twee
/tʋeː/
The Dutch word for 'two' is twee.
twee is the cardinal number used to count things. It can also refer to the digit or figure 2. You may also encounter the phrase In tweevoud, which literally means 'in twofold' or 'in duplicate'.
Meaning: cardinal number 2 (num)
Which one should you use?
twee is the cardinal number 'two', whereas tweede is used for the ordinal number 'second'.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/tʋeː/
When do people say it?
The expression Twee handen op één buik, which translates literally to 'two hands on one stomach', is used to describe a close and harmonious relationship between people.
Did you know?
- Dutch speakers sometimes use the phrase twee vliegen in één klap to describe doing two things at once, mirroring the English 'two birds with one stone'.
- The Dutch word twee shares the same ancient Indo-European root as the English word 'two' and the Latin 'duo'.
- In Dutch, you can use the word twee to describe a pair of things, but if you refer to a romantic couple, the word paar is more common.
Examples in context
- Kom om twee uur.Come at two o'clock.This example shows how to use twee when referring to a specific time of day.Tatoeba #7799516 by MarijnKp, translation #2255596 by _undertoad
- Ik heb twee zoons.I have two sons.This example shows how to use twee to express a quantity of people.Tatoeba #4247764 by PaulP, translation #2714934 by CK
- Ik heb twee dijen.I have two thighs.This example shows how to use twee to express a quantity of body parts.Tatoeba #12967051 by MarijnKp, translation #11871695 by lexiecalised
- We hebben de documenten in tweevoud ontvangen.We received the documents in duplicate.
- Kun je mij deze foto in tweevoud sturen?Can you send me this photo in duplicate?
- Zij zijn altijd twee handen op één buik.They are always in perfect harmony.
- De twee teams werken als twee handen op één buik samen.The two teams work together seamlessly.
- 965 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Noah and Lisa are at a cafe deciding how many coffees to order.
- NoahWil je ook een koffie?Do you want a coffee too?
- LisaJa, laten we twee koffies bestellen.Yes, let's order two coffees.
- NoahPrima, ik bestel ze nu.Fine, I will order them now.
- LisaDank je, Noah.Thank you, Noah.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “two” translations and entries twee, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries twee, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
