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Learn about Dutch diminutives (verkleinwoorden), how to form them by adding suffixes like -je and -tje, and their grammatical features such as always taking the definite article 'het'. This lesson includes examples like jasje, deurtje, armpje and highlights spelling changes and proper use to help beginners grasp this essential Dutch language topic.
  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 Diminutives (Verkleinwoorden)

This lesson introduces you to verkleinwoorden, or diminutives in Dutch. Diminutives are smaller or more affectionate forms of nouns, formed by adding specific suffixes. They are common in everyday speech and important for building vocabulary at the A1 level.

How Diminutives Are Formed

In Dutch, diminutives are created by adding endings like -je, -tje, -etje, -kje, or -pje to the base noun. For example, de jas (the coat) becomes het jasje (the little coat), and de deur (the door) changes to het deurtje (the small door).

Key Highlights

  • Diminutives always use the definite article het, regardless of the original noun's gender.
  • The spelling may change slightly when the suffix is added, as in de woning becoming het woninkje.
  • The diminutive suffix changes depending on the last sounds of the noun.

Examples To Know

  • de jas – het jasje
  • de deur – het deurtje
  • de arm – het armpje
  • de boom – het boompje
  • de weg – het weggetje

Differences Between English and Dutch Diminutives

English forms diminutives differently, often using words like "little" or adding endings such as -let (e.g., booklet) but does not follow a fixed article change as in Dutch. Also, Dutch diminutives affect the article, always to het, which is unlike English where articles stay the same. Useful Dutch phrases include het jasje (the little coat) versus English simply saying "the little coat." Understanding these nuances helps in both comprehension and conversation.

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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, 29/05/2025 16:34