This is Hup Holland Hup the Dutch Word of the Day, the word is Go Holland Go! [Dutch phrase of the week]
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 hup
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 (Lit.: "Don't let the lion stand in his little vest". Note that "hempie" is a popular diminutive for "hemd" which can be translated as "shirt". The formal diminutive for "hemd" is "hempje".)
Go Holland go
Release the animal (Lit.: "Don't let the animal wear 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")"
