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Questions & Answers about Eet smakelijk!
What is the literal translation of Eet smakelijk?
It literally means "eat tastily!" or "eat appetizingly!". Eet is the command form of eten (to eat), and smakelijk means tasty or appetizing.
Why doesn't this use the Dutch word for "enjoy"?
Dutch doesn't use the verb for "to enjoy" (genieten) for this common greeting. Instead of telling someone to enjoy their meal, Dutch speakers use a command to eat a tasty meal. This is the standard Dutch equivalent to "Bon appetit".
Is there a shorter way to say this phrase?
Yes! In everyday speech, Dutch people often drop the verb and just say Smakelijk! all on its own right before digging into a meal.
Can I use smakelijk to describe the food itself?
Yes, you can use smakelijk as an adjective to say a meal is appetizing, like een smakelijke maaltijd (a tasty meal). However, a much more common word to say the food is delicious while you are actually eating it is lekker.