neef
The Dutch word for cousin is neef. Wiktionary also lists nicht and volle neef.
Meaning: child of a person’s parent’s brother or sister (noun)
Ways to say it
| Dutch | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| neef | ||
| nicht | /nɪxt/ | |
| volle neef | masculine | |
| volle nicht | feminine | |
| kozijn | /koːˈzɛi̯n/ | masculine |
The term refers to a child of a person’s parent’s brother or sister.
Which one should you use?
Dutch uses gender-specific terms for cousins. Use neef specifically for a male cousin and nicht specifically for a female cousin. If you are referring to a group of male cousins or a mixed-gender group, the plural form changes to neven. For a group consisting only of female cousins, use nichten.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form for a group of male or mixed-gender cousins is neven. For a group of female cousins, the plural is nichten.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be careful not to confuse the word kozijn with a cousin. While they may sound similar to English speakers, kozijn actually means a door or window frame.
Did you know?
- Similarly, the word nicht serves a double purpose, meaning both 'cousin' and 'niece'.
- Because neef is also the word for 'nephew' in many contexts, Dutch speakers often add 'volle' or 'achterneef' to clarify a cousin relationship.
- The Dutch word for a male cousin, neef, is a linguistic relative of the English word 'nephew'.
Examples in context
- Is zij je nicht?Is she your cousin?This sentence is useful for asking if someone is a female cousin using nicht.Tatoeba #13819396 by Tom9358, translation #11948963 by sundown
- Tom is mijn neef.Tom is my cousin.This sentence is useful for stating that someone is a male cousin using neef.Tatoeba #4047335 by PaulP, translation #2273297 by CK
- Luke, ik ben je neef.Luke, I am your cousin.This sentence is useful for identifying yourself as a male cousin using neef.Tatoeba #3500020 by PaulP, translation #917766 by Scott
- Mijn neef is erg slim.My cousin is very smart.
- Mijn neefje is nog maar vijf jaar oud.My little cousin is only five years old.
- Kom, neefie, we gaan samen voetballen!Come on, little cousin, let's play football together!
- 55 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Levi are looking at old family photos.
- EmmaWie is deze jongen op de foto?Who is this boy in the photo?
- LeviDat is mijn neef uit Canada.That is my cousin from Canada.
- EmmaWoon je vaak bij hem?Do you visit him often?
- LeviNee, mijn neef woont heel ver weg.No, my cousin lives very far away.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cousin” translations and entries neef, nicht, volle neef, kozijn, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries neef, nicht, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
