plassen
/ˈplɑ.sə(n)/
To pee in Dutch is plassen.
The verb plassen is used to describe the act of urinating. Note that the related noun plas can also mean a puddle.
Meaning: urinate (verb)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
plassen is a common, informal term used by both adults and children. For a formal or medical context, you should use urineren. Children often use the specific phrase plasje doen to mean doing a little pee.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The infinitive form plassen serves as the base form of the verb. In the present tense, the second person singular is jij/u plast. For the past tense, use plaste for singular subjects and plasten for plural subjects.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables, with the stress on the first syllable: /ˈplɑ.sə(n)/.
When do people say it?
While plassen refers to urinating, be aware that the related verb zeiken can also mean complaining or whining in a figurative sense.
Did you know?
- The word plassen is an onomatopoeia, meaning it was originally intended to mimic the actual sound of water splashing.
- The figurative use of zeiken to mean 'complaining' is so common that a person can be described as een zeikerd, which translates to a 'whiner' or 'grumbler'.
- Dutch speakers may use the word plas to describe a small lake or a pond, making the root of plassen applicable to both biology and geography.
Examples in context
- Ik moet dringend gaan plassen.I'm bursting for a pee.This example shows how to express an urgent need to use the restroom with plassen.Tatoeba #3508156 by PaulP, translation #535029 by blay_paul
- Ik moet plassen.I need to go pee.This is a simple way to express the need to pee using plassen.Tatoeba #6218614 by megamanenm, translation #5105775 by Catriona
- Sami moet plassen.Sami needs to pee.This demonstrates using the third person singular context with plassen.Tatoeba #7304515 by MarijnKp, translation #7303526 by OsoHombre
- Ik moet dringend urineren.I urgently need to pee.
- Mag ik even naar het toilet om te plassen?May I go to the bathroom to pee?
- Even plassen, brb!Gotta go pee, be right back!
- Ik moet zeiken, ik houd het niet meer.I need to pee, I can't hold it anymore.
- Ik moet effe pissen, tot straks!I need to go pee real quick, see you later!
- mag ik even naar het toilet?May I go to the bathroom?
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A long car ride on the highway.
- JuliaDaan, kun je even stoppen? Ik moet plassen.Daan, can you stop for a moment? I need to pee.
- DaanIs het echt zo dringend?Is it really that urgent?
- JuliaJa, ik moet echt plassen!Yes, I really need to pee!
- DaanOké, we zoeken snel een tankstation.Okay, we will look for a gas station quickly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pee” translations and entries plassen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries plassen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
