U or jij: formal and informal you: Dutch grammar (A1)

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).
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

FoutZijn u klaar?
GoedBent u klaar?
u takes the jij form, even for a group
FoutHeb u een afspraak?
GoedHeeft u een afspraak?
with u the final t stays; it drops only when the subject jij or je comes right after the verb
FoutWat is u naam?
GoedWat is uw naam?
the formal word for "your" is uw, with a w
FoutDank U wel.
GoedDank u wel.
in everyday writing u has a small letter, unlike German Sie

Quick check

Fill in the right form of zijn: Mevrouw, u ... aan de beurt.
Choose u or jij: Woont ... hier?
Fill in the right form of komen, speaking to an older couple: Waar ... u vandaan?
Fix the sentence: Wilt U koffie?

Toon de antwoorden

bent: u takes the jij form of zijn.
u: with jij as the subject after the verb, the t drops (Woon jij hier?), so only u fits.
komt: u keeps the singular verb, even for two people.
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.

Oefen in de app Lees als Markdown

Vragen van leerders

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.