Greetings & Formality
Greetings & Formality
Dutch splits 'you' into je/jij (informal) and u (formal) — a distinction English used to have and lost, much like German's du/Sie split. Master this before any other vocabulary.
Grammar Comparison
Grammar Comparison
je/jij vs. u: Dutch's Missing 'Thou'
je/jij (informal) / u (formal)
you (informal) / you (formal)
Old English had this same split — 'thou' was informal, 'you' was formal/plural — but English flattened both into a single 'you' centuries ago. Dutch kept the distinction alive, much like German's du/Sie. Use u with strangers, officials, shopkeepers, and anyone you'd address formally. Use je/jij with friends, family, children, and fellow students. One wrinkle: in careful writing u still pairs with the same verb form as hij/zij ('he/she') — u is, not u bent — though u bent has become the everyday spoken norm.
Time-of-day greetings are literal
Goedemorgen / Goedemiddag / Goedenavond
Good morning / Good afternoon / Good evening
Unlike English, where 'good afternoon' is understood but rarely said aloud outside formal settings, Dutch speakers use these time-bound greetings very consistently and switch them at fairly fixed points in the day. 'Hallo' is the safe, time-neutral, informal option that works any time, much like English 'hi'.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary
| Dutch | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Hallo | HAH-loh | Hello |
| Goedemorgen | KHOO-deh-mor-khen | Good morning |
| Goedemiddag | KHOO-deh-mih-dahkh | Good afternoon |
| Goedenavond | KHOO-den-ah-vont | Good evening |
| Tot ziens | tot zeens | Goodbye |
| Doei | DOO-ee | Bye (informal) |
| Dank je / Dank u | dahnk yuh / dahnk ew | Thanks (informal/formal) |
| Alsjeblieft | ahls-yuh-BLEEFT | Please / here you go |
| Ja | yah | Yes |
| Nee | nay | No |
| Hoe gaat het? | hoo khaht het | How are you? |
| Goed, dank je | khoot dahnk yuh | I'm doing well, thanks |