-tje | -etje
-pje | -kje
The ending -etje is added to nouns that end in a [short](#/lesson/SpellingAndPronunciation.13) vowel followed by a single r, l, n, m or ng.
Exceptions:
- nouns that end in unstressed -el, -er, or -en get [-tje](#/lesson/NounsAndArticles.17).
- nouns that end in unstressed -em get [-pje](#/lesson/NounsAndArticles.19).
- nouns that end in unstressed -ing get [-kje](#/lesson/NounsAndArticles.20).
de man | het man netje | the man
het gezin | het gezin netje | the family
de bal | het bal letje | the ball
het ding | het ding etje | the thing
het lam | het lam metje | the lamb
de stem | het stem metje | the voice
Note that the final consonant of the noun is doubled in order to keep the vowel short (see [rules for keeping vowels short/long](#/lesson/SpellingAndPronunciation.21)). This does not happen to nouns ending in -ng as the vowel remains short after adding -etje.