Je, jij, u or jullie? Formal and informal 'you' in Dutch
When do you say je, jij, u or jullie in Dutch? Learn the forms, the verb endings, the possessives and when to switch from u to je.
English gets by with one word, "you". Dutch has four: je, jij, u and jullie. Choosing between them isn't only grammar, it's social: it says something about how close you are to the person you're talking to. The good news is that Dutch in the Netherlands is fairly informal, and if you choose wrongly, people will usually just smile and tell you which one they prefer.
The four forms at a glance
| Informal | Formal | |
|---|---|---|
| one person | jij / je | u |
| more than one person | jullie | u |
Jij and je are for one person you know well, are friends with, or who is about your age in a relaxed setting.
U is the polite form, for one or more people.
Jullie is the informal plural: "you all", "you guys".
Hoe heet je? — What's your name? (informal)
Hoe heet u? — What's your name? (formal)
Waar wonen jullie? — Where do you (all) live?
Je or jij? Stressed and unstressed
Je and jij mean exactly the same; the difference is stress. Je is the unstressed, everyday form. Jij is used when you want to emphasise or contrast the person.
- Kom je ook? — Are you coming too? (neutral)
- Kom jij ook? — Are you coming too? (I didn't expect you)
- Ik drink koffie. Wat wil jij? — I'm having coffee. What do you want?
- Jij bent het! — It's you!
In everyday speech and most writing, je is far more common. Use jij when English would put stress on "you".
Verb forms with je, jij, u and jullie
With jij/je, the verb takes -t: jij werkt, je woont. But when jij or je comes after the verb (in questions and inverted sentences), the -t disappears:
- Jij werkt in Utrecht. — You work in Utrecht.
- Werk jij in Utrecht? — Do you work in Utrecht?
With u, the verb also takes -t, but it keeps the -t after inversion:
- U werkt in Utrecht. — You work in Utrecht.
- Werkt u in Utrecht? — Do you work in Utrecht?
A few irregular verbs to know:
| jij / je | u | |
|---|---|---|
| zijn | jij bent | u bent |
| hebben | jij hebt | u hebt / u heeft |
| kunnen | jij kunt / kan | u kunt |
| willen | jij wilt / wil | u wilt |
| zullen | jij zult / zal | u zult |
Both u hebt and u heeft are correct, and both are very common.
Jullie takes the plural form of the verb: jullie werken, jullie zijn, Hebben jullie kinderen? — Do you have children? For more on verb endings, see the present tense.
Object forms and possessives
"You" isn't only a subject. Here are all the forms:
| Subject | Object | Possessive | |
|---|---|---|---|
| informal singular | jij / je | jou / je | jouw / je |
| formal | u | u | uw |
| informal plural | jullie | jullie | jullie (je) |
- Ik zie je morgen. — I'll see you tomorrow.
- Dit is voor jou. — This is for you.
- Is dat jouw fiets? — Is that your bike?
- Mag ik uw paspoort zien? — May I see your passport?
- Is dit jullie huis? — Is this your house?
The same stress rule applies: jou and jouw are stressed, je is unstressed. Hoe gaat het met je? is neutral; Hoe gaat het met jou? puts the focus on you ("and how about you?"). Note the spelling: jou (object) and jouw (possessive) sound the same but are written differently.
When jullie is already mentioned, the possessive often becomes je to avoid repeating it: Jullie moeten je jassen meenemen. — You need to bring your coats.
When to use u and when to use je
There are no fixed laws, but these situations are a good guide for the Netherlands:
| Usually u | Usually je |
|---|---|
| older people you don't know | friends, family, children |
| officials, police, at the town hall | colleagues in most workplaces |
| formal letters and emails | people your age at a party or sports club |
| a doctor or teacher (traditionally) | in many shops, cafés and on websites |
| a job interview, at least at the start | anyone who has said Zeg maar je |
Many Dutch companies address customers with je in ads and on their websites, and in cafés and shops young staff will often use je. Older customers may still expect u. When in doubt, start with u — it's never rude, and the other person can easily invite you to switch.
Netherlands and Flanders
In Flanders (the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium), u is generally used in more situations than in the Netherlands, and some families even use it at home. In informal spoken Flemish you'll also hear ge or gij instead of je/jij. You don't need to produce those forms, but it helps to recognise them. If you live in Belgium, err a little more towards u.
Switching from u to je
Often the switch comes naturally: someone says one of these phrases, and from then on you use je.
- Zeg maar je. — Just call me je.
- Je mag wel je zeggen. — You can say je.
- Zullen we elkaar tutoyeren? — Shall we use je with each other?
You can offer it yourself too, especially if you're the older or more senior person. And if someone keeps using u with you after you've offered je, don't take it personally: some people simply prefer it.
Tip: if you're unsure in an email, start with u. If the reply uses je, follow their lead in your next message.
Being polite in Dutch is not only about u. Words like graag, alstublieft and polite questions with zou matter just as much — see modal verbs.
Quick summary
- Je/jij: informal, one person. Jullie: informal, more people. U: formal, one or more people.
- Je is unstressed and most common; jij is for emphasis or contrast.
- Jij werkt → Werk jij?; but u werkt → Werkt u?
- U bent, u hebt or u heeft, u kunt.
- Object: jou/je, u, jullie. Possessive: jouw/je, uw, jullie.
- In the Netherlands je is very common; Flanders uses u more widely.
- Unsure? Start with u and switch when someone says Zeg maar je.
Practise it
Practise introducing yourself formally and informally in Greetings and Introducing yourself, then order politely with u and je in At the café.