2025.10.25 – Your Friendly Dutch Guide: Family, Home, Feelings, Questions, and How to Talk About What’s Yours

Posted byLeonardo Tomás CardilloPosted inUncategorized

Key Takeaways

Dutch is more than grammar — it’s connection.
This guide helps you talk about your family, your home, emotions, questions, and days of the week, all through warm, real-life examples.
Think of it as a chat with a friendly Dutch neighbor who wants you to feel thuis — at home.

Everyday Dutch at Home

Let’s start with the heart of daily life — being at home.

  • “Ik ben thuis.” (I’m at home.)
  • “Mijn moeder woont in Brazilië.” (My mother lives in Brazil.)
  • “Mijn vader is in de woonkamer.” (My father is in the living room.)
  • “We eten op het balkon.” (We’re eating on the balcony.)
  • “Opa is in de tuin.” (Grandpa is in the garden.)
  • “Je vriendin is in de badkamer.” (Your girlfriend is in the bathroom.)

Simple, real, and easy to imagine — the rhythm of a Dutch day.

The Magic of “de,” “het,” and “thuis”

Dutch has two words for “the”: de and het.
Most words use de, but some take het, like het huis (the house) or het balkon (the balcony).
And thuis — it means “at home,” but also “where you feel safe.”

Example:
“Waar ben je?” — “Ik ben thuis.” (“Where are you?” — “I’m home.”)

No article, no stress — just a cozy word full of warmth.

Family and Daily Life

Where everyone is

  • “Mijn broer is in de slaapkamer.” (My brother is in the bedroom.)
  • “Mijn oma is in de keuken.” (My grandma’s in the kitchen.)
  • “Mijn vader leest in de woonkamer.” (My father’s reading in the living room.)

Around the house

  • “De kat slaapt op het balkon.” (The cat’s sleeping on the balcony.)
  • “De sleutel van het huis is hier.” (The house key’s right here.)
  • “We koken in de keuken.” (We cook in the kitchen.)

A warm little dialogue

A: “Waar is je moeder?” (Where’s your mother?)
B: “Ze is in de keuken.” (She’s in the kitchen.)
A: “En je vader?” (And your father?)
B: “Hij is in de tuin.” (He’s in the garden.)

Basic Dutch Questions

  • Waar — where
  • “Waar woon je?” (Where do you live?)
  • Wat — what
  • “Wat doe je?” (What are you doing?)
  • Wie — who
  • “Wie kookt vanavond?” (Who’s cooking tonight?)
  • Wanneer — when
  • “Wanneer begint de les?” (When does the class start?)
  • Waarom — why
  • “Waarom lach je?” (Why are you laughing?)
  • Hoe — how
  • “Hoe gaat het?” (How are you?)

Tip:
Add dan or nou to sound more natural: “Waar ben je dan?” (So, where are you then?)

Days of the Week

  • maandag — Monday
  • dinsdag — Tuesday
  • woensdag — Wednesday
  • donderdag — Thursday
  • vrijdag — Friday
  • zaterdag — Saturday
  • zondag — Sunday

Everyday phrases:

  • “Vandaag is maandag.” (Today is Monday.)
  • “Op zaterdag gaan we naar de markt.” (On Saturday we go to the market.)
  • “Ik werk niet op zondag.” (I don’t work on Sunday.)

Talking About Feelings and Emotions

Because Dutch people — even if they seem calm — do talk about feelings.

Common emotions

  • blij — happy
  • verdrietig — sad
  • boos — angry
  • bang — afraid
  • verliefd — in love
  • moe — tired
  • druk — busy / overwhelmed
  • nerveus — nervous
  • rustig — calm
  • trots — proud

Simple examples

  • “Ik ben blij vandaag.” (I’m happy today.)
  • “Ze is verdrietig omdat haar kat ziek is.” (She’s sad because her cat is sick.)
  • “Hij is boos op zijn broer.” (He’s angry with his brother.)
  • “Ben je bang?” (Are you afraid?)
  • “Ze is verliefd.” (She’s in love.)
  • “Ik ben moe na het werk.” (I’m tired after work.)
  • “Hij is trots op zijn zoon.” (He’s proud of his son.)

Extra touch

To sound warmer, Dutch speakers often add heel (very) or erg (really):

  • “Ik ben heel blij.” (I’m very happy.)
  • “Ze is erg moe.” (She’s really tired.)

Possessives — Talking About What’s Yours

Before a noun

mijn — my
je / jouw — your (informal; jouw is emphatic)
uw — your (formal)
zijn — his / its
haar — her
ons — our (before singular het-words)
onze — our (before de-words and plurals)
jullie — your (plural)
hun — their

Standing alone

When the noun’s clear:

  • de mijne — mine
  • de jouwe — yours
  • die/dat van mij — mine (more casual and natural)

Examples:

  • “Is dit jouw sleutel?” — “Nee, dit is die van mij.” (“Is this your key?” — “No, it’s mine.”)
  • “We eten op ons balkon, maar die van hen is groter.” (“We eat on our balcony, but theirs is bigger.”)
  • “De tuin is van haar.” (“The garden is hers.”)
  • “Is dit jullie huis?” — “Ja, dat van ons.” (“Is this your house?” — “Yes, ours.”)

Family Words

vader — father

moeder — mother

zoon — son

dochter — daughter

broer — brother

zus — sister

opa — grandfather

oma — grandmother

oom — uncle

tante — aunt

neef — male cousin / nephew

nicht — female cousin / niece

schoonvader — father-in-law

schoonmoeder — mother-in-law

man — husband

vrouw — wife

vriend — boyfriend; also “friend”

vriendin — girlfriend; also “female friend”

Around the House

(het) huis — house

(de) slaapkamer — bedroom

(de) woonkamer — living room

(de) keuken — kitchen

(de) badkamer — bathroom

(het) balkon — balcony

(de) tuin / (de) achtertuin — garden / backyard

Articles in Daily Dutch

  • de for most words.
  • het for smaller, neutral, or abstract words.
    Example: het huis, de tuin, het balkon, de keuken.

The Word “thuis”

thuis means “at home” — but in Dutch, it’s also a feeling of belonging.
“Na werk ben ik eindelijk thuis.” (After work, I’m finally home.)

Friendly Possessive Recap

mijn, jouw, zijn, haar, ons, onze, jullie, hun.
Little words that tell big stories — of people, homes, and hearts.

Sources

Published by Leonardo Tomás Cardillo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonardocardillo

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