Summary
This account explores how Dutch and Afrikaans use different words for “weekend” and explains the meaning and cultural use of the Dutch phrase “eet smakelijk.” The comparison matters because Afrikaans is closely related to Dutch yet diverged in vocabulary, and because dining customs show how social etiquette varies across cultures.
Context and Scope
The account focuses on the Dutch word weekend and the Afrikaans word naweek, clarifying that the latter does not exist in modern Dutch. It also analyzes the phrase eet smakelijk, correcting an initial misspelling and providing a detailed linguistic breakdown. In addition, it discusses how Dutch, Mexican, and Argentine customs differ regarding expressions said at the table.
Exhaustive Narrative of Facts
Early Vocabulary Questions
The Dutch phrase appeared first in a misspelled form and was corrected to “eet smakelijk.” In the Netherlands and Belgium, the correct term for the end of the week is weekend, identical to English. Casual variations include shorthand such as wknd, diminutive weekendje, or ’t weekend, but no distinct slang exists.
Dutch vs. Afrikaans Variants
Confusion arises because Afrikaans, a language derived from seventeenth-century Dutch, uses naweek instead of weekend. In the Netherlands and Belgium, however, weekend is the only correct form. Naweek belongs exclusively to Afrikaans and is not part of modern Dutch vocabulary.
Breakdown of “Eet Smakelijk”
The phrase consists of two elements. Eet comes from the verb eten (“to eat”) and here functions as an imperative (“eat”). Smakelijk is an adjective or adverb meaning “tasty” or “appetizing,” formed from smaak (“taste”) plus the suffix -lijk, which creates adjectives much like “-ous” or “-able” in English. Together, the phrase literally means “eat tastily” and functions as the Dutch equivalent of “bon appétit” or “buen provecho.” Informally, Dutch speakers may shorten it to “Smakelijk!”
Cultural Meal Expressions
In the Netherlands, “eet smakelijk” is used only at the start of a meal. When leaving the table, no special phrase is customary, though diners may thank the cook. In Mexico, people say “provecho” or “buen provecho” both when arriving at a table where others are eating and when leaving while others continue. In Argentina, there is generally no fixed expression for meals; people may say thanks to the host or toast before eating, but there is no set formula.
Practical Takeaways
- In Dutch, weekend is correct, while naweek is used only in Afrikaans.
- Eet smakelijk means “eat tastily” and is said before meals, not afterward.
- Dutch dining etiquette limits the phrase to meal beginnings, Mexicans extend provecho to arrivals and departures, and Argentines usually say nothing fixed.
- Confusion between Dutch and Afrikaans is common because Afrikaans stems from early Dutch but diverged in vocabulary.
My Diary - Leonardo Cardillo 