wij
/ʋɛi̯/
The Dutch word for 'we' is wij or we, referring to the speaker and at least one other person.
Meaning: generic we (the speaker and at least one other person, regardless of whether it's the person being addressed) (pron)
Ways to say it
| Dutch | IPA |
|---|---|
| wij | /ʋɛi̯/ (stressed) /ʋə/ (unstressed) |
| we | /ʋə/ |
Both forms represent the generic 'we' used by a speaker to include themselves and others in a group, regardless of whether the person being addressed is part of that group.
Which one should you use?
we is the unstressed version used in most natural, flowing speech. In contrast, use wij when you want to emphasize the word 'we' (for example, to mean 'We, not they').
How does it change in a sentence?
Both wij and we take the same verb conjugations as the English 'we'. Note that when 'we' is used as an object pronoun, it translates to ons instead.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʋɛi̯/
Did you know?
- In some Dutch dialects, the word we is used as a filler word or a way to soften a command, making the request feel like a collective effort.
- Dutch has a distinct word for 'us' ons that differs from the subject 'we', similar to English but often confused by learners because ons also means 'our'.
- The Dutch wij is a close linguistic cousin to the English 'we', as both descend from the Proto-Germanic word *wīz.
Examples in context
- Wat doen we nu?What do we do next?This sentence shows how to use the unstressed we to ask about a next step.Tatoeba #1531748 by megamanenm, translation #1531050 by Spamster
- Hoe doen we dat?How do we do that?This sentence demonstrates using we to ask about a method.Tatoeba #2961276 by megamanenm, translation #1834190 by CK
- Wij zijn bij je.We are with you.This sentence shows the use of the emphatic wij to express presence.Tatoeba #4780707 by Raizin, translation #2549437 by CK
- Wij nodigen u uit om deel te nemen aan onze conferentie.We invite you to participate in our conference.
- Wij verzoeken u vriendelijk om het formulier in te vullen.We kindly request you to fill in the form.
- Wij willen u bedanken voor uw medewerking.We want to thank you for your cooperation.
- We gaan vanavond naar de film. Heb je zin om mee te gaan?We're going to the cinema tonight. Do you want to come along?
- We hebben besloten om morgen naar het strand te gaan.We decided to go to the beach tomorrow.
- We zien ons morgen op het feest.We'll see each other at the party tomorrow.
- Wij feliciteren u met uw verjaardag.We congratulate you on your birthday.
- 5777 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daan and Julia are planning their weekend trip.
- DaanWij gaan naar het strand.We are going to the beach.
- JuliaDat klinkt leuk, Daan.That sounds fun, Daan.
- DaanZullen we morgen de auto pakken?Shall we take the car tomorrow?
- JuliaJa, dat is een goed plan.Yes, that is a good plan.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “we” translations and entries wij, we, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries we, wij, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
