A1 Dutch GrammarPossessive Adjectives
Learn Dutch possessive adjectives (mijn, jouw, zijn, etc.) and how they work with de-words and het-words. Understand the difference between stressed and unstressed forms.
1Basic Possessive Adjectives
Dutch possessives come before the noun and don't change for de/het words in standard form. Each person has one basic form.
Possessive Adjectives
| Person | Dutch | English |
|---|---|---|
| ik | mijn | my |
| jij | jouw / je | your (informal) |
| u | uw | your (formal) |
| hij | zijn | his |
| zij | haar | her |
| het | zijn | its |
| wij | ons / onze | our |
| jullie | jullie | your (plural) |
| zij | hun | their |
Examples
Dit is mijn boek.
This is my book.
mijn = my
Waar is jouw tas?
Where is your bag?
jouw = your
Zijn huis is groot.
His house is big.
zijn = his
Haar auto is rood.
Her car is red.
haar = her
2Ons vs Onze
'Our' has two forms: 'ons' with het-words (singular), 'onze' with de-words and all plurals. This is the only possessive that changes.
Ons vs Onze
| Article | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| het (singular) | ons | ons huis (our house) |
| de (singular) | onze | onze auto (our car) |
| plural | onze | onze kinderen (our children) |
| plural | onze | onze huizen (our houses) |
Examples
Ons huis is oud.
Our house is old.
het huis → ons
Onze hond heet Max.
Our dog is called Max.
de hond → onze
Onze kinderen zijn groot.
Our children are big.
plural → onze
Dit is ons kantoor.
This is our office.
het kantoor → ons
3Stressed vs Unstressed Forms
'Je' is the unstressed form of 'jouw', 'ze' can replace 'haar'. Use stressed forms for emphasis or contrast, unstressed in normal speech.
Stressed vs Unstressed
| Stressed | Unstressed | English |
|---|---|---|
| mijn | m'n | my |
| jouw | je | your |
| haar | d'r / ze | her |
| zijn | z'n | his |
Examples
Is dit je fiets?
Is this your bike?
je = unstressed
Nee, dat is jouw fiets!
No, that is YOUR bike!
jouw = stressed/emphatic
Ik ken z'n vader.
I know his father.
z'n = unstressed zijn
Dat is m'n probleem niet.
That's not my problem.
m'n = unstressed mijn
4Possessives with Body Parts
Unlike English, Dutch often uses 'de/het' instead of possessives with body parts when the owner is clear from context.
Body Parts
| Dutch | Literal | Natural English |
|---|---|---|
| Ik was de handen. | I wash the hands. | I wash my hands. |
| Hij breekt het been. | He breaks the leg. | He breaks his leg. |
| Zij borstelt het haar. | She brushes the hair. | She brushes her hair. |
| Doe de ogen dicht. | Close the eyes. | Close your eyes. |
Examples
Ik was de handen.
I wash my hands.
de, not mijn
Mijn hoofd doet pijn.
My head hurts.
possessive also correct
Ze doet de jas aan.
She puts on her coat.
de jas, not haar jas
Ik steek mijn hand op.
I raise my hand.
mijn for clarity