Sample translations in 2025

All year long, translators from Dutch can apply for a grant for a sample translation. With this grant, they buy time to translate an excerpt from a Flemish literary work, and to bring that work to the attention of publishers in their language area. We have selected 10 sample translations of books that we actively promote. Discover why translators have chosen them.

Svetlana Grubić Samaržija translated an excerpt from The Gift by Gaea Schoeters into Croatian.

“Although lighter in tone and more humorous than Trophy, The Gift is far from superficial. The book tackles a number of pressing issues, such as climate change, political crisis, double standards, the future of our planet. These are all universal themes that resonate not only with readers in Germany, where the story is set, but with a broader international audience. Given the enthusiastic response to Trophy from Croatian readers, I believe they would be equally intrigued by this more light-hearted counterpart.”

You can already read the Croatian sample on our website, and an English sample too.

Blanka Konečná translates an excerpt from The Edges by Angelo Tijssens into Czech.

“So far, not many queer novels have been published for an adult readership in the Czech Republic (young adult titles aside). The book explores several serious themes – an unsettling childhood, a sense of being lost, sex as a form of escape – that are increasingly being read by Czech readers. What’s more, Angelo Tijssens’ films (‘Girl’ and ‘Close’) have been warmly received here, so I’m convinced the groundwork has already been laid for his future readership.”

You can already read an English sample on our website.

Christina Brunnenkamp translated an excerpt from The Animals Within by Lieselot Mariën into German.

“The author has captured a dark and draining chapter of her life with striking poetic grace. It’s hard to believe this is a debut. I don’t think anyone has written about the uncertainty mothers face after giving birth and about postnatal depression in quite this way before. In recent years, there’s been growing attention for literature by women and their lived realities, but postnatal depression remains largely overlooked. Yet many women suffer from it, and its impact on a family can be profound.”

You can already read the German sample on our website, and an English sample too.

Gerd Busse translated an excerpt from The Two Prong Crown by Guido Van Heulendonk into German.

“This is the best Dutch-language novel I’ve read in years. Not only does it tell a compelling story about the life of a seemingly ordinary ‘Everyman’, it’s also written in an engaging style. The recurring use of passages beginning with ‘And it came to pass’ gives the story a Biblical tone. But the most charming device the author uses to hold the story together is a continuous thread that follows the life of Peter Green, founder of the British blues and rock band Fleetwood Mac, with a particular focus on his iconic guitar instrumental ‘Albatross’.”

You can already read the German sample on our website, and an English sample too.

Lisa Mensing translated an excerpt from Groundwork by Tijl Nuyts into German.

“In my experience, publishers tend to look for books with a clever angle. To stand a chance, a book needs to break away from the conventional. Topical themes are always a plus. With Groundwork, Tijl Nuyts has written an exceptional novel that ticks all the boxes for German-language publishers. The mole rat is a creature that has rarely been explored in literature, and when it’s done as convincingly as in Groundwork, and tied to pressing social issues, I believe it’s bound to make an impact.”

You can already read the German sample on our website.

David Santoro translated an excerpt from Fire. A Forgotten Issue by Ignaas Devisch into Italian.

“Today more than ever, the energy transition is a topic of great importance and urgency in our society — especially in Italy, a country already under threat from climate change, with droughts and floods becoming increasingly common. Yet the current political majority does not support a Green Deal, and is advocating a return to nuclear energy, a highly controversial proposal. The debate is bound to intensify. In this context, I believe there could be genuine interest in this book and its philosophical approach.”

You can already read the Italian sample on our website, and an English sample too.

Agnieszka Bienias translates an excerpt of I’m Going to the Sheep by Marieke De Maré.

“I’m Going to the Sheep is a poetic and moving novel that explores universal themes such as loss, loneliness and solace in an original way, offering a unique perspective on grief and healing. These themes resonate strongly in Poland. The novel also appeals to a wide readership: both young and adult readers will recognise themselves in its characters. Polish readers are familiar with authors like Lize Spit and Marieke Lucas Rijneveld, and with the rural landscapes of the Low Countries. In my view, De Maré’s lyrical prose offers a remarkable addition to that literary tradition.”

You can already read an English, German and Spanish sample on our website.

Oana Marin translated an excerpt from The Best of Delphine Lecompte by Delphine Lecompte into Romanian.

“‘The Best of Delphine Lecompte offers a complete overview of her poetry, making a sample translation an ideal introduction to her poetic oeuvre for non-Dutch-speaking readers. Her linguistic virtuosity is astonishing. Lecompte herself is sharp and witty, vibrant and contrary – a remedy against a sea of conformity. Her deliberately provocative attitude does nothing to diminish her literary talent. Delphine Lecompte has a brilliant sense of humour, and that always works, no matter the language.”

You can already read the Romanian sample on our website.

Micaela van Muylem translates an excerpt from Faren by Ellis Meeusen into Spanish.

“The subject of Faren is universal – the myth of Orpheus is widely known and often reimagined. Yet in this piece, the author has created an original and moving version that feels strikingly contemporary. That’s why I’m confident the text will spark interest in Argentina, and more broadly in the Spanish-speaking world. I can easily imagine Faren being staged in Buenos Aires or Córdoba, but it’s also a text that lends itself well to publication thanks to its poetic form.”

Ömür Akyüzlü Lüker  translated an excerpt from Hotel Kosmos by Yelena Schmitz into Turkish.

“I believe this text – in terms of its themes, poetic tone and natural storytelling – is one that speaks to everyone. The author tackles a difficult subject – divorce – and its impact on a child. The absence of violence and fear, themes that are particularly sensitive for Turkish parents, and the way the book shows that divorce doesn’t have to be traumatic – that it can be a painful yet natural process for the child and other family members – make this a book of undeniable relevance.”

You can already read the Turkish sample on our website, and an English sample too.