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Lesson 1A1
Greetings & Formality
अभिवादन और औपचारिकता
Dutch splits 'you' into je/jij (informal) and u (formal) — the same instinct Hindi speakers already have with तुम vs. आप. Start here before any other vocabulary, since it shapes how you address everyone you meet.
Grammar Comparison
व्याकरण तुलना
je/jij vs u ≈ तुम vs आप
Dutch
je/jij (informal) / u (formal)
Hindi
तुम (informal) / आप (formal)
Just like Hindi switches from तुम to आप for strangers, elders, and officials, Dutch switches from je/jij to u. Use u with anyone you'd address as आप — shopkeepers, teachers, officials, older strangers. Use je/jij with friends, family, and children, same as तुम. One difference from German's Sie: Dutch u is written lowercase in everyday use, though many people still capitalize it (U) in formal letters and emails out of old habit.
Vocabulary
शब्दावली
| Dutch | Pronunciation | Hindi | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hallo | HAH-loh | नमस्तेnamaste | Hello |
| Goedemorgen | KHOO-duh-mor-khen | सुप्रभातsuprabhāt | Good morning |
| Goedemiddag | KHOO-duh-mih-dahkh | नमस्कार (दोपहर में)namaskār (dopahar meñ) | Good afternoon |
| Goedenavond | KHOO-den-AH-vont | शुभ संध्याśubh sandhyā | Good evening |
| Tot ziens | tot zeens | फिर मिलेंगेphir mileñge | Goodbye |
| Doei | doo-ee | बाय बायbāy bāy | Bye (informal) |
| Dank je wel | dahnk yuh vel | धन्यवादdhanyavād | Thanks (informal) |
| Alsjeblieft | ahls-yuh-BLEEFT | कृपया / यह लीजिएkṛpayā / yah lījie | Please / Here you go |
| Ja | yah | हाँhāñ | Yes |
| Nee | nay | नहींnahīñ | No |
| Hoe gaat het met je? | hoo khaht het met yuh | क्या हाल है?kyā hāl hai? | How are you? (informal) |
| Het gaat goed | het khaht khoot | मैं ठीक हूँmaiñ ṭhīk hūñ | I'm doing well |