thee
/teː/masculine
thee is the Dutch word for tea.
The word refers to the drink made from the leaves of the tea plant.
Meaning: drink made from leaves of tea plant (noun)
Which one should you use?
While thee is the standard noun, you may encounter the diminutive form theetje, which is used in slang or informal contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
thee is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/teː/
When do people say it?
In informal settings, it is common to offer someone a cup of tea by saying Lekker kopje thee?
Did you know?
- The 'h' in thee was added as a faux-Greek spelling to make the word look more scholarly, as the original and more basal spelling was simply tee.
- In many Dutch households, the word thee is almost inseparable from the concept of 'gezelligheid', or a cozy, social atmosphere.
- Historically, the Dutch East India Company's trade routes were the primary reason thee became a staple in Europe, making the Dutch the first major distributors of the drink to the West.
Examples in context
- Ik hou van thee.I like tea.This sentence is useful for expressing a preference for thee.Tatoeba #659477 by martinod, translation #253293 by CK
- De thee is heet.The tea is hot.This sentence is useful for describing the temperature of thee.Tatoeba #940584 by martinod, translation #462952 by lukaszpp
- De thee is warm.The tea is warm.Tatoeba #940585 by martinod, translation #8921361 by deniko
- Goedemiddag, ik wil graag thee bestellen, alstublieft.Good afternoon, I would like to order tea, please.
- Natuurlijk, welke thee zou u willen?Of course, which kind of tea would you like?
- Heeft u groene thee?Do you have green tea?
- Jazeker, we hebben groene thee op het menu.Certainly, we have green tea on the menu.
- Wil je een theetje?Do you want a cup of tea?
- Ja, graag! Heb je ook kruidenthee?Yes, please! Do you have herbal tea?
- 230 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Noah are sitting in a living room in the afternoon.
- EmmaZal ik thee voor je zetten?Shall I make tea for you?
- NoahJa, graag een kopje thee.Yes, a cup of tea, please.
- EmmaWil je ook wat melk in de thee?Do you want some milk in the tea too?
- NoahNee, dank je, ik drink het zwart.No, thank you, I drink it black.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tea” translations and entries thee, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries thee, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
