Doe NormaalWhat does 'doe normaal' mean?
Updated
Doe normaal literally means 'do normal': act normal, behave, calm down. It's one of the most Dutch things you can say, and it's what we named the app after.
When people say it
To a child climbing on the table: doe normaal! = behave! To a friend overreacting: doe even normaal = calm down, don't be ridiculous. And to someone showing off with an expensive car: doe normaal, man.
It can also be friendly disbelief. Your friend offers to pay for dinner? Doe normaal! = don't be silly!
Doe maar normaal, dan doe je al gek genoeg
The full saying is doe maar normaal, dan doe je al gek genoeg: just act normal, that's crazy enough already. It sums up a famous Dutch value: don't stand out, don't brag, don't think you're better than anyone else.
You'll see it everywhere once you know it: the prime minister on a bike, the millionaire in a bakfiets, and the reply doe normaal to anyone who takes themselves too seriously.
Why an app called Doe Normaal?
Because real Dutch life is anything but normal. Doe Normaal teaches the Dutch people actually speak, through fictional dating profiles, a group chat full of drama and the culture behind it. For learners who know the basics (roughly A2 to B2) and want more than another textbook exercise.