Hup Holland Hup!

Go Holland Go!  [Dutch phrase of the week] Iconspeaker_klein

You might be wondering what everyone’s singing these days during soccer games. “Hup Holland Hup” is one of the most heard phrases and can be translated to something like “Go Holland Go”. In the pronunciation link above, it is pronounced in a serious tone, but in reality it is usually shouted enthusiastically by excited supporters. As was explained in the DWOTD “Knuppel“, the word “hup” is only used in this alliteration. In all other circumstances it would be very archaic (however, it can be used to encourage somebody to hurry up a bit). “Hup Holland Hup” is the first line of the chorus of a popular song that has been sung since 1974:

“Hup Holland hupOranje_leeuw_3
Laat de leeuw niet in z’n hempie staan
Hup Holland hup
Trek het beessie geen pantoffels aan

Hup Holland hup
Laat je uit ‘t veld niet slaan
Want de leeuw op voetbalschoenen
Durft de hele wereld aan”

“Go Holland go
Don’t make the lion look foolish (“Don’t leave the lion behind in his (little) undershirt”. Note that “hempie” is a popular diminutive for “hemd” which can be translated as “undershirt”. The formal diminutive for “hemd” is “hemdje”.)
Go Holland go
Release the animal (Lit.: “Don’t let the animal wear bedroom slippers”. Note that “beessie” is a popular diminutive for “beest” which can be translated as “animal”. The formal diminutive for “beest” is “beestje”.)
Go Holland go
Don’t let them take you aback (Lit.: “Don’t let them beat you out of the field”. Note that the order of the words in this sentence is altered to better fit the melody.)
Because the lion wearing football shoes
Can take on the whole world”

Other songs that are often sung are the one-liner “Het is stil aan de overkant” which can be translated to “It’s quiet on the other side”, and the oldie “Wij houden van Oranje”, translated as “We love (the) Orange (team)”, sung for the first time in 1988 by the famous Dutch singer André Hazes, who passed away in 2004. Below, the chorus of the latter song is shown and translated. Click here to see and listen to André singing this song.

“Nederland oh Nederland
Jij bent de kampioen
Wij houden van Oranje
Om zijn daden en zijn doen”

“The Netherlands oh the Netherlands
You are the champion
We love the Orange team
For all its achievements (Lit.:”For its deeds and actions”)”

31 thoughts on “Hup Holland Hup!

  1. Great words these days! Since my national team, Poland, is already gone, I’ll be for Dutch soccers. Zij zijn uitstekend! (a bit of my Dutch :))
    PS You’re my Home Page 🙂

  2. Thanks for the compliment, Barbara! You’re not the only non-Dutch supporting “Oranje”; one out of three “Oranje”-fans in Switzerland are not Dutch.
    Laura

  3. That’s right, Laura, the Swiss have developed quite an affection for the Dutch, because the fans know how to party and the team plays excellent soccer! Go guys! Regards from Switzerland .. M.

  4. I’ve bookmarked this blog!
    Hi, I also supporting Oranje in every tournaments they participate. It was started when I was only 8 years old, witnessing Basten and friends win their first title in Euro’88.
    As an Indonesian, I also have some relatives there in Holland. I hope their second title will come this month…
    Regards.
    P.S : Can i have your oranje_lion.jpg to put in my blog post? thank’s.

  5. I’m peruvian and I’ve always liked the dutch team! In fact, today I was in a bar with my friend and a bunch of dutch guys from a tv show from Netherlands came in and made us sing HUPPPP HOLLAND HUPPP! lmao

  6. I am South African and my grand parents are originally from Holland…. Going to be cheering for the Holland in the World Cup. Hup Hup Holland!!!

  7. I was in the Netherlands during the 2006 World Cup. I can imagine the excitement when the Netherlands play. Sneijder, Robben , Van der Vaart and Van Persie can really make a difference if they play as a collective unit as in the mighty dutch team of the 70’s. Will be drinking Heineken in the dutch victory…!

  8. Folks, now is the time – a big day on 02 July 2010 Quarter Finals – Nederland vs Brazil…. Hup Holland Hup!!!

  9. am Turk and i support Holland in WC2010
    Hup Holland hup Laat de leeuw niet in z’n hempie staa!!
    i bet my50 quit on oranges against brazil so please hup holland

  10. I am from Bangladesh.I support Holland.I wish Holland will win the World Cup 2010 trophy.I am grateful to Holland because they helped us in our bad time.I like orange color.Paul from Bangladesh.

  11. I’m a British-Dutch supporting them all the way. Just saw them destroy Uruguay! Hup Holland Hup! De Oranje is de beste!

  12. Hi guys,
    I just wanted to say I’m a Canadian of dutch and French descent, but I’ve supported the Nederlands since watching them lose the final against Germany in 74 (on TV, of course, but while visiting the Nederlands with my family)…I was seven years old at the time
    Hup Nederlands Hup!
    One game away from glory…. I wish I could watch the final in Holland though….

  13. Last nights game was UNBELIEVABLE !!!! Here in South Africa the energy is overwhelming, and our hearts beat Orange! HUP HOLLAND HUP!!
    Its fantastic to see so many South Africans (including and everyone i know) support Netherlands so strongly, the probably feel like their playing home games 😉
    Holland all the way !!!

  14. Come on Holland ! Its your time to shine, a world cup win has been long over due for you! Glad we did not play Holland, we would have been thrashed more than what the Germans did to us. Good Luck.
    James in England

  15. Hi, I’m a south african – went to the game where holland beat germany!!! It was insane – just amazing atmosphere – I liked germany but I was glad Orange beat them all the same!! South African’s welcome all teams, support all teams now that Bafana are out – soccer, the beautiful game – its made the world look at Africa and smile!!! Viva soccer – viva Holland – viva WCS2010!!

  16. Hi I am a volunteer in the WCS2010, I am proudly South African and I love Holland. They have played exceptional soccer and I think they do deserve to win the World Cup.
    HUP HOLLAND HUP

  17. Hup Holland Hup!!! I am a Canadian and my fathers dutch and Holland is playing amazing football. Can’t wait to beat Spain

  18. Arjan, we hope to sing Hup Holland Hu, we are the champions….
    this evening after the match again Spain.
    The temperature will be more than 35C this afternone. Not a weather to go by train to Antwerpen to visite Janna and her muesli viewed through the window

  19. Arjan,
    Jouw verhaal van 2008 past ook voor 2010.
    Nederland wordt Kamioen !

  20. I am an Australian born in Britain with absolutely no connection with Holland whatsoever. Never even been there. But I shall be getting up tomorrow at 4.30 am and supporting the Oranje because they play great football and they deserve to win one after being unlucky in the 70s when they were the best, most entertaining and most enterprising football team in the world. Come on Holland! Show the world (especially my mob the English) how to play proper football. Do it for Cruff, do it for Krol, van Basten, Gullitt and Rijkaard. But most of all do it for football!

  21. Thanks for teaching us this song! I’ve found it on youtube and have been sending it around to by American Holland-supporting friends!
    (I also found Viva Holandia!)
    HUP HOLLAND HUP!

  22. Hup Holland Hup!
    I’m a South African of Dutch descent – my Dutch dad would be so proud!

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