What are some differences between the Dutch and the Belgian cultures?

Answer 1

As Western European countries with (part of) the people speaking Dutch, the Netherlands and Belgium have a lot in common. However, there are some differences. Belgian history is connected to the Catholic Church, whereas Protestantism was the most important religious influence in the Netherlands. In general, Dutch people tend to be more straight forward and outgoing, whereas Belgians seem a little more reserved, hesitant to really speak their minds and more diplomatic. Peanut butter is very popular in the Netherlands, but not in Belgium. Belgium has a larger variety of strong beers. It's officially allowed to buy and sell weed in the Netherlands, where this is done at so called coffee shops. In Belgium, however, weed is tolerated but you're not allowed to sell it. The kind of Dutch is also a bit different. The Dutch from the Netherlands has a harsh 'g' sound, wheres Belgian Dutch (Flemish) pronounces its 'g' softly. The vocabulary is also not exactly the same. Dutch and Flemish speakers understand each other fine, but often chose to use other words to describe the same thing. You could compare it to British English and American English. Even cussing is a little different between Dutch and Flemish. The Dutch often use references to diseases, wheres Flemish cussing more often entails references to genitals or excrement. One of the main Belgian specialties is fries, but the Dutch are experts in all kinds of other fried snacks. More quirky differences can be discovered, but these are the main ones that come to mind. Have fun exploring more!