rouw
mourning, grief, bereavement
Intermediate Noun common
🔊
Pronunciation
/rɑu̯/
💡
Cultural Note
The Dutch approach to rouw is practical yet compassionate. The 'rouwkaart' (mourning card) is a formal printed announcement sent to friends and family when someone dies. Wearing black during the rouwperiode (mourning period) was once strictly observed but is now optional. The expression 'in de rouw zijn' (to be in mourning) is still widely used.
📝 Example Sentences
De rouw om haar moeder duurde lang.
The mourning for her mother lasted a long time.
Rouw is een proces dat iedereen anders doormaakt.
Grief is a process that everyone goes through differently.