The Dutch are known for often using diminutives. This is often funny for foreigners. Everything is small in the Netherlands! Although diminutives almost always end with ?? je, the spelling of the addition differs from word to word. Often letters are added. This article explains the rules for the use and spelling of diminutives.
Diminutives (diminutives) in Dutch
Diminutives are almost exclusively used for nouns (nouns) in Dutch, and always get ?? it ?? as article (article). However, there are a few non-nouns that have diminutives. These are described at the bottom of this article.
- Substantive = a thing, human or animal. You can there ?? the ??, ?? it?? or a?? put before
Many words get you as an exit. But often one or more letters are added to the ending
The words that do not fall under any of the categories described here will be used as the exit
- The cubicle – the cubicle
- The house – the cottage
- The rod – the rod
- The boat – the boat
- The device – the device
Words that get you as an exit
Words ending in -e, -ou, -ie, -ei, -eu and -ee
- The Lady ?? the lady
- The cold ?? the cold
- The hummingbird ?? the hummingbird
- The meadow ?? the meadow
- The male ?? the male
- The sled ?? the sled
Words ending in -a, -o, -u and -e
With these words, the vowel doubles!
- The grandfather ?? the grandpa
- The car ?? the car
- The menu ?? the menu
- The cafe ?? the cafe
Words ending in -i
With these words the -i in -ie
- The ski ?? the ski
Words ending in -y
These words have an apostrophe (??) between the noun and the ending -you
- The baby ?? the baby ?? tje
Words ending in -l, -n or -r, preceded by a double vowel
- The scale ?? the dish
- The pumpkin ?? the pumpkin
- The barn ?? the shed
Words on -el, -er, -en and -or whose emphasis is not on the last syllable
Emphasis (stress) = the part of a word that is emphasized is pronounced more clearly, usually somewhat higher in pitch.
- The tube ?? the tube
- The spatula ?? the spatula
- The mill ?? the windmill
- The transformer ?? the transformer
Words ending in -w
- The lion ?? the lion
- The push ?? the nudge
Words that -you get as output
Words ending with the letters -l, -m, -n, -ng, and -r, with a single vowel before it, with emphasis on the last syllable. This also applies to words with only one syllable
- The pill ?? the pill
- The bomb ?? the bomb
- The thing ?? the thingy
- The Canon ?? the cannon
- The lead ?? the lead
- The star ?? the asterisk
Also get the following words -you as output
- The crab ?? the crab
- The bib ?? the bib
- The bridge ?? the bridge
- The flag ?? the flag
- The route ?? the road
- The chicken ?? the chicken
- The doll ?? the doll
Words that –pje get as output
Words ending in -m, preceded by a double vowel
- The belt ?? the strap
- The flower ?? the flower
- The current ?? the stream
Words ending in -lm or -rm
- The form ?? the shape
- The helmet ?? the helmet
Words ending in -em and -um, whose emphasis is not on the last syllable
- The modem ?? the modem
- The museum ?? the museum
Words that you get as an exit.
Lots of words ending in -ing, whose emphasis is not on the last syllable
The -g at the end is dropped in these cases!
- The handrail ?? the lean
- The eel ?? the palinkje
There are some exceptions to this
- The apprentice – the apprentice
- The stroll ?? the walk
- The bill ?? her account
Exceptions to the spelling rules for diminutives
In some words, the vowel doubles from the last syllable
- The leaf ?? the petal
- The hole ?? the hole
- The glass ?? the glass
- The path ?? the path
- The staff ?? the stick
- the barrel ?? the keg
Non-nouns as a diminutive
These words have the ending –jes, they also follow the previously described spelling rules for diminutives
- For a bit ?? momentarily
- Later ?? tightly
- Two ?? just the two of you
- Los ?? loosely
- Warm ?? warmly
- Just ?? decently