de
/də/
In Dutch, 'the' is expressed using the definite articles de or het.
Meaning: article (article)
Ways to say it
| Dutch | IPA |
|---|---|
| de | /də/ |
| het | /(ɦ)ət/ (Belgium) /t/ (Belgium) |
Proper nouns, such as the names of cities, do not require a definite article in Dutch.
Which one should you use?
While both de and het correspond to the English 'the', the choice between them depends on the gender and class of the noun.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the northern Netherlands, het is used as a regional variation of the definite article.
How does it change in a sentence?
The article het is used for neuter nouns. However, all plural nouns take de as their definite article, regardless of whether the singular form used de or het.
How do you pronounce it?
/də/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Because there is no consistent rule for most nouns, it can be difficult to determine whether a noun takes de or het. You should learn the article together with the noun.
Did you know?
- While de and het both mean 'the', using the wrong one can sometimes change the meaning of a word entirely.
- Dutch has a 'common' gender that merged the masculine and feminine categories, leaving de to cover both.
- The Dutch article 't is a common, shortened version of het often found in casual speech and even in the names of some businesses.
Examples in context
- Zet de tv af.Turn the TV off.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of de with a common object.Tatoeba #3303699 by PaulP, translation #7127939 by OsoHombre
- De zon is op.The sun is up.This sentence demonstrates how de is used with a natural phenomenon.Tatoeba #4516726 by Raizin, translation #281047 by CK
- Waar is de wc?Where is the bathroom?This sentence shows how de is used when asking for a specific location.Tatoeba #1012428 by martinod, translation #2136 by brauliobezerra
- de kattenThe cats
- 18558 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sophie and Noah are in the kitchen.
- SophieDe koffie is klaar.The coffee is ready.
- NoahDank je, Sophie.Thank you, Sophie.
- SophieWil je ook de melk?Do you also want the milk?
- NoahJa, graag.Yes, please.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “the” translations and entries de, het, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
