# Difference between "broodje" and "bolletje?



## Elysium

I think "broodje" is sandwich bread, and "bolletje" is a roll.
Right?


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## iRoy

Yeah, but 'broodje' can also refer to both.


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## Elysium

iRoy said:


> Yeah, but 'broodje' can also refer to both.



Hartelijk bedankt!


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## Frank06

iRoy said:


> Yeah, but 'broodje' can also refer to both.


I think I learned something new: I had never heard of "bolletje" in the context.
Looking at images and descriptions (mainly on Dutch, .nl-sites), I think "bolletjes" can be long or rond, soft or hard. Is that correct?

Over here, in Antwerp (maybe in the whole of Flanders?), we seem to have the same set of words, but with some differences:
- long, soft: sandwich (never round),
- long, hard: broodje (never round),
- round, hard: pistolet (never long),
[- round, soft: a long overdue pistolet, or the thing one gets MacRubbish restaurants]

Much to my surprise, I found _long_ and hard pistolets on .nl-sites, which kind of surprised me.

Lovely (and surprising), those differences!

Groetjes,

Frank


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## gregorysuy

Hello, 
Here in Belgium we actually never use the word "bolletje". Maybe in the context i would understand it, but even then...
I completely agree with what Frank06 says. 

Groeten,

Greg


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## iRoy

Frank06 said:


> I think I learned something new: I had never heard of "bolletje" in the context.
> Looking at images and descriptions (mainly on Dutch, .nl-sites), I think "bolletjes" can be long or rond, soft or hard. Is that correct?
> 
> Over here, in Antwerp (maybe in the whole of Flanders?), we seem to have the same set of words, but with some differences:
> - long, soft: sandwich (never round),
> - long, hard: broodje (never round),
> - round, hard: pistolet (never long),
> [- round, soft: a long overdue pistolet, or the thing one gets MacRubbish restaurants]
> 
> Much to my surprise, I found _long_ and hard pistolets on .nl-sites, which kind of surprised me.
> 
> Lovely (and surprising), those differences!
> 
> Groetjes,
> 
> Frank



Goedemiddag,

According to this Dutch bakery site, everything on this picture is called a 'bolletje' (http://www.harrydewarmebakker.nl/UserFiles/Shop/bakker/kleinbrood/size3_Wittebroodjes.jpg) ,but I would call the one in the middle, a 'broodje/zacht broodje'.  Same goes for the picture on this Dutch Wikipedia site, http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brood (the 'bolletje' picture on the right). Basically I would only use 'bolletje/pistolet' if it's round. If it's long and soft then I'd call it a broodje/zacht broodje, if it's long and hard then I'd call it a broodje/hard broodje. 

Sandwich is a Belgian bakery-product (according to Wikipedia). They're long-sized and their bread is soft (also known as 'puntjes'). In The Netherlands, I think, it's only used to refer to two slices of bread with meat, cheese etc. between them. 

A 'pistolet' is both used in Belgium and The Netherlands. It's also known as a 'kadetje/mini-stokbroodje' or 'piscollo' in Belgium. A pistolet is rond and small, and usually hard. Pistolets are called 'bread rolls' in English.

A 'bolletje' is a little rond bread, like in this picture http://www.brood.net/img_recept/ontb bruin bolletje ham ei250.jpg (a 'bolletje with ham and egg'). Or, http://blogimages.seniorennet.be/adnillekes_brood_gebak/111-de134298138e24aaaea71b4ef38d844f.jpg I would say these are also called 'bread rolls' in English, but I'm starting to think I'm wrong about that.

Now, after having looked in dictionaries what each word meant, and having googled pictures of them all... a pistolet and a bolletje appear to be the same thing...maybe it's just because I'm from Limburg, but I tend to use pistolet a lot more than bolletje, anyone else know the difference between them? Maybe it's just a difference in size...Anyway, you could just say a 'broodje' and everyone would know what you meant 8D.

So for me it's like this:

- long, soft: broodje/or even 'zacht broodje' (never round),
- long, hard: broodje/hard broodje (never round),
- round, hard: pistolet/bolletje (never long),

Oh, and when I'm eating a hamburger in McDonald's, I call the bread 'broodje' never 'bolletje' even though it's round. Never heard of 'een pistolet/bolletje hamburger' maar wel van een 'broodje hamburger'... Someone should shed some light on this D:

Heb nu zo zin in een Bufkesbroodje...


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