Dutch articles (de, het, een)
Lesson Outline
HideDefinition and usage of the Dutch articles
The Dutch language has three different articles:
- 'de' (the)
- 'het' (the)
- 'een' (a/an).
The articles are used with a noun. Words as adjectives and numerals are placed between the article and the noun. A noun can be combined with an indefinite article ('een') or with a definite article ('de' / 'het').
Indefinite articles are used when people talk about something in general or when people think others might not know what they are talking about.
Examples:
- Een hond (a dog)
- Een glas (a glass)
Definite articles are used when people are sure that others know what they are talking about. There are no rules to determine if a word gets 'de' or 'het'.
Examples:
- Het kind (the child)
- Het bureau (the desk)
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When to use 'de' and when to use 'het'?
As explained in the chapter of Gender of Dutch nouns, the article 'de' can be used for female and male nouns. Therefore, the article does not change when the noun changes gender and it is not important to know what gender the noun is. The article 'het' is used for neutral nouns. You can find the gender of the nouns in the dictionary. As a result, there are no exact rules to tell you when to use 'het' or 'de', below you will find some guidelines.
When to use 'het?'
Below you will find some guidelines to remember when to use 'het':
| When? | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| All diminutives |
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| The infinitives used as a noun |
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| All nouns ending in '-aat' (that do not refer to a person), '-um', '-isme' |
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| Most nouns that begin with the prefix 'be-', 'ver-', 'ge-', but do not end in '-ing' |
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| All nouns that say 'the good thing is ...', 'the bad thing is ...' |
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When to use 'de'?
There are a few tips for the 'de-nouns' to be able to remember when to use them:
| When? | Examples | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| All plural nouns |
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| Obvious feminine or masculine nouns |
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| Nouns that end in '-ing' |
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| Nouns that end in '-tie', '-thie', '-sie' |
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| Nouns that end in '-or' |
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| Persons (except het kind) |
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| Nouns that end in '-aar' |
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| Nouns that end in '-eur' |
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| Words ending in '-er' |
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| Nouns that are obviously female |
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Train your skills by doing the exercises below!
Exercises
Exercise Dutch articles 1
Exercise Dutch articles 2
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