Goochelaar is the correct spelling; googelaar is not a real Dutch word. A goochelaar is a performer who does magic — card tricks, illusions and mentalism. The form googelaar comes from confusion with googelen, which means to search on Google. So when you book a magician for an event, you book a goochelaar, not a googelaar.
Is it googelaar or goochelaar?
The correct word is goochelaar. The variant googelaar is a common misspelling and does not appear in the official Dutch word list. A goochelaar is someone who performs magic: a magician, illusionist or mentalist.
The mistake is understandable. Both words start with 'goo' and sound almost the same in passing. Yet the meaning is completely different: goochelen is about magic and illusion, googelen is about searching the internet.
What does the word goochelaar mean?
A goochelaar is a professional entertainer who uses sleight of hand, misdirection and showmanship to make the impossible look real — card tricks, vanishes, predictions and mind reading.
The word comes from the Dutch verb goochelen, which has meant 'to conjure or bewitch' for centuries. Synonyms are magician, illusionist and conjurer.
- ✦Goochelaar: a performer of tricks and illusions (magician)
- ✦Goochelen: performing magic and illusion
- ✦Googelaar: not a real word (misspelling)
- ✦Googelen: searching with the Google search engine
Why do people confuse googelaar and goochelaar?
The confusion comes from three things: the nearly identical sound, the influence of the everyday word googelen, and autocorrect that sometimes 'fixes' goochelaar into googelaar.
As a result many people type 'googelaar huren' (hire a googelaar) in search engines when they mean goochelaar. The intent is the same: they are looking for an artist who amazes an audience.
What does a professional goochelaar do?
A professional goochelaar provides tailored entertainment for corporate events, weddings, galas, trade fairs and private parties. The format ranges from close-up magic at the table to a full stage show with mentalism.
Sudesh Roman is a professional magician, mentalist and illusionist from the Benelux with more than 1,100 shows and over twenty years of experience across the Netherlands and Belgium.
View all shows →Frequently asked questions about googelaar and goochelaar
Is googelaar wrong? Yes. Googelaar is a misspelling; the correct word for a magician is goochelaar.
How do you spell goochelaar? G-o-o-c-h-e-l-a-a-r, with 'ch' in the middle, derived from the verb goochelen.
What is the difference between goochelen and googelen? Goochelen means performing magic; googelen means searching on Google. The words look alike but are unrelated.
What else do you call a goochelaar? A magician, illusionist, mentalist or conjurer, depending on the type of act.
Keep it simple: a goochelaar performs magic, a googelaar does not exist. If you are looking for a magician who enchants your guests, you are booking a goochelaar. Sudesh Roman brings that magic to every stage and every table in the Netherlands and Belgium.