If you have listened to Dutch people speak for even five minutes, you have probably noticed something strange.

They love to make words smaller.

You will hear words ending in -je, -tje, or -pje constantly. You might hear someone ordering a biertje (beer) on a terrace, or asking a vraagje (question).

These are called diminutives (or verkleinwoorden in Dutch).

What is a diminutive?

In simple terms, a diminutive is a modified version of a word that conveys a slightly different meaning. Usually, it means the object is small.

But in Dutch, it is much more than just size.

Using diminutives is a huge part of the culture. It makes things sound friendly, cozy (gezellig), or polite.

If you want to sound like a local, you need to know how to use them.

The grammar rules for forming them can seem tricky at first because there are five different endings. But don’t worry—there are clear patterns to help you.

What are the rules for Dutch diminutives?

In English, we sometimes add “-y” or “-ie” to make things cute (like doggy or auntie). In Dutch, we use suffixes.

The gender of the noun changes, too.

Important rule: All diminutive words in Dutch become neuter nouns.

This means they all use the article het.

Even if a word is normally de (like de tafel), it becomes het when you make it small (het tafeltje).

The basic rule (-je)

The standard way to make a diminutive is simply adding -je to the end of the word.

You use this for words that end in voiceless consonants like -k, -t, -p, -s, -f, or -ch.

Here are some standard examples:

Spelling rules for other endings (-tje, -etje, -pje, -kje)

While -je is the base, Dutch pronunciation rules force us to change the ending sometimes. If we didn’t, the words would be very hard to pronounce!

This is usually the part where Dutch learners get confused.

To make it easy, I have broken it down into groups based on what the original word ends with.

1. Words adding -tje

We add -tje if the word ends in a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) or the letters -l, -n, -r, or -w preceded by a long vowel sound.

Examples:

• Vrouw (woman) becomes vrouwtje.
• Tafel (table) becomes tafeltje.

2. Words adding -etje

We add -etje if the word ends in -l, -n, -r, -m, or -ng and is preceded by a short vowel sound. This adds an extra syllable to the word, making it sound bouncier.

Examples:

• Bal (ball) becomes balletje.
• Kam (comb) becomes kammetje.

3. Words adding -pje

We add -pje if the word ends in -m and is preceded by a long vowel sound.

Examples:

• Boom (tree) becomes boompje.
• Raam (window) becomes raampje.

4. Words adding -kje

We add -kje if the word ends in -ing and the stress is on the syllable before it. In this case, the -g is dropped.

Examples:

• Koning (king) becomes koninkje.
• Ketting (necklace) becomes kettinkje.

Here is a summary table to help you memorize them:

Ending Rule	Original Word	Diminutive	English
Standard (-je)	Huis	Huisje	Small house
Vowel / Long Vowel + L, N, R (-tje)	Stoel	Stoeltje	Small chair
Short Vowel + L, N, R, M (-etje)	Man	Mannetje	Little man
Long Vowel + M (-pje)	Boom	Boompje	Small tree
Ending in -ing (-kje)	Woning	Woninkje	Small dwelling

Vowel changes you need to know

Sometimes, when you add the diminutive ending, you have to double the vowel to keep the sound the same.

If a word has a “long” sound but is written with one vowel (because it’s at the end of a syllable), you need to double it when you add the ending to keep it long.

For example, take the word sla (lettuce). The ‘a’ sounds long. If we just wrote slatje, the ‘a’ would sound short (like in ‘cat’). So, we write slaatje.

• Auto (car) → autootje
• Foto (photo) → fotootje
• Paraplu (umbrella) → parapluutje

When and why to use diminutives

Dutch people don’t just use these words for size. In fact, you will often hear them used for things that aren’t small at all!

Here are the three main reasons we use them.

1. To indicate literal small size

This is the most obvious use. A huisje is a small house. A hondje is a small dog.

2. To make things “Gezellig” (Cozy/Friendly)

This is the most common usage. Using a diminutive makes a noun feel less harsh and more social.

If you order a biertje (beer) or a koffietje (coffee), it implies you are enjoying it, usually with friends. It sounds much friendlier than just asking for “een bier.”

3. To soften a request or statement

If you want to ask something without being annoying, you make it a “little” question. If there is a problem, calling it a “little” problem makes it seem solvable.

4. A note on sarcasm

Be careful! Sometimes Dutch people use diminutives to be sarcastic or condescending.

Calling a grown man a mannetje can be an insult (implying he is acting tough but isn’t). Saying someone has a bedrijfje (little business) when they run a serious company might sound like you don’t respect their work.

Regional variations (The Flemish -ke)

If you travel south to the provinces of Brabant or Limburg, or cross the border into Belgium (Flanders), the rules change.

In Flemish dialects, it is very common to replace the standard endings with -ke.

This sounds softer and is very charming to native speakers.

• Man → Manneke
• Vrouw → Vrouweke
• Tas (cup/bag) → Taske

You generally shouldn’t write this in formal Dutch emails, but you will definitely hear it in casual conversation in the South!

Summary

Mastering diminutives will help your Dutch sound much more natural.

Here is a quick checklist to remember:

• Diminutives always become het words.
• -je is the default ending.
• Use -tje for vowels and long vowels + l/n/r.
• Use -etje for short vowels + l/n/r/m (double the consonant!).
• Use -pje for long vowels + m.
• Use diminutives to be polite, friendly, or cozy.

Ready to learn more Dutch? Check out these guides:

• Common Dutch Phrases for Beginners
• How to Order Food in Dutch
• The Best Apps to Learn Dutch