Learn Dutch possessive pronouns like mijn (my), jouw (your), zijn (his), and their correct use with different nouns, including formal uw and the het/ de distinction for onze/ons.
  1. Ons is used with het-woorden, onze with de-woorden.
  2. Uw is the formal form of jouw.
SubjectBezittelijk voornaamwoord
Ik (I)Mijn 
Jij/je (You)Jouw / je 
U (Your)Uw 
Hij (His)Zijn
Zij/ze (Her)Haar
Wij/we (Our / ours)Onze / ons
Jullie (You (plural))Jullie
Zij/ze (Her)Hun

Exercise 1: De bezittelijke voornaamwoorden (mijn, jouw, zijn,...)

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

zijn, mijn, onze, Mijn, jouw, jullie, haar

1.
Jullie ontmoeten ... familie in België.
(You meet your family in Belgium.)
2.
Hij heeft ... telefoon verloren.
(He has lost his phone.)
3.
Waar is ... tas gebleven?
(Where has your bag gone?)
4.
Ik ga naar ... opa vandaag.
(I am going to my granddad today.)
5.
... broer woont in Nederland.
(My brother lives in the Netherlands.)
6.
Wij gaan met ... auto naar Spanje.
(We are going to Spain by car.)
7.
Ze steekt ... boek in de tas.
(She puts her book in the bag.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Dit is ___ moeder en haar naam is Anne.

(This is ___ mother and her name is Anne.)

2. ___ broer werkt in Amsterdam.

(___ brother works in Amsterdam.)

3. Wij houden van ___ familie.

(We love ___ family.)

4. Hij zoekt ___ sleutels.

(He is looking for ___ keys.)

5. Heb jij ___ kinderen gezien?

(Have you seen ___ children?)

6. ___ huis is groot en gezellig.

(___ house is big and cozy.)

Possessive Pronouns in Dutch (mijn, jouw, zijn,...)

This lesson introduces you to the Dutch possessive pronouns, which are used to indicate ownership or relationship. Similar to English words like "my," "your," and "his," these pronouns help clarify who something belongs to.

Key Dutch Possessive Pronouns

Subject Possessive Pronoun
Ik Mijn
Jij/je Jouw / je
U (formal you) Uw
Hij Zijn
Zij/ze (she) Haar
Wij/we Onze / ons
Jullie Jullie
Zij/ze (they) Hun

Important Notes

  • Ons is used with words that are het-woorden (common gender), while onze is used with de-woorden (common gender words).
  • Uw is the formal equivalent of jouw, used in polite or formal situations.

Examples

Some simple sentences to illustrate the usage:

  • Dit is mijn moeder en haar naam is Anne. (This is my mother and her name is Anne.)
  • Jouw broer werkt in Amsterdam. (Your brother works in Amsterdam.)
  • Wij houden van onze familie. (We love our family.)
  • Hij zoekt zijn sleutels. (He is looking for his keys.)
  • Heb jij jouw kinderen gezien? (Have you seen your children?)
  • Ons huis is groot en gezellig. (Our house is big and cozy.)

Differences Between English and Dutch Possessive Pronouns

In Dutch, possessive pronouns agree with the gender and number of the noun they describe, which is a feature not present in English. For example, "ons" and "onze" both translate to "our," but you must choose the correct form based on the noun’s gender.

Also, Dutch has a formal possessive uw, similar in use to "your" in polite situations, which English does not distinguish.

Useful Vocabulary and Phrases

  • Bezittelijk voornaamwoord – Possessive pronoun
  • Het-woord – A noun with the article "het" (neutral gender)
  • De-woord – A noun with the article "de" (common gender)
  • Formeel – Formal
  • Examples: mijn (my), jouw (your), zijn (his), haar (her), ons/onze (our), jullie (your plural), hun (their)

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Kato De Paepe

Business and languages

KdG University of Applied Sciences and Arts Antwerp

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Last Updated:

Thursday, 18/09/2025 02:23