When you are just starting out in learning Dutch, one of the most important parts you can master are the subject pronouns.\u00a0 Luckily, they are quite straightforward with just a few points that need extra attention.\u00a0 This post will review the subject pronouns and highlight those attention-needing points.<\/p>\n
Subject Pronouns<\/strong><\/p>\n Subject pronouns are the words that you will use as the subject of a sentence.\u00a0 They correspond with I, you, he, she,<\/em> etc. in English.<\/p>\n You may have noticed that there are three pronouns for the word you.\u00a0 The singular jij\/je<\/em> and the plural jullie<\/em> are both informal.\u00a0 You would use these with family and friends, for example.<\/p>\n Hoe gaat het met je, Maarten?<\/em> (How are you, Maarten?)<\/p>\n The pronoun u<\/em>, on the other hand, is formal.<\/p>\n Hoe maakt u het, meneer?<\/em> (How are you, sir?)<\/p>\n It is used when speaking with an older person, with a person of rank or status or with a stranger.\u00a0 However, there is a distinct blurring of the lines in relation to using the formal form versus the informal form.\u00a0 You may find that someone you have used the formal form with (here, Anna) responds back with \u201cJe mag Anna zeggen\u201d<\/em> (You may say Anna).\u00a0 Meaning that they are happy for you to use the informal form when speaking with them.<\/p>\n You may have also noticed that there are two varieties for some of the pronouns.\u00a0 The first version you see (jij, zij <\/em>and wij<\/em>) is the stressed form.\u00a0 Stressed pronouns are usually used in conversation to show emphasis.\u00a0 The unstressed forms are je, ze<\/em> and we<\/em>.<\/p>\n Ze komt uit Utrecht.<\/em> (She\u2019s from Utrecht.)<\/p>\n Nee, zij komt uit Eindhoven en hij komt uit Utrecht.<\/em> (No, she\u2019s from Eindhoven and he\u2019s from Utrecht.)<\/p>\n As you will see, zij\/ze<\/em> means she<\/em> but it also means they<\/em>.\u00a0 To know if someone is referring to she<\/em> or they<\/em>, you will need to pay particular attention to the form of the verb that is used.<\/p>\n Ze komt uit Maastricht.<\/em> (She\u2019s from Maastricht.) Vs. Ze komen uit Maastricht.<\/em> (They\u2019re from Maastricht.)<\/p>\n Practice:<\/strong><\/p>\n Fill in each blank with the correct subject pronoun.<\/p>\n 1.\u00a0 ________ heb honger.<\/p>\n 2.\u00a0 ________ is heel mooi.<\/p>\n 3.\u00a0 Zijn _______ hier?<\/p>\n 4.\u00a0 _________ is niet heel groot.<\/p>\n 5.\u00a0 ________ zijn heel blij.<\/p>\n 6.\u00a0 _______ gaan naar de bioscoop.<\/p>\n 7.\u00a0 _________ bent te laat!<\/p>\n 8.\u00a0 Hoe maakt _________ het, mevrouw?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When you are just starting out in learning Dutch, one of the most important parts you can master are the subject pronouns.\u00a0 Luckily, they are quite straightforward with just a few points that need extra attention.\u00a0 This post will review the subject pronouns and highlight those attention-needing points. Subject Pronouns Subject pronouns are the words…<\/p>\n\n\n
\n ik<\/td>\n I<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n jij\/je<\/td>\n you (informal, singular)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n u<\/td>\n you (formal)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n hij, zij\/ze, het<\/td>\n he, she, it<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n wij\/we<\/td>\n we<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n jullie<\/td>\n you (informal, plural)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n zij\/ze<\/td>\n they<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n