Personal Pronouns

Please note that the Dutch word for you in the singular (jij, je) is different from you in the plural (jullie.) Dutch also frequently uses the polite form of you: 'U,' to older people or other people deserving respect; it should also be used when addressing people in a subservient position, like sales clerks or hotel and restaurant staff. This 'U' is rarely used in the plural.

English Nominative	Object (Nominative)	Possessive (Genitive)	Subject (Accusative)	Reflexive
	"I am"	"my dog"	"remember me"	"be yourself"
I	ik	mijn m'n [me]	mij me [mijn]	mezelf me	hear
you (singular)	jij je	jouw je	jou je	jezelf je	hear
he	hij (-ie)	zijn z'n	hem ('m)	zichzelf zich	hear
she	zij ze	haar (d'r)	haar (d'r, 'r)	zichzelf zich	hear - take 2
it (see note)	het 't	-	-	-	hear
we	wij we	onze, ons	ons	onszelf ons	hear
you (plural)	jullie	jullie	jullie	jezelf je	hear
they	zij ze [hun]	hun	hen ze (hun)	zichzelf zich	hear - take 2
you (formal)	U	Uw	U	zichzelf zich	hear

The dative form of 'ze' is 'hun' "Give it to them."
'Jou' and 'jouw' are pronounced exactly the same, both end in a Dutch W sound; but 'U' and 'Uw' should not sound the same, there is NO Dutch W sound in 'U.'
(...) - acceptable variation
*[...]* - heavy slang
'het' (it) is not used as much as in English; only for the abstract, like
"'t Is mooi weer" -hear- (it's nice weather) or
"Het is tien uur," -hear- (It's ten o'clock.)
"It is said that ..." is best said in Dutch as "Men zegt dat ..." - hear
(Dutch 'men' is an occasional 'they'.)

Reflexive Verbs

The reflexive verb always takes the reflexive pronoun (to defend oneself, I defend myself). The reflexive verb is more common in Dutch than in English.
More Dutch Verbs

zichzelf zien	to see oneself
zich herinneren	to remember	zich verdedigen	to defend oneself
ik herinner me jij herinnert je hij herinnert zich zij herinnert zich wij herinneren ons jullie herinneren je zij herinneren zich U herinnert zich hear	(I remember) (you remember) (he remembers) (she remembers) (we remember) (you remember) (they remember) (you remember)	ik verdedig me jij verdedigt je hij verdedigt zich zij verdedigt zich wij verdedigen ons jullie verdedigen je zij verdedigen zich U verdedigt zich hear	(I defend myself) (you defend yourself) (he defends himself) (she defends herself) (we defend ourselves) (you defend yourselves) (they defend themselves) (you defend yourself)
zich vergissen	to be mistaken	zich vervelen	to be bored
ik vergis me jij vergist je hij vergist zich zij vergist zich wij vergissen ons jullie vergissen je zij vergissen zich U vergist zich hear	(I am mistaken) (you are mistaken) (he is mistaken) (she is mistaken) (we are mistaken) (you are mistaken) (they are mistaken) (you are mistaken)	ik verveel me jij verveelt je hij verveelt zich zij verveelt zich wij vervelen ons jullie vervelen je zij vervelen zich U verveelt zich hear	(I am bored) (you are bored) (he is bored) (she is bored) (we are bored) (you are bored) (they are bored) (you are bored)	Verveel je je? hear Verveelt U zich? hear	Are you bored? (informal) Are you bored? (polite)
ik zie mezelf jij ziet jezelf hij ziet zichzelf zij ziet zichzelf wij zien onszelf jullie zien jezelf zij zien zichzelf U ziet Uzelf / U ziet zichzelf hear	(I see myself) (you see yourself) (he sees himself) (she sees herself) (we see ourselves) (you see yourselves) (they see themselves) (you see yourself)

Marco Schuffelen - email
copyright © 1999-2006 Marco Schuffelen - All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Don't be a dief (thief) - dievegge (female thief) - diefstal (theft) - stelen (to steal) - heler (dealer in stolen goods) - hear Dutch - 2

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