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Colloquial pronouns

B2Pronouns · lesson 48 of 57

In spoken Dutch, we sometimes pronounce words differently from how we write them. Usually, this simply means that we swallow half of the word. The colloquial pronouns would hardly be worth mentioning if only you would not come across them in written Dutch sometimes. But you probably would, so here they are:

Colloquial subject pronouns

English | Dutch | Dutch colloquial

I | ik | 'k

he | hij | ie

it | het | 't

The colloquial form 'ie' is often accompanied by an astrophe, e.g. _heeft 'ie_, or _zegt 'ie_, or a hyphen, e.g. _heeft-ie_, or _zegt-ie_. It never occurs at the beginning of a sentence:

Heeft ie dat niet gezegd? | Hasn't he said that?

Is het waar dat ie gaat verhuizen? | Is it true that he's going to move?

You cannot say "Ie heeft".

Colloquial object pronouns

English | Dutch | Dutch colloquial

it | het | 't

him | hem | 'em

her | haar | d'r

Them: Hen or hun? 'Het', 'hem', and 'ze' turning into 'er'
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