Vroeg uit de veren voor de zonsopgang in Tanzania

What does “vroeg uit de veren” mean in Dutch?

Vroeg uit de veren literally means “early out of the feathers,” a Dutch idiom for “out of bed early.” The veren (feathers) reach back to Dutch bedding history, when down-filled mattresses and pillows were the household standard from the 1600s through the mid-1900s. The expression survives long after duvets replaced feather ticks. Dutch speakers reach for it half-jokingly when describing an early start, and it carries the same affectionate-grumble register as English “up before the rooster.”

In this Wie is de Mol? clip, a contestant wraps a Tanzania-sunrise excursion: “We gingen vanmorgen heel vroeg uit te veren en dat deden we om de Tanzaniaanse zonsopgang te bekijken.”