What Is the Meaning of ‘Gezellig’ in ‘Ted Lasso’?

Ted Lasso season three is in “full swing,” and fans cannot wait for the new episode to drop every week. Our characters went through many phases this season, including an interesting trip to the Netherlands, where some experienced things they didn’t expect. After the disappointment in a friendly game against AFC Ajax, players, and the whole Richmond team found themselves in the worst spot after Ted’s arrival to the team, but the charm of the capital city of the Netherlands and its culture, enlightened some of our characters. Especially Rebecca, whose adventure ended up with her learning about the word “gezellig,” which became one of many mantras of Ted Lasso show. Let’s find out what “gezelling” means for our characters.

“Gezellig” is a word that describes the feeling of contentment in the Dutch language and the country of the Netherlands, which cannot be directly translated into the English language. Moreover, “gezellig” can mean cozy or nice, but it can also signify the spent time with loved ones, seeing someone after a long time, and other pleasant feelings. In Ted Lasso, the famous Dutch Guy and Rebecca meet in bad circumstances, but the great time they spend together and the constant delays of their departure indicate the true meaning of the “gezellig” – the contentment with another person, which Rebecca and unknowingly other characters of Ted Lasso, experienced in the “Sunflower” episode.

Ted Lasso characters experienced true “gezellig” in the “Sunflower” episode, which was needed after the Richmond crew’s bad times during the third season. We will discuss the meaning of “gezellig” in more detail and what it means to the characters of Ted Lasso.

What does the word “gezellig” mean?

One of the best parts of Ted Lasso show is the amazing care for its characters. Of course, said characters went through a lot during the show’s three seasons, but the good and bad aspects of their lives were always paid off with care and a meticulously thought-out plot. Now, I don’t want to curse the show with my praises, but the showrunners deserve credit for how they planned out storylines for their characters. Of course, there are some hiccups this season, with Keeley’s storyline being the most undefined one currently in the show, but the season is slowly but surely putting their characters through phases to hopefully a good ending.

Episode six of season three, titled “Sunflower,” sees AFC Richmond traveling to Amsterdam to play a friendly game against AFC Ajax. The club from London suffers a tough defeat, and the team is truly in a bad place. Ted realizes that he cannot do anything for his players, so he lets them explore the capital of the Netherlands and relax after hard few weeks.

While players try to figure out what they will do in Amsterdam, Ted tries to have some time on his own; Rebecca meets a Dutch Guy who offers her a good and relaxing time. He tells her about the special word, or even better, the way of life in the Netherlands, which they call “gezellig.”

According to Urban Dictionary and other more serious sources, “gezellig” is a feeling shared between two or more individuals, a delicious taste of some meal, or contentment after a great time. Essentially, “gezellig” is the concept of life for the Dutch and one word used in many different scenarios.

This is the concept Dutch have been living with for decades, and when Ted Lasso characters needed something to relax, the gezellig feeling accompanied them throughout the whole trip to the Netherlands. Rebecca wasn’t the only one who experienced the gezellig feeling, which leads us to the next section of the article.

What does “gezellig” mean for Ted Lasso characters?

Before the “Sunflower” episode, Ted Lasso characters were really in a bad spot. Ted Lasso lost his “mojo,” which directly affected Richmond’s play. Rebecca still suffers from the trauma inflicted by Rupert and tries to find ways to be happy without her manipulative ex-husband, while Roy is still deeply hurt from breaking up his relationship with Keeley, who seemingly moved on with her girlfriend.

Nothing was gezellig for our characters before their trip to Amsterdam, but the city’s magic changed everything. For Rebecca the most, since her desperation put her in an unfavorable spot this season, which prompted her to go to a psychic. In “Sunflower,” Rebecca falls into a canal and is helped by a mysterious Dutch Guy, who lends her his shelter to recuperate. This is the first time we see Rebecca relaxed, without her “armor,” (tailored clothes, perfect makeup). She is a normal, anonymous woman in a sunflower dress previously owned by Dutch Guy’s ex-wife, and she finally realizes that there is a lot more to life – contentment, warmth, and a good time with other people.

Rebecca and Dutch Guy don’t sleep together, but their experience with each other truly presents the gezellig feeling, which stays with Rebecca even in the next episode. Ted doesn’t necessarily have a pleasant time like Rebecca, but his gezellig comes in the form of a “total football,” a comprehension that he discovered the tactics that will get AFC Richmond “out of the funk,” simultaneously, him as well.

Coach Beard does his own thing, while Will the Kitman supports Leslie and his passion for jazz music and performing. Jamie transfers gezellig feelings to Roy, who finds joy in discovering windmills and learning the joys and freedom of riding a bike after his trauma in childhood. Richmond players have a huge pillow fight in the Amsterdam hotel while Dani Rojas is trying to find a single tulip – to be fair, Dani Rojas is a physical representation of gezellig feeling.

Trent helps Colin to embrace his sexuality, and the Welshman confesses that it would be a true joy to hold hands with his partner in public – maybe one day, Colin will experience his gezellig feeling in public.

Nevertheless, Ted Lasso truly embraced “gezellig” after episode six and a trip to Amsterdam and learned what contentment and warmth they share with other people is where their true strength lies. This one-hour episode seems to be the start of Richmond’s upwards form and characters’ growth.