To talk about people in general, everyday Dutch uses _je_: _Je moet hier betalen_ means that anyone, you included, has to pay here. _Men_ means the same but sounds formal, so you mostly meet it in writing. And _ze_ is the vague "they", the people in charge whom nobody bothers to name: _Ze gaan de weg repareren_.
The pattern
Use _je_ for people in general in everyday Dutch, _men_ in formal writing, and _ze_ for an unnamed group that makes decisions.
- _je_: spoken Dutch and most written Dutch. It includes everyone, the listener and the speaker too. It is always unstressed, so never _jij_ in this meaning. Its -self word and its possessive are also _je_: _Je moet je fiets op slot zetten_ (see [Reflexive pronouns](#/lesson/reflexive-pronouns)).
- _men_: official texts, news, signs. It takes a singular verb like _hij_: _men zegt_, _men kan_. Its -self word is _zich_. It can only be the subject (the one doing the action).
- _ze_: "they" for people you do not name, such as the _gemeente_, the government, the railway, or just people who spread news: _Ze zeggen dat..._ It takes a plural verb and is unstressed, so not _zij_.
Examples
| Je moet hier eerst een kaartje kopen. | You have to buy a ticket here first. |
|---|---|
| Als je in Nederland woont, heb je echt een fiets nodig. | If you live in the Netherlands, you really need a bike. |
| Bij de huisarts moet je meestal eerst bellen voor een afspraak. | At the GP you usually have to call for an appointment first. |
| Een warme douche geeft je meteen een beter gevoel. | A warm shower makes you feel better straight away. |
| Men verwacht dat de huizenprijzen volgend jaar verder stijgen. | It is expected that house prices will rise further next year. |
| Men dient zich bij de balie te melden. | One is required to report to the desk. |
| Ze gaan volgende week de weg repareren. | They are going to repair the road next week. |
| Ze hebben de treinkaartjes weer duurder gemaakt. | They have made train tickets more expensive again. |
| Ze zeggen dat het morgen gaat sneeuwen. | They say it is going to snow tomorrow. |
Why it works this way
Think of three camera positions. With _je_, you hold the camera yourself: you step into the situation and picture doing it. That is why _je_ feels warm and natural, and why Dutch uses it for instructions, advice and explaining how things work. With _men_, the camera sits on a tall tripod and nobody is in the picture, so it sounds official and distant. With _ze_, the camera points across the street at a faceless group that decides things for you: the _gemeente_, the railway company, your landlord.
Compare these pairs:
- _Je moet hier betalen._ A colleague explains the canteen.
- _Men wordt verzocht hier te betalen._ A printed sign.
- _Ze gaan de weg repareren._ Some authority, no names.
- _Zij gaan de weg repareren, niet wij._ Those specific people, with stress.
In modern official writing, _men_ is slowly giving way to _u_ or the passive: _U dient zich te melden_, _Er wordt verwacht dat..._ (see [The passive with worden](#/lesson/passive)). Generic _je_ can also be heard as the listener personally, just like English "you". Context usually makes it clear. If you really mean the listener, say _Jij moet betalen_ with stress on _jij_ (more in [Jij or je?](#/lesson/stressed-unstressed)).
Remember: _je_ is you in the situation, _men_ is nobody in particular on paper, and _ze_ is the people with the clipboards.
Watch out
- Not: _Man moet hier betalen._ Say: _Je moet hier betalen._ (_man_ is German; in Dutch _man_ only means a man)
- Not: _Men zeggen dat de huren stijgen._ Say: _Men zegt dat de huren stijgen._ (_men_ takes a singular verb, like _hij_)
- Not: _Je moet zich hier aanmelden._ Say: _Je moet je hier aanmelden._ (with _je_ the -self word is also _je_; _zich_ goes with _men_)
- Not: _Ze gaat de weg repareren._ Say: _Ze gaan de weg repareren._ (plural verb for "they"; _ze gaat_ means "she is going")
Quick check
- Fix the sentence: _Men zeggen dat de economie dit jaar groeit._
- Fill in _je_ or _zich_: _Men moet ... bij de receptie melden._
- Choose the form that means "they": _Ze bouwt / Ze bouwen een nieuwe fietsenstalling bij het station._
- Fill in _je_ or _men_: _Een wandeling in het bos geeft ... nieuwe energie._
Answers
- _Men zegt dat de economie dit jaar groeit._ (_men_ takes a singular verb)
- _zich_ (the -self word that goes with _men_)
- _Ze bouwen_ (plural verb, because _ze_ means "they" here)
- _je_ (_men_ can only be the subject)
Use it today
Explain to a new neighbour or colleague, in three sentences with _je_, how something works where you live, such as recycling glass or checking in at the station. Then add one sentence with _ze_ about something the _gemeente_ is changing in your street.