Meaning
To face a refusal.
Cultural Background
Reflects the 'directness' of Dutch society. Rejection is often blunt, and this idiom provides a way to talk about it without losing too much face. In Flanders, the phrase is also common, but the rejection might be delivered more softly than in the Netherlands. However, the idiom remains the same. The Dutch 'startup' scene uses this to encourage entrepreneurs. 'Stoot je neus vroeg' (fail fast) is a common modern sentiment. Dutch teachers often allow students to make mistakes (stoten van de neus) to foster independence.
Use it to soften failure
Using this idiom makes a rejection sound like a normal, almost physical part of life, which can make you sound more resilient.
Watch the pronoun!
Always change 'zijn' to 'mijn', 'je', or 'haar'. Saying 'Ik stoot zijn neus' sounds like you are attacking someone.
Meaning
To face a refusal.
Use it to soften failure
Using this idiom makes a rejection sound like a normal, almost physical part of life, which can make you sound more resilient.
Watch the pronoun!
Always change 'zijn' to 'mijn', 'je', or 'haar'. Saying 'Ik stoot zijn neus' sounds like you are attacking someone.
The 'Learning' aspect
Dutch people often use this positively to describe a learning experience. Don't be offended if someone says you 'need to bump your nose'.
Test Yourself
Fill in the correct possessive pronoun and verb form.
Ik wilde gisteren om hulp vragen, maar ik ___ ___ neus.
The subject is 'Ik', so the pronoun must be 'mijn'. The past tense of 'stoten' is 'stootte'.
Which sentence uses the idiom correctly in a figurative sense?
Select the correct option:
This sentence correctly describes a figurative rejection (a loan refusal).
Complete the dialogue.
A: 'Heb je die korting nog gekregen?' B: 'Nee, ___.'
This is the natural way to say 'No, I was refused'.
Match the situation to the phrase.
You ask a girl for her number and she says 'No, I'm not interested'.
This is a classic case of 'zijn neus stoten'.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesIk wilde gisteren om hulp vragen, maar ik ___ ___ neus.
The subject is 'Ik', so the pronoun must be 'mijn'. The past tense of 'stoten' is 'stootte'.
Select the correct option:
This sentence correctly describes a figurative rejection (a loan refusal).
A: 'Heb je die korting nog gekregen?' B: 'Nee, ___.'
This is the natural way to say 'No, I was refused'.
You ask a girl for her number and she says 'No, I'm not interested'.
This is a classic case of 'zijn neus stoten'.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsNo, it is neutral and very common in professional and social settings.
Yes, but usually people will clarify by adding 'letterlijk' (literally).
Ik stootte mijn neus (singular) or Wij stootten onze neus (plural).
It's more common to say 'bij iemand' for a person and 'tegen' or 'aan' for a thing/rule.
'Zijn neus stoten' is much more common than 'de neus stoten'.
Yes, it is standard Dutch used in both the Netherlands and Belgium.
No, it's a bit too idiomatic. Use 'afgewezen worden' instead.
Not necessarily, but it often implies you were a bit too optimistic or bold.
Yes, 'Het bedrijf stootte zijn neus op de Amerikaanse markt' is a great sentence.
There isn't a direct 'nose' opposite, but 'met de neus in de boter vallen' (getting lucky) is a positive nose idiom.
Related Phrases
De deksel op de neus krijgen
similarTo be unexpectedly and firmly rejected.
Een blauwtje lopen
specialized formTo be rejected romantically.
Nul op het rekest krijgen
synonymTo have a request denied.
Iemand bij de neus nemen
contrastTo fool someone.
