U or jij (formal and informal you)

To one person, Dutch says u or jij (short form: je). U is formal and polite. Jij/je is informal. To a group, you say jullie, or u in a formal situation.

Use u with:

• people you don't know, for example in a shop or on the street
• older people
• formal situations: at the doctor's, at the bank or the gemeente (town hall), in a job interview
• letters and emails to companies and institutions: Geachte heer/mevrouw, … · Dear Sir/Madam, …

Use jij/je with:

• friends and family
• colleagues (in most Dutch workplaces)
• children and young people
• more and more in shops, cafés and adverts: Wil je een bonnetje? · Do you want a receipt?

People in the Netherlands often switch to jij quickly. They may simply say: Zeg maar jij. (Just say jij.) Then you know it's fine. Not sure? Start with u. It's the safe choice: at worst, it sounds a bit formal.

Do you say meneer or mevrouw? Then use u: Mevrouw, kunt u mij helpen? · Madam, could you help me?

U means you, and in a normal sentence it usually takes the same verb form as jij: the stem + -t.

jij · u · English

• jij werkt · u werkt · you work
• jij woont · u woont · you live
• jij kunt · u kunt · you can
• jij wilt · u wilt · you want
• jij bent · u bent · you are
• jij hebt · u heeft · you have

Two verbs need extra care:

• zijn: always u bent. Never u is, even though it's hij is.
• hebben: many people say u heeft, and that's the form this course uses. U hebt is also correct, so you'll see both.

With kunnen and willen, you'll also hear u kan and u wil. That's correct too, and very common in Belgium. In this course we use u kunt and u wilt.

In a question, the verb comes before the subject (inversie). After jij/je, the verb then loses its -t: Werk jij…?, Waar werk je? After u, the -t stays: Werkt u…?, Waar werkt u?

jij/je · u · English

• Werk jij hier? · Werkt u hier? · Do you work here?
• Woon je in Utrecht? · Woont u in Utrecht? · Do you live in Utrecht?
• Ben je klaar? · Bent u klaar? · Are you ready?
• Heb je even tijd? · Heeft u even tijd? · Do you have a moment?

Only jij/je drops the -t, and only when it comes right after the verb. With u, the verb never changes: u werkt and werkt u.

To ask someone to do something, start with Kunt u…? or Kun je…? (Can you…? / Could you…?). The second verb goes to the end, in the infinitive. Wilt u…? and Wil je…? (Would you like…?) work the same way.

Dutch · English

• Kunt u de rekening brengen? · Could you bring the bill?
• Kun je een lepel brengen? · Can you bring a spoon?
• Meneer, wilt u bestellen? · Sir, would you like to order?
• Wil je iets drinken? · Would you like something to drink?

Mag ik…? (May I…?) is the same for everyone: Mag ik de rekening? Please and thank you change too: alstublieft and dank u wel go with u, alsjeblieft and dank je wel go with jij.

Your also has a formal and an informal form. With u, use uw. With jij/je, use jouw or je.

u · jij/je · English

• Wat is uw naam? · Wat is je naam? · What is your name?
• Is dit uw tas? · Is dit jouw tas? · Is this your bag?
• Heeft u uw paspoort? · Heb je je paspoort? · Do you have your passport?

Stay with one form in a sentence: u goes with uw, jij/je goes with jouw/je.

Wrong · Right · Why

• ✗ Is u klaar? · ✓ Bent u klaar? · With u: bent, never is.
• ✗ U werk hier. · ✓ U werkt hier. · With u: stem + -t.
• ✗ Kun u de rekening brengen? · ✓ Kunt u de rekening brengen? · Only jij/je drops the -t.
• ✗ Kunt je mij helpen? · ✓ Kun je mij helpen? · je right after the verb: no -t.
• ✗ Wat is u naam? · ✓ Wat is uw naam? · Your = uw, with a w.
• ✗ Heeft u je paspoort? · ✓ Heeft u uw paspoort? · u goes with uw.

• u = formal: strangers, older people, formal situations, letters. jij/je = informal: friends, family, colleagues, children, and often in shops.
• Not sure? Start with u. Switch when someone says Zeg maar jij.
• The verb with u ends in -t: u werkt, u bent, u kunt, u heeft.
• Questions: Werkt u…? keeps the -t. Werk jij…? loses it.
• Ask politely with Kunt u…? or Kun je…?
• Your: uw with u, jouw/je with jij.