Gender neutral language in Dutch

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    Gender neutral language

    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.

    "Die" does not have predicative possessive or reflexive forms and thus these have not been included in the table.

    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.
    • Huwelijkspartner. Neutral word bride and groom.
    • 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.

    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.)
    • Telg/nageslacht, afstammeling. Neutral, basically means scion/progeny and descendant, alternatives (that might sound weird) to refer to someone in relation to them being one's child, but not necessarily a young one.

    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.

    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.
    • Jullie/Allemaal/Mensen. Neutral way of calling multiple people instead of saying girls and/or guys.

    Professions/Roles[edit | edit source]

    • Brandweer/Brandweermens, brandweerlieden/brandweermensen. Neutral words for brandweervrouw(en)/brandweerman(nen) (firewoman/fireman and firewomen/fireman).
    • Huisbaar/Hospite. Neutral words for hospita/hospes (property owner).
    • Kassamedewerker. Neutral words for kassière/cassière/kassier (cashier).
    • Leerkracht/Leraar. Neutral words for lerares/leraar (teacher).
    • Auteur/Schrijver. Neutral words for schrijfster/schrijver (author.
    • Verloskundige. Neutral word for "vroedvrouw" (midwife).
    • Verpleegkundige. Neutral word for verpleegster/verpleger (nurse).

    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.

    But the use of "Mx. last-name" is also becoming more common.

    See also[edit | edit source]

    References[edit | edit source]

    1. ↑ https://www.transgendernetwerk.nl/non-binair-voornaamwoord-uitslag/ Archived on 17 July 2023
    2. ↑ https://taaladvies.net/taal/advies/vraag/374 Archived on 17 July 2023

    External links[edit | edit source]

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