Gender neutral language in Dutch (2024)

Gender neutral language

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Gender neutral language in Dutch
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Gender neutral language in Dutch. The Dutch language has two or three grammatical genders depending on the geographical area or each individual speaker: common/neuter or masculine/feminine/neuter, although the distinction between masculine and feminine has largely disappeared due to the fact they are grammatically equivalent in almost every aspect. The grammatical gender does not always line up with the natural gender of a word, for example, all diminutive forms are neuter.

Pronouns[edit | edit source]

The Dutch language does not have any official gender-neutral pronouns, although nonbinary people have adopted other sets of pre-existing pronouns, as well as neopronouns, to work around this issue. A survey by Transgender Netwerk Nederland (Transgender Network Netherlands) showed that hen / hen / hun ("they/them/theirs") is the most popular pronoun set, although the first hen can be replaced by die ("that/who") ^[1], die / die / diens is also an option used. Various other inflections can also be replaced by the corresponding form of "die", depending on the individual's preferences and how natural the sentence sounds in the person's regiolect.

Case	Dutch sample sentence
Nominative	Wanneer ik iemand een grap vertel, lacht die/hen.
Accusative	Wanneer ik een vriend begroet, geef ik die/hen een knuffel.
Pronominal possessive	Wanneer iemand niet naar de kapper gaat, wordt diens/hun haar lang.
Predicative possesive	Wanneer ik een GSM nodig heb, leent mijn vriend me die van hen.
Reflexive	Elk kind voedt zichzelf.

Use of "ze"[edit | edit source]

Use of "ze" is also possible in most cases, its use generally considered informal^[2]. It works the same as "they" in English, you use it as if you were referring to a group of people and conjugate the verb accordingly.


Case	Dutch sample sentence
Nominative	Wanneer ik iemand een grap vertel, lachen ze.
Accusative	Wanneer ik een vriend begroet, geef ik ze een knuffel.
Pronominal possessive	Wanneer iemand niet naar de kapper gaat, wordt hun haar lang.
Predicative possesive	Wanneer ik een GSM nodig heb, leent mijn vriend me die van ze.
Reflexive	Elk kind voedt zichzelf.

Family and relationship terms[edit | edit source]

Parent[edit | edit source]

Ouder. Neutral, formal.
Ouda. Neutral, informal, nonstandard.
Mapa. Neutral, informal, nonstandard.
Pama. Neutral, informal, nonstandard.
Wawa. Neutral, informal, nonstandard.

Partner[edit | edit source]

Vriend. Word for platonic friend or romantic partner. Has masculine connotations.
Vrien. Neutral word for platonic friend or romantic partner. Nonstandard.
Lief. Neutral word for romantic partner. Casual.
Partner. Neutral word for (romantic, wedded, or otherwise) partner. More formal.
Bruidspartner. Neutral word for a spouse-to-be/marrier/nearlywed-person. Nonstandard.
Eega. Neutral word for wedded spouse. More formal.
Gade. Neutral word for wedded spouse. More formal.
Levenspartner. Neutral word for wedded partner/life partner. More formal.
Wederhelft. Neutral word for wedded partner/"better half"/significant other.
Metgezel. Status- and gender-neutral word for someone's accompanying person.

Wedding words[edit | edit source]

Getrouwde/Eega's/Gaden/Levenspartners. Neutral words to refer to two spouses/maritial partners.

Bruidsgevolg. Neutral word for bridesmaids and groomsmen, the bridalpair's entourages. Nonstandard.

Respektieve gevolg. Neutral word for the respective entourages of a marrying couple, bridesmaids and groomsmen. Nonstandard.

Bruidsgevolger. Neutral word to refer to one person in the bridalpair's entourage. Nonstandard.

Erepersson/Erevriend/Erevrien. Neutral word for a maid of honor (/hoofbruidsmeisje) or a best man (/hoofdbruidsjonker). Nonstandard.

Siblings and related family[edit | edit source]

Sibbe. Neutral Dutch for sibling.
Kleine sibbe/jongere sibbe. Neutral Dutch for little sibling/younger sibling.
Grote sibbe/oudere sibbe. Neutral Dutch for big sibling/older sibling.

Brus. Neutral Dutch for sibling, combination of broer (brother) and zus (sister).

Brusje. Diminutive of the above. Informal, mainly used for a younger sibling.

Pibbe (Pibling). Neutral word for aunt/uncle. Nonstandard.
Nibbe (Nibling). Neutral word for niece/nephew. Nonstandard.
Kosin. Neutral word for cousin. Nonstandard.
Achterkosin. Neutral word for second-cousin. Nonstandard.

Child[edit | edit source]

Baby. Standard neutral word for very young offspring or very young people.
Jonkie. Standard, somewhat slang-y neutral word for young people.
Kind. Standard gender neutral word for a young person or an offspring. Implied age isn't adult, but may be.
Kleinkind. Standard gender neutral word for the child of someone's child.
Kleintje. Literally "little one", neutral word for a very young child or young offspring.
Peuter. Neutral word for a baby. (Child of ~1 to ~3 years old.)
Kleuter. Neutral word for a toddler. (Child of ~3 to ~6 years old.)
Tiener. Neutral word for a teenager. (Child of ~10 to ~18 years old.)

Grandparents[edit | edit source]

Grootouder. Neutral Dutch word for grandparent.
Grootie. Neutral informal word for grandparent, grandy or grandma/grandpa. Nonstandard.
Opma. Neutral informal word for grandparent, grandy or grandma/grandpa. Nonstandard.
Owa. Neutral informal word for grandparent, grandy or grandma/grandpa. Nonstandard.

In-law family[edit | edit source]

Schoonouder. Neutral Dutch word for parent-in-law.
Schoonkind. Neutral Dutch word for child-in-law.
Schoonsibbe. Neutral Dutch word for sibling-in-law.

Other terms[edit | edit source]

Volwassene. Neutral word for an adult. (Person of ~18 to ~65 years old.)
Senior. Neutral word for a senior. (Person of ~65 to often the end of their lifespan.)
Huispartner. Neutral word for housespouse.
Thuisblijvende ouder. Neutral word for stay-at-home parent.
Weduwpersoon. Neutral word for a widowed person.
Weduw. Neutral word for a widowed person. Nonstandard

Troonopvolger. Neutral word for crownprincess/crownprince.
Prin/Kroonprin. Neutral word for princess/crownprincess/prince/crownprince. Nonstandard.

Regent/Monarch. Neutral word for queen/king.
Koni. Neutral word for queen/king. Nonstandard.
Jullie/Allemaal/Mensen. Neutral way of calling multiple people instead of saying girls and/or guys.

Honorary titles[edit | edit source]

"First-name last-name". In many cases, the first and last name can and should be used instead of an honorary title e.g. Kim Jansen instead of mevrouw/meneer Jansen.