---
title: "U or jij: formal and informal you"
level: A1
chapter: "Pronouns"
canonical: https://www.dutchfluency.com/grammar/u-or-jij
updated: 2026-10-09
author: Dutch Fluency
license: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
---

# U or jij: formal and informal you

Dutch has a formal and an informal way to say "you". _U_ is formal (polite, with some distance): use it with strangers, older people and in official settings like the town hall. _Jij_ or its short form _je_ is informal, and the Dutch switch to it quickly, even at most workplaces, so when in doubt, start with _u_ and follow the other person.

## The pattern

> Use _u_ to be polite and _jij_ or _je_ to be friendly. _U_ takes the verb form that _jij_ takes in a statement, and it can mean one person or a whole group.

- _U_: strangers, older people, anyone in an official role.
- _Jij_ or _je_: friends, family, children, people your age, most colleagues.
- Same verb as _jij_: _jij werkt_, _u werkt_; _jij bent_, _u bent_. With _hebben_, both _u hebt_ and _u heeft_ are correct.
- In questions, _u_ keeps the _t_: _Werkt u?_ When the subject _jij_ or _je_ comes right after the verb, the _t_ drops: _Werk jij?_ (more in [Werk jij? Where the t disappears](https://www.dutchfluency.com/grammar/jij-inversion)).
- _U_ is singular and plural. The informal plural is _jullie_.
- The word for "your" follows the same split: _uw_ goes with _u_, _jouw_ or _je_ with _jij_.

## Examples

| **Bent u** mevrouw De Vries? | Are you Mrs De Vries? |
| **Heeft u** een afspraak bij de huisarts? | Do you have an appointment with the GP? |
| **Kunt u** hier tekenen? | Can you sign here? |
| Dames en heren, **hebt u** allemaal een kaartje? | Ladies and gentlemen, do you all have a ticket? |
| Sanne, **heb jij** mijn sleutels? | Sanne, have you got my keys? |
| Daan, **kom je** ook op mijn verjaardag? | Daan, are you coming to my birthday too? |
| Pardon, **werkt u** hier? | Excuse me, do you work here? |
| Mei, **werk jij** hier ook? | Mei, do you work here too? |

## Why it works this way

Think of _u_ as a polite coat. You keep it on with people you do not know, and you take it off when someone says _zeg maar jij_ (feel free to say _jij_). That often happens fast: many Dutch people say that being called _u_ makes them feel old. At work the coat usually comes off on day one, even with your manager. Once you have switched, going back to _u_ feels cold.

Why is _u heeft_ also fine? _U_ probably grew out of an old polite title, a bit like "Your Honour", and titles take the _hij_ verb. For most verbs the _jij_ and _hij_ forms are the same anyway (_werkt_, _woont_), so you rarely notice. With _zijn_, only _u bent_ is normal today.

Remember: when in doubt, wear the coat. Taking _u_ off is easy and friendly; putting it back on is awkward.

## Watch out

- Not: _Zijn u klaar?_ Say: _Bent u klaar?_ (_u_ takes the _jij_ form, even for a group)
- Not: _Heb u een afspraak?_ Say: _Heeft u een afspraak?_ (with _u_ the final _t_ stays; it drops only when the subject _jij_ or _je_ comes right after the verb)
- Not: _Wat is u naam?_ Say: _Wat is uw naam?_ (the formal word for "your" is _uw_, with a _w_)
- Not: _Dank U wel._ Say: _Dank u wel._ (in everyday writing _u_ has a small letter, unlike German Sie)

## Quick check

1. Fill in the right form of _zijn_: _Mevrouw, u ... aan de beurt._
2. Choose _u_ or _jij_: _Woont ... hier?_
3. Fill in the right form of _komen_, speaking to an older couple: _Waar ... u vandaan?_
4. Fix the sentence: _Wilt U koffie?_

## Answers

1. _bent_: _u_ takes the _jij_ form of _zijn_.
2. _u_: with _jij_ as the subject after the verb, the _t_ drops (_Woon jij hier?_), so only _u_ fits.
3. _komt_: _u_ keeps the singular verb, even for two people.
4. _Wilt u koffie?_: in everyday writing, _u_ has a small letter.

## Use it today

Ask one stranger a question with _u_ today, for example at the bakery: _Heeft u ook bruin brood?_ If a neighbour or colleague answers with _je_, or says _zeg maar jij_, switch to _jij_ straight away.

## Questions learners ask

**When should I use u instead of jij in Dutch?**

Use "u" with strangers, older people and in official settings such as the town hall, the bank or a formal letter. With friends, family, children and most colleagues, Dutch speakers use "jij" or "je". When in doubt, start with "u" and switch when the other person says "jij" to you.

**Is it u hebt or u heeft?**

Both are correct standard Dutch, and you will hear both every day. "U hebt" follows the rule that u takes the jij form of the verb, while "u heeft" comes from an older pattern; with zijn, only "u bent" is normal.

**Do Dutch people use u at work?**

At most Dutch workplaces, colleagues say "jij" to each other from the first day, often including the manager. Use "u" with customers or clients you do not know, and switch to "jij" as soon as they do.

From the Dutch Fluency Grammar: https://www.dutchfluency.com/grammar. Shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.