Start a Dutch email with _Hoi_ or _Hallo_ for people you know well, _Beste_ plus a first name for most everyday and work emails, and _Geachte heer_ or _Geachte mevrouw_ plus a surname when you need to be formal. Close at the same level with _Groetjes_, _Groet_ or _Met vriendelijke groet_, and use your first line to say why you are writing.
The pattern
Choose one level of formality for both the opening and the closing, and give your reason for writing in the first line.
- Informal (friends, family, close colleagues): _Hoi Sanne,_ or _Hallo Sanne,_ with _Groetjes_.
- Neutral (most work emails, school, a neighbour): _Beste Sanne,_ or _Beste mevrouw Bakker,_ with _Groet_ or _Met vriendelijke groet_.
- Formal (the _gemeente_, a company, a job application): _Geachte heer Visser,_ or _Geachte mevrouw Visser,_ with _Met vriendelijke groet_. No name? Write _Geachte heer/mevrouw,_ instead. Unsure whether to write _heer_ or _mevrouw_? Many writers use the full name: _Geachte Sam Visser,_ for example.
- Layout: a comma after the opening, then a new line that starts with a capital letter (unlike German). The examples below put both on one line to save space. After the closing, most people put no comma, just their name on the next line.
- Pronoun: _u_ after _Geachte_, _je_ after _Hoi_. After _Beste_, follow the other person's lead, or use _u_ when in doubt ([U or jij](#/lesson/u-or-jij)).
Examples
| Hoi Emma, Heb je zin om zaterdag bij ons te eten? | Hi Emma, Do you fancy having dinner at our place on Saturday? |
|---|---|
| Beste Carlos, Ik mail je omdat ik een vraag heb over het nieuwe rooster. | Dear Carlos, I'm emailing you because I have a question about the new schedule. |
| Beste mevrouw Bakker, Ik mail u over de ouderavond van dinsdag. | Dear Ms Bakker, I'm emailing you about Tuesday's parents' evening. |
| Geachte mevrouw Mulder, Ik schrijf u omdat mijn parkeervergunning volgende maand verloopt. | Dear Ms Mulder, I'm writing to you because my parking permit expires next month. |
| Geachte heer/mevrouw, Graag wil ik een klacht indienen over de schoonmaak van ons trappenhuis. | Dear Sir or Madam, I would like to make a complaint about the cleaning of our stairwell. |
| Laat even weten of dinsdag je uitkomt. Groetjes | Let me know if Tuesday suits you. Cheers |
| Ik stuur je het verslag morgen. Groet | I'll send you the report tomorrow. Regards |
| Ik hoop dat u mij kunt helpen. Met vriendelijke groet | I hope you can help me. Kind regards |
Why it works this way
The opening sets the distance between you and your reader, and the closing confirms it. Think of a thermostat: _Hoi_ and _Groetjes_ are warm, _Beste_ and _Groet_ are room temperature, _Geachte_ is cool. _Met vriendelijke groet_ fits both cooler settings, which makes it the safe choice when you are unsure. [Formal and informal Dutch](#/lesson/formal-informal) helps you pick the setting.
The words themselves help. _Geachte_ comes from _achten_ (to respect), so it means something like "respected". _Beste_ literally means "best" but works like English "Dear". _Lieve_ also translates as "dear", yet Dutch keeps it for people you love.
Dutch readers also tend to like emails that get to the point, so in work and formal emails your reason for writing usually comes first, without a long warm-up.
Remember: one email, one temperature. Set it with the opening and keep it until the closing.
In the exam
The _inburgering_ exam and the NT2 state exam often include a short email. A typical task: _Uw buurman, meneer Visser, heeft een pakket voor u aangenomen. Schrijf hem een e-mail. Bedank hem en stel een moment voor om het op te halen._
_Beste meneer Visser,_ is a good opening here, since _Geachte_ would sound stiff for a neighbour. Thank him in your first line (_Bedankt dat u mijn pakket hebt aangenomen._), cover every point in the task and end with _Met vriendelijke groet_ and your name.
Watch out
- Not: _Lieve meneer Jansen,_ Say: _Geachte heer Jansen,_ (to your landlord, _lieve_ is far too personal)
- Not: _Geachte heer Daan,_ Say: _Geachte heer Visser,_ (to Daan Visser: _heer_ and _mevrouw_ go with the surname)
- Not: _Ik hoop dat deze e-mail u goed vindt._ Say: _Ik hoop dat het goed met u gaat._ (the English formula does not translate word for word)
- Not: _Met vriendelijk groet_ Say: _Met vriendelijke groet_ (_groet_ is a _de_-word, so the adjective takes -e)
Quick check
- You are sending a complaint to your housing association and do not know who will read it. Choose the opening: _Hoi,_ or _Lieve meneer,_ or _Geachte heer/mevrouw,_
- Your email to your good friend Lotte starts with _Hoi Lotte!_ Choose the matching closing: _Groetjes_ or _Met vriendelijke groet_.
- Your email opens with _Geachte mevrouw Bakker_. Fill in one word: _Kunt ... mij laten weten wanneer het loket open is?_
- Choose _omdat_ or _want_: _Ik schrijf u ... ik volgende maand verhuis._
Answers
- _Geachte heer/mevrouw,_ (formal, and you do not know the reader's name)
- _Groetjes_ (a warm opening needs a warm closing)
- _u_ (_Geachte_ is formal, and _kunt_ goes with _u_)
- _omdat_ (the verb stands at the end; with _want_ it would be _want ik verhuis volgende maand_)
Use it today
Write a short email to your landlord, a colleague or a neighbour about something real, such as a broken light or a parcel. Choose the opening first, give your reason in the first line, and check that the closing has the same temperature.