Dit is mijn boek.
English: This is my book.
- Language
- Dutch
- Level
- A1
- Unit
- Voornaamwoorden en bezit
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
In Dutch, 'bezittelijke voornaamwoorden' are words that show who owns something. They are called possessive pronouns.
When to use it
Use possessive pronouns in Dutch to show that something belongs to someone or something. They come before the noun they describe.
Key forms
- mijn (my)
- jouw (your, informal)
- uw (your, formal)
- zijn (his)
- haar (her)
- ons/onze (our)
- jullie (your, plural)
- hun (their)
Examples
Waar is jouw tas?
English: Where is your bag?
Hun huis is groot.
English: Their house is big.
Onze auto is nieuw.
English: Our car is new.
Is dit zijn pen?
English: Is this his pen?
Tips
- Use 'ons' with singular neuter nouns (het-words), and 'onze' with other nouns.
- Do not use an article (de/het) with a possessive pronoun.
- Be careful with 'jouw' (informal) and 'uw' (formal).
Exceptions and edge cases
- Use 'ons' before singular neuter words (het-words), and 'onze' before all other nouns.