How do Belgians say “I love you” in Flemish?
Kyano vraagt Quinn om naar België te verhuizen
A2 Dutch listening practice · Flemish Dutch · Picked for people who know a little
In Flemish, the everyday phrase for “I love you” is ik zie je graag (“I see you gladly”). The construction comes from iemand graag zien (“to be glad to see someone”), which has shifted in southern Dutch into a romantic declaration. North of the Belgian border, Netherlands Dutch speakers say “ik hou van je” (“I hold you / I love you”); they would understand “ik zie je graag” but rarely use it. The Flemish phrase is softer and warmer, less ceremonial than the Dutch version.
In this clip, a Flemish couple navigate the phrase live on camera: “Ik zie je echt graag.” And the gentle clarification: “Ja, ik probeer gewoon te zeggen dat ik je graag zie.”
How common are the words?
How common are the words in this A2 Dutch listening practice video?
How common in written Dutch
How common in spoken Dutch
Harder words in this video
These words are harder than A2. Here is what they mean.
Source: wordfreq 3.1.1 (general) · SUBTLEX-NL 2014 (spoken). These numbers are close, not perfect.
- ▸In Flemish romance and dating content (Familie, Thuis, Karrewiet)
- ▸In Belgian song lyrics and pop ballads (Stromae, Bart Peeters, Niels Destadsbader)
- ▸In Belgian wedding and Valentine’s content (Goedele, Knack Weekend, Het Nieuwsblad)
- ▸In Belgian-Dutch language commentary about gij-paradigm and southern speech (De Standaard, Onze Taal, De Tijd)