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This lesson explains Dutch diminutives, showing how to form kleine woorden like jasje, deurtje, and armpje by adding suffixes such as -je, -tje, or -pje, with spelling changes and altijd het as lidwoord.
  1. Diminutives end with -je, -tje, -etje, -kje, -pje.
  2. The spelling sometimes changes: woning → woninkje.
  3. Definite article: Diminutives always take 'het' as their article.
Zelfstandig naamwoord (Noun)Verkleinwoord (diminutive)
de jas (the coat)het jasje (the jacket)
de deur (the door)het deurtje (the little door)
de weg (the road)het weggetje (the little road)
de woning (the house)het woninkje (the little house)
de arm (the arm)het armpje (the little arm)
de boom (the tree)het boompje (the little tree)

Exercise 1: Verkleinwoorden

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

deurtje, boompje, knoopje, weggetje, zus, cadeautje, jasje, woninkje

1. Zus:
Mijn ... draagt een ketting om haar nek.
(My sister is wearing a necklace around her neck.)
2. Jas:
Mijn ... is kleiner dan dat van jou.
(My jacket is smaller than yours.)
3. Weg:
We wandelen over een ... naar het bos.
(We are walking along a little path to the woods.)
4. Woning:
Ze woont in een klein ... in de stad.
(She lives in a small flat in the city.)
5. Cadeau:
Ik kreeg een leuk ... voor mijn verjaardag.
(I got a nice little present for my birthday.)
6. Boom:
Dit ... groeit snel in de tuin.
(This little tree grows quickly in the garden.)
7. Knoop:
Dit ... is los van mijn jas.
(This little button is loose from my jacket.)
8. Deur:
Hij heeft een ... in zijn poppenhuis.
(He has a little door in his doll's house.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Het kindje heeft pijn in het _____ .

(The child has pain in the _____ .)

2. Ik heb een nieuw _____ gekocht voor de winter.

(I bought a new _____ for the winter.)

3. Kun je het _____ van de kast dichtdoen?

(Can you close the _____ of the cabinet?)

4. Ik woon in een klein _____ in de stad.

(I live in a small _____ in the city.)

5. Het _____ in de tuin groeit snel.

(The _____ in the garden grows fast.)

6. Het _____ naar het park is rustig.

(The _____ to the park is quiet.)

Understanding Dutch Verkleinwoorden (Diminutives)

This lesson focuses on verkleinwoorden, the diminutive forms of Dutch nouns. Learning how to form and use these words will help you describe smaller objects and express endearment or familiarity in Dutch.

What are Verkleinwoorden?

Verkleinwoorden are created by adding specific suffixes to a noun. These suffixes modify the noun to indicate a smaller version or a sense of affection.

Common Suffixes for Verkleinwoorden

  • -je
  • -tje
  • -etje
  • -kje
  • -pje

Examples include jasje (little jacket), deurtje (little door), and armpje (little arm).

Spelling Changes

Some nouns change spelling slightly when forming the diminutive. For example, woning becomes woninkje. It's important to notice these changes as they are common in Dutch.

Definite Article for Verkleinwoorden

All verkleinwoorden use het as the definite article, even if the original noun uses de. For example:

  • de jas → het jasje
  • de deur → het deurtje

Examples From the Lesson

Singular NounDiminutive
de jashet jasje
de deurhet deurtje
de weghet weggetje
de woninghet woninkje
de armhet armpje
de boomhet boompje

Language Notes: Differences between English and Dutch Diminutives

Unlike English, where diminutives are often formed with prefixes or separate words (such as "kitty" from "cat"), Dutch creates diminutives by adding suffixes directly to the noun. These suffixes also change the article to het, which differs from the original article of the noun.

Useful phrases:

  • Een jasje - A little jacket
  • Het deurtje - The little door
  • Een boompje - A small tree

Being familiar with verkleinwoorden is very practical for everyday Dutch, as they appear commonly in conversations, describing objects, people, and situations in a friendlier or more specific way.

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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, 17/07/2025 02:43