Words are tiny windows into culture. In Dutch, bord means “plate,” and een bord eten means “a plate of food.” Both expressions are clean and to the point, like Dutch design itself—compact, functional, and quietly elegant.
The story begins with a simple question about language, yet it soon drifts into the world of living spaces. Someone explained that the type of housing on offer would be called “a studio.” The term sounds familiar but means something different in the Netherlands. A studio there isn’t an artist’s workspace—it’s a one-room apartment where every aspect of life converges. The bed faces the kitchenette, the desk nods toward the fridge, and only the bathroom gets its own private corner.
This single-room home mirrors Dutch cities’ logic: efficient, ordered, and beautifully compact. For students, there’s the studentenstudio—usually furnished and close to universities. The self-contained studio offers full independence, while those with gedeelde faciliteiten share a kitchen or bathroom with others. Each variation is an exercise in balance: privacy meeting practicality.
What began as a small linguistic curiosity ends up reflecting the way Dutch culture treats space and clarity. The words themselves—bord, studio—act like blueprints. Each holds the idea that good design, whether in language or architecture, comes from restraint.
Knowing these meanings doesn’t just help with translations or rentals; it offers a glimpse of how precision shapes daily life in the Netherlands. The Dutch way seems to whisper: keep it simple, keep it neat, and let every piece have its place.
Sources
My Diary - Leonardo Cardillo 