Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn the Dutch possessive pronouns (bezittelijke voornaamwoorden) such as mijn, jouw, zijn, and more. Understand their use according to gender and formality, including differences like onze vs. ons and jouw vs. uw. This lesson is ideal for A1 level learners aiming to express ownership and relationships clearly in Dutch.
  1. Ons is used with het-woorden, onze with de-woorden.
  2. Uw is the formal form of jouw.
SubjectBezittelijk voornaamwoord
IkMijn 
Jij/jeJouw / je 
UUw 
HijZijn
Zij/zeHaar
Wij/weOnze / ons
JullieJullie
Zij/zeHun

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: An Introduction

This lesson covers the essential Dutch possessive pronouns, known as bezittelijke voornaamwoorden, which indicate ownership or relationships, such as mijn (my), jouw (your), and zijn (his). Understanding these pronouns is key for everyday communication, allowing you to express who owns or relates to something.

Core Possessive Pronouns

  • Mijn – my
  • Jouw / je – your (informal)
  • Uw – your (formal)
  • Zijn – his
  • Haar – her
  • Onze / ons – our (with onze used for common gender nouns and ons for neuter nouns)
  • Jullie – your (plural)
  • Hun – their

Gender and Formality Considerations

In Dutch, the choice between onze and ons depends on the grammatical gender of the noun possessed. Onze accompanies de-woorden (common gender nouns), while ons is used with het-woorden (neuter nouns). Also, uw is the respectful, formal counterpart to the informal jouw.

Useful Notes for English Speakers

Unlike English, Dutch possessive pronouns must agree with the gender of the noun they describe, not just the possessor. For example, "our house" translates to ons huis since huis is a neuter noun, whereas "our family" is onze familie because familie is a common gender noun. Additionally, Dutch formal 'you' uses uw instead of the more casual jouw, contrasting with English where 'your' is neutral.

Key phrases to remember include:

  • Mijn moeder — my mother
  • Jouw broer — your brother
  • Onze familie — our family
  • Zijn sleutels — his keys
  • Ons huis — our house

This overview will prepare you to confidently form Dutch sentences involving possession and better understand everyday conversations and texts.

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This content has been designed and reviewed by the coLanguage pedagogical team: About coLanguage

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Kato De Paepe

Business and languages

KdG University of Applied Sciences and Arts Antwerp

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Last Updated:

Monday, 07/07/2025 16:50