Spaanse

Spaanse is the Dutch adjective meaning "Spanish." It is used to describe things related to Spain or to the Spanish language and culture. The form is derived from Spanje, the Dutch name for the country, which in turn comes from the Latin Hispania. In modern Dutch, Spaanse appears before a noun in phrases such as de Spaanse cultuur (the Spanish culture), Spaanse kunst (Spanish art) or Spaanse wijn (Spanish wine). It also forms part of common compound terms referring to things from Spain, including places, cuisine and traditions.

For the language itself, the standard Dutch term is Spaans, used as a noun (het Spaans) and as the language name. The adjective form to describe nouns is typically Spaanse, as in Spaanse taal or Spaanse regio, following the normal Dutch definite-article inflection. When naming a person from Spain, the usual demonyms are Spanjaard or Spaniër rather than Spaanse, though historical or literary uses may appear in older texts.

Spaanse is widely encountered in historical, cultural and geopolitical contexts, for example in discussions of Spain’s historical relations with the Dutch-speaking world, the Spanish Empire, or contemporary culture and sport. The word has cognates in related Germanic languages; in Dutch the closest equivalents are Spaans (the language), Spaniër or Spanjaard (a Spaniard), and Spaanse used as the general adjective for Spain-related topics.