# Jokes and aardigheden



## sakvaka

I hate these kinds of study books: first they teach to use the word "aardigheid" 'joke', but when it's time for exercises, _Ik houd niet van je aardigheden_ isn't correct: they just pick up a new word, _grapjes_, without any explaining!

When I checked the words in my dictionary (Rense 't Hooft 2002), "aardigheid" isn't mentioned in the meaning of a "joke". It's rather a "small gift" or "amusement, fun" (voor de ~). What do you say; is a. old, formal, or does it signify something else than joke? Thank you in advance!


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## Peterdg

Hello,

First of all, "aardigheid" is not really a word I would use (it may be more popular in the Netherlands).

Second, as far as I can see, there is no reason why you couldn't say "Ik hou niet van je aardigheden", although I guess it would be more natural to use "aardigheidjes" in this case. "Ik hou niet van je grapjes" is also correct and probably more frequent.


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## sakvaka

Bedankt, Peterdg. I would be interested to hear the opinion of someone from the Netherlands, too.


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## Brownpaperbag

Hi

I would never use aardigheden with the meaning of jokes, it's not natural in the Netherlands. I'd say 'iets voor de aardigheid doen', meaning 'do something for the fun of it'.

hope this helps,

Brown


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## sanne78

Brownpaperbag said:


> I would never use aardigheden with the meaning of jokes, it's not natural in the Netherlands. I'd say 'iets voor de aardigheid doen', meaning 'do something for the fun of it'.


 
+1

I use as well "een aardigheidje", meaning a very small gift.
"Ik heb iets voor je meegenomen; het is maar een aardigheidje."
However I'm not sure it's standard Dutch, as I've heard it mainly being used by people from Groningen (Region in the North-East of the Netherlands).


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## Brownpaperbag

sanne78 said:


> +1
> 
> I use as well "een aardigheidje", meaning a very small gift.
> "Ik heb iets voor je meegenomen; het is maar een aardigheidje."
> However I'm not sure it's standard Dutch, as I've heard it mainly being used by people from Groningen (Region in the North-East of the Netherlands).


 

I agree on that other use of the word, meaning 'a present' and it is used in the Rotterdam area.


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## sakvaka

Bedankt allemaal voor jullie hulp!  I can see that the word is not common anymore in that very meaning and that _grapje_ is always better.


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