A2 Dutch GrammarPossessives
Express ownership in Dutch using possessive pronouns mijn, jouw, zijn, haar and learn about stressed vs unstressed forms.
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1Possessive Pronouns
Dutch has stressed and unstressed possessive forms. Unstressed forms are more common in speech.
Possessive Forms
| Subject | Stressed | Unstressed | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| ik | mijn | m'n | my |
| jij | jouw | je | your |
| hij | zijn | z'n | his |
| zij | haar | d'r | her |
| wij | ons/onze | - | our |
| jullie | jullie | - | your (pl) |
| zij | hun | - | their |
| u | uw | - | your (formal) |
Examples
Dit is mijn boek.
This is my book.
mijn (stressed)
Is dat jouw auto?
Is that your car?
jouw (stressed)
Zijn huis is groot.
His house is big.
zijn for he
Haar kinderen zijn lief.
Her children are sweet.
haar for she
2Ons vs Onze
'Ons' is used with het-words, 'onze' with de-words and plurals.
Ons vs Onze
| Article | Possessive | Example |
|---|---|---|
| het huis | ons | ons huis |
| de auto | onze | onze auto |
| de kinderen | onze | onze kinderen |
| het kind | ons | ons kind |
Examples
Ons huis staat in Amsterdam.
Our house is in Amsterdam.
ons + het-word
Onze leraar is aardig.
Our teacher is nice.
onze + de-word
Dat is ons probleem.
That is our problem.
ons + het-word
Onze kinderen gaan naar school.
Our children go to school.
onze + plural
3Possessive with Van
Use 'van' + pronoun/name for emphasis or when the possessor comes after.
Van Constructions
| Dutch | English | Use |
|---|---|---|
| van mij | mine | emphasis |
| van jou | yours | emphasis |
| van hem | his | emphasis |
| van Jan | Jan's | with names |
Examples
Die tas is van mij.
That bag is mine.
van + pronoun
De auto van mijn vader is nieuw.
My father's car is new.
van + noun
Is dit van jou of van hem?
Is this yours or his?
van for contrast
Het huis van de buren is te koop.
The neighbors' house is for sale.
van for possession
4Eigen (Own)
'Eigen' emphasizes personal ownership. It always takes -e before nouns.
Eigen Usage
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| mijn eigen huis | my own house |
| zijn eigen bedrijf | his own company |
| je eigen mening | your own opinion |
Examples
Ik heb mijn eigen kamer.
I have my own room.
eigen for emphasis
Zij heeft haar eigen bedrijf.
She has her own company.
eigen with haar
Je moet je eigen beslissingen nemen.
You must make your own decisions.
eigen + abstract noun
Wij hebben ons eigen huis gekocht.
We bought our own house.
ons eigen + het-word
Practice Exercises
4 exercises
'Our house' (huis is a het-word) is:
'That bag is mine' in Dutch is:
The unstressed form of 'mijn' in speech is:
'I have my own room' in Dutch is:
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