Here are some well-known Russian words borrowed from Dutch—mostly related to navy, ships, trade, and sailing, because Peter the Great brought many Dutch nautical terms into Russian:

🇳🇱 → 🇷🇺 Common Dutch Loanwords in Russian

1. матрос (matrós)
   From Dutch matroos – sailor.
2. штурман (shtúrman)
   From Dutch stuurman – navigator/helmsman.
3. бот (bot)
   From Dutch boot – boat.
4. крейсер (kréyser)
   From Dutch kruiser – cruiser (warship).
5. брюк (bryúk / брюква)
   From Dutch raap (via Scandinavian influence) – turnip/swede.
6. киль (kil’)
   From Dutch kiel – keel of a ship.
7. лот (lot)
   From Dutch lood – lead (used in depth measurement).
8. боцман (bótsman)
   From Dutch bootsman – boatswain.
9. рейд (reyd)
   From Dutch rede – roadstead (anchorage area).
10. гардероб (garderób)
    Ultimately from French, but via Dutch garderobe also influenced pronunciation.

Why so many nautical words?

Because in the early 1700s, Peter the Great learned shipbuilding in the Netherlands, bringing Dutch marine vocabulary into Russian.

Do German people understand Dutch?

• Dutch and German are related languages (both are West-Germanic), so many words look similar.
• However, most German speakers cannot understand Dutch fluently without study.
• They may understand:
  
• Basic written Dutch (because spelling looks familiar)
• Some simple spoken Dutch (slow and clear speech)

Why understanding is limited?

• Pronunciation is very different.
• Grammar and word order differ.
• Many false friends (similar words with different meanings).

Who understands Dutch better?

• Germans who live near the Dutch border or
• Germans who have learned Dutch in school
  often understand it much more.

The Dutch language spread through migration, trade, colonization, and cultural influence over several centuries. Here’s a clear, simple explanation:

How the Dutch Language Spread

1. Trade and Maritime Power (1500s–1700s)

The Dutch were major sea traders during the Golden Age.

They built trading posts and interacted with many regions, which helped spread Dutch terms, especially in:

• Navigation
• Business
• Shipping

Because of this, Dutch loanwords entered many languages.

2. Colonization

Dutch became established in several parts of the world:

a. South Africa

• Dutch settlers (Boers) arrived in the 1600s.
• Their Dutch evolved into Afrikaans, which is still spoken today.

b. Indonesia

• The Dutch ruled Indonesia for about 300 years.
• Dutch was a government and education language.
• Many Indonesian words today come from Dutch (e.g., kantor = office, gratis = free).

c. Suriname & Caribbean

• Dutch became the official language of:
  
• Suriname
• Aruba
• Curaçao
• Sint Maarten

It is still widely spoken there today.

3. Migration

Large Dutch communities migrated to:

• North America (New York—formerly New Amsterdam)
• Australia
• South Africa
• Canada

Some Dutch-language traditions and place names survive there.

4. Influence through Religion and Literature

• Dutch Bibles, church texts, and printing presses helped standardize and spread the language.
• The Dutch Reformed Church played a role in spreading Dutch to colonies.

5. Modern Media and Education

In today’s era:

• Dutch spreads through TV, internet, universities, and business (especially in Belgium and European Union countries).

Where Dutch is Spoken Today

• Netherlands
• Belgium (Flanders)
• Suriname
• Caribbean islands (Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten)
• As a heritage language in South Africa (related to Afrikaans)

• The Netherlands (Europe)

• Belgium (specifically the northern region of Flanders, where it is often called Flemish)

• Suriname (South America)

• Aruba (Caribbean)

• Curaçao (Caribbean)

• Sint Maarten (Caribbean)