What does “een goed begin is het halve werk” mean?
Slim boodschappen doen met een handig boodschappenlijstje
A2 Dutch listening practice · Dutch · Curated for beginners
Een goed begin is het halve werk (“a good start is half the work”) is one of the most-recited Dutch proverbs. Kids hear it from a teacher before a test. Adults hear it from a coach before a project, a contractor before a renovation, a doctor before a pregnancy. The Dutch are partial to a particular flavor of proverb: practical, faintly stern, dressed up as common sense. It’s the kind of wisdom you hear in a parental tone, even from your colleague.
This Voedingscentrum clip uses the proverb to sell smart grocery shopping: check the cupboards first, then write the boodschappenlijstje, then go. “Een goed begin is het halve werk,” said dryly, with full conviction.
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Quick glosses for vocabulary that goes beyond this video’s A2 level.
Source: wordfreq 3.1.1 (general) · SUBTLEX-NL 2014 (spoken). Buckets approximate; exact ranks not stored.
- ▸In Dutch high-school pep talks before tentamens and the eindexamen (NRC education, De Volkskrant features)
- ▸In Dutch project kickoffs and management slide decks (Het Financieele Dagblad, BNR Nieuwsradio)
- ▸In Dutch parenting and pregnancy literature (Ouders.nl, Hartstichting, Thuisarts.nl)
- ▸In Dutch home-renovation TV and DIY guides (*Eigen Huis & Tuin*, vtwonen)