neef
masculine
The Dutch word for nephew is neef.
The word neef refers to the son of one's brother or sister. Note that in Dutch, this same word is also used to refer to a male cousin.
Meaning: fraternal or sororal nephew (noun)
Which one should you use?
While neef can mean both nephew and male cousin, the distinction is typically understood through the context of the conversation. Additionally, the form neefje is used specifically as an affectionate way to say nephew.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of neef is neven, which can mean either nephews or male cousins depending on the context.
Did you know?
- The word neef is a distant linguistic relative of the English word 'nephew', but they both trace back to the Proto-Indo-European root *népōts, meaning 'grandson'.
- Because neef is ambiguous, a Dutch speaker might specify bloedneef to clarify they are talking about a biological cousin rather than a nephew.
- While neef is ambiguous, the female counterpart nicht similarly covers both nieces and female cousins, creating a symmetrical system of kinship terms.
Examples in context
- John is mijn neef.John is my nephew.This sentence shows how to identify someone as your neef.Tatoeba #6044320 by Mandalay, translation #52588 by CN
- Mijn neef is getrouwd.My nephew is married.This sentence provides an example of using neef to describe a marital status.Tatoeba #9685555 by MarijnKp, translation #8984935 by Analu_Kalaka
- Zijn neefje is mijn vriend.His nephew is my friend.This sentence demonstrates the use of the diminutive form neefje.Tatoeba #12987948 by Tom9358, translation #12987951 by Tom9358
- Ik ben zo trots op mijn neef!I am so proud of my nephew!
- Hoe is het met je neefje?How is your nephew doing?
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lisa and Levi are looking at a family photo.
- LisaWie is die jongen op de foto?Who is that boy in the photo?
- LeviDat is mijn neef.That is my nephew.
- LisaIs hij de zoon van je zus?Is he your sister's son?
- LeviJa, hij is mijn enige neef.Yes, he is my only nephew.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nephew” translations and entries neef, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries neef, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
