het
/(ɦ)ət/
The Dutch word for the English pronoun 'it' is het. Wiktionary also lists hij.
Meaning: subject, inanimate thing (pron)
Ways to say it
| Dutch | IPA |
|---|---|
| het | /(ɦ)ət/ (Belgium) /t/ (Belgium) |
| hij | /ɦɛi̯/ /i/ |
het is used as a subject pronoun to refer to inanimate things. In the context of information technology, the related term ICT is used.
Which one should you use?
While English uses 'it' for all inanimate objects, Dutch uses het for neuter nouns and hij or zij for masculine or feminine nouns.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring back to an inanimate object with a masculine gender, the pronoun hij is used instead of het.
How do you pronounce it?
/(ɦ)ət/
Did you know?
- The modern word het is a result of a linguistic merge where a contracted form of 'that' was mistaken for the neuter pronoun.
- The word het is not just a pronoun but also functions as a definite article, similar to 'the' in English. It is used specifically for neuter nouns.
- In casual speech, you might hear the pronoun 't instead of het. This is a contraction used frequently in everyday conversation.
Examples in context
- Het is 7 uur.It is seven o'clock.This sentence shows how to use het when stating the time.Tatoeba #7799522 by MarijnKp, translation #3688423 by tom0483
- Het is van u?Is it yours?This sentence shows how to use het when asking about ownership.Tatoeba #7906285 by MarijnKp, translation #42344 by CK
- Ik zei het al!I called it!This sentence shows how to use het to indicate a previously mentioned action.Tatoeba #10351219 by doemaar14, translation #10351218 by doemaar14
- 6639 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Levi and Lisa are looking at a broken toy.
- LeviKijk, het is kapot.Look, it is broken.
- LisaOh nee, dat is jammer.Oh no, that is a pity.
- LeviKun jij het repareren?Can you repair it?
- LisaIk zal het proberen.I will try it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “it” translations and entries het, hij, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries het, hij, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
