oom
/oːm/masculine
The Dutch word for uncle is oom. Wiktionary also lists nonkel.
Meaning: brother (or brother-in-law) of someone’s parent (noun)
Ways to say it
| Dutch | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| oom | /oːm/ | masculine |
| nonkel | Flemish, masculine |
The term refers to the brother (or brother-in-law) of someone’s parent.
Is it said differently in some regions?
nonkel is a regional variation used in Flanders and the southern part of the Netherlands.
How does it change in a sentence?
The most common plural form of oom is ooms.
How do you pronounce it?
/oːm/
Did you know?
- The Flemish word nonkel actually contains an extra 'n' that was added by mistake. Speakers re-analyzed the sound of the word as they spoke, a process called 'metanalysis'.
- In certain Dutch dialects, calling someone an oom can be a slang way to refer to an old man, much like the English expression 'old man'.
- In many Dutch households, children use Oom as a formal title combined with a name, rather than just using the person's first name.
Examples in context
- Tom is je oom.Tom is your uncle.This sentence is useful for identifying a specific person as your uncle using oom.Tatoeba #5464483 by PaulP, translation #2273652 by CK
- Wie is je oom?Who's your uncle?This sentence is useful for asking a question about who someone's uncle is using oom.Tatoeba #13679336 by doemaar14, translation #6049456 by mailohilohi
- Hij is mijn oom.He is my uncle.This sentence is useful for stating that someone is your uncle using oom.Tatoeba #8658762 by MarijnKp, translation #297898 by CK
- Goedenavond, oom Jan!Good evening, Uncle Jan!
- Hoi, ome Peter!Hi, Uncle Peter!
- Dankjewel, nonkel Johan!Thank you, Uncle Johan!
- Mijn oomMy uncle
- Onze oomOur uncle
- Oom Mark, hoe gaat het met je?Uncle Mark, how are you?
- Ik ga vanmiddag met ome Piet naar de filmI'm going to the movies with Uncle Piet this afternoon
- Bedankt voor je hulp, oom!Thanks for your help, Uncle!
- Ome Kees, ik ben je erg dankbaar voor wat je voor me hebt gedaanUncle Kees, I'm really grateful for what you've done for me
- 121 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Lisa are looking at old family photos.
- LucasKijk, dit is mijn oom.Look, this is my uncle.
- LisaWoon je oom in Nederland?Does your uncle live in the Netherlands?
- LucasNee, hij woont in Canada.No, he lives in Canada.
- LisaWat leuk voor jou!How nice for you!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “uncle” translations and entries oom, nonkel, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries nonkel, oom, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
