a translation of a Latin phrase, it serves as a 'cultural bridge'—most Europeans will have an exact equivalent in their own language.
The 'Tja' Addition
Add 'Tja' or 'Nou ja' at the beginning to sound more like a native speaker. 'Tja, over smaak valt niet te twisten.'
Don't be dismissive
If someone is trying to have a serious discussion about quality, using this phrase can sometimes sound like you are shutting down the conversation too early.
Bedeutung
Everyone has their own preferences.
The 'Tja' Addition
Add 'Tja' or 'Nou ja' at the beginning to sound more like a native speaker. 'Tja, over smaak valt niet te twisten.'
Don't be dismissive
If someone is trying to have a serious discussion about quality, using this phrase can sometimes sound like you are shutting down the conversation too early.
Teste dich selbst
Vul het ontbrekende woord in.
Over smaak valt niet te _______.
The standard proverb uses 'twisten'.
Welke zin is correct?
Someone likes a painting you find ugly. What do you say?
The phrase does not usually take an article before 'smaak' and requires 'te'.
Combineer de situatie met de juiste reactie.
Match the situation to the response.
The proverb is used for subjective preferences like color.
Maak de dialoog af.
A: 'Ik vind die nieuwe auto echt lelijk.' B: 'Echt? Ik vind hem prachtig! Maar ja, ...'
This is the natural way to end a disagreement about a car's appearance.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenOver smaak valt niet te _______.
The standard proverb uses 'twisten'.
Someone likes a painting you find ugly. What do you say?
The phrase does not usually take an article before 'smaak' and requires 'te'.
Ordne jedem Element links seinen Partner rechts zu:
The proverb is used for subjective preferences like color.
A: 'Ik vind die nieuwe auto echt lelijk.' B: 'Echt? Ik vind hem prachtig! Maar ja, ...'
This is the natural way to end a disagreement about a car's appearance.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenIt is neutral. You can use it with your boss or your best friend.
No, the proverb always uses the singular 'smaak'.
It means to argue or dispute. It's related to the English word 'twist' but used for conflict.
No, it's actually a polite way to end a disagreement without saying 'you are wrong'.
Generally no. Politics is about values and facts, not just 'taste'.
Yes, it's a shorter, more casual version of the same idea.
It sounds like 'falt' with a short 'a' like in 'cat'.
It's part of the 'vallen te' grammar structure, which means 'can be'.
Yes, though they might use the English 'to each their own' or 'ieder z'n ding' more often.
Absolutely. It's one of the most common contexts for this phrase.
Verwandte Redewendungen
Smaken verschillen
synonymTastes differ.
Ieder zijn meug
similarTo each their own liking.
Zoveel mensen, zoveel zinnen
similarAs many people, as many opinions.
Dat is een kwestie van smaak
builds onThat is a matter of taste.
