Learn Dutch Pronouns and Nouns Online

As a Germanic language, it's especially appealing to native German and English speakers, but it's also viewed as relatively accessible to all. If you want to learn Dutch at your own pace using an online programme, then Babbel offers the perfect blend of expert tuition and flexibility. Babbel's online courses in Dutch introduce you to the key concepts of Dutch grammar from the very first lesson.

An introduction into Dutch pronouns and nouns

Pronouns and nouns are two of the most vital and integral aspects of any language, and when you learn Dutch you'll quickly be introduced to these types of words, as well as when and how to use them. Learning the Dutch pronouns and the rules regarding nouns is even easier when you sign-up to an expert-built online language course. You need to know that there are nine types of pronouns in the Dutch language (as opposed to seven in the English language), but the use of pronouns is very similar to English. The key difference is that Dutch pronouns may be stressed or unstressed, which means each one may have two versions, although unstressed pronouns are far more commonly used.

Types of pronouns in Dutch:

• Personal

• Reflexive

• Subject

• Reciprocal

• Interrogative

• Demonstrative

• Relative

• Indefinite

• Exclamative

What are the most used Dutch nouns pronouns?

• I/Me/My/Mine = Ik/Mij or Me/Mijn/Van mij

• You (singular)/Your = Jij or ji or u (formal)/Jouw or je or uw (formal)

• You (plural)/Yours = Juille/Van juille

• We/Us/Our/Ours = Wij/Ons/Ons or Onze/Van ons

• They/Them/Their/Theirs = Zij or Ze/Hen/Hun/Van hun

Examples of Dutch pronouns

There are some pronouns that you will be introduced to and start using from your very first Dutch lesson, and when you learn online with Babbel, you'll quickly decipher which are the most essential for use in everyday speech. You'll be introduced to common Dutch personal pronouns such as 'ik' (I), 'we' (we) and 'je' (you), including important Dutch subject pronouns such as 'hij' (he) and 'ze' (she). As you develop your Dutch language skills you will be introduced to Dutch reflexive pronouns such as 'me' (myself) and 'je' (yourself).

Dutch nouns: what you need to know

In English there is one definite article; 'the', but in Dutch there are two; 'het' and 'de'. These apply to whether a noun is gendered (originally once either masculine or feminine) or neutral. 'De' is used for gendered nouns and 'het' for neutral nouns. Furthermore, 'de' is used for plural nouns that are both gendered and neutral. Diminutive forms are also very common in Dutch and used for items that are small, cute or funny. It generally involves the addition of '-je' at the end of the noun, as well as '-tje,' '-etje' '-pje' and 'kje'.

More Dutch grammar essentials

In English, words such as 'thereof' or 'therein' are called pronominal adverbs. They are made from blending a pronoun with a preposition. They are not that common in the English language, however in the Dutch language pronominal adverbs occur frequently. In fact a preposition will change almost all pronouns into a pronominal adverb, so it's good to familiarise yourself with this concept early on.

Start learning Dutch Grammar with an online course

When you learn any new language, getting to grips with the grammatical rules is a large part of the learning journey. When you sign-up to learn Dutch with Babbel, you can take advantage of a course that has been developed not just by native speakers, but by linguist experts too. This means you'll be introduced to Dutch grammar at the perfect pace, learning the most essential and basic rules first, before progressing onto more advanced concepts in Dutch grammar. Don't forget your first Dutch lesson is free when you register with Babbel and all lessons are designed to help you converse in real life scenarios.