Possessive Pronouns

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Possessive pronouns indicate ownership or a relationship. In Dutch, they are placed directly before the noun they describe. Unlike some other languages, most Dutch possessive pronouns do not change their ending based on the gender of the noun (except for 'ons/onze').

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'Mijn' is the first-person singular possessive pronoun. In fast, informal speech, you might hear 'm'n', but 'mijn' is the standard written form for all contexts.

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'Jouw' is used when you want to emphasize the owner. 'Je' is the unstressed, more common version used in everyday conversation. Both mean 'your' (singular informal).

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'Uw' is the formal possessive pronoun for both singular and plural. Use it when speaking to strangers, elders, or in professional settings to show respect.

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'Zijn' is used for masculine owners (men/boys) and neuter owners (objects/animals). In informal speech, it is often shortened to 'z'n'.

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'Haar' is the possessive pronoun for feminine owners. It remains 'haar' regardless of whether the noun following it is singular, plural, masculine, or feminine.

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This is the only possessive that changes. Use 'ons' for 'het-words' (singular). Use 'onze' for 'de-words' (singular) and all plural nouns.

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'Jullie' is used for 'your' when referring to more than one person. Note that it is identical to the subject pronoun 'jullie' (you all).

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'Hun' is the possessive pronoun for 'their'. It is used for multiple owners (men, women, or objects).

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When the noun being possessed is plural, the possessive pronoun does not change (except for 'ons' becoming 'onze').

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Because 'ons/onze' is the only possessive that changes, you must know the gender of the noun. 'Het huis' -> 'Ons huis'. 'De krant' -> 'Onze krant'.

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In Dutch, we use 'jouw' only when we want to emphasize that it belongs to YOU and not someone else. In 90% of cases, 'je' is preferred.