Dutch declension
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Traditionally Dutch differentiates between four cases. However, the genitive, dative and accusative cases are hardly used anymore in modern standard Dutch except for fixed expressions, which are heaviliy used, and personal pronouns. The genitive also appears when a relation is expressed between proper names. For example: "Vaders fiets", meaning: Father's bicycle.
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[edit] Cases
[edit] Nominative
The nominative or eerste naamval in Dutch is used to describe the function of the subject or noun phrase.
For example:
- De legerleiding aanschouwt haar troepen. (subject)
- (The army staff views its troops.)
- Hij is de baas van Shell. (noun phrase)
- (He is the director of Shell.)
- De koningin houdt de troonrede. (subject)
- (The queen is giving the speech from the Throne.)
- Elizabeth II is de huidige koningin van het Verenigd Koninkrijk. (noun phrase)
- (Elizabeth II is the current queen of the United Kingdom.)
[edit] Genitive
The genitive or tweede naamval in Dutch, is used to express a relation with a noun.
For example:
- Dat is des duivels.
- (That's of the devil.)
[edit] Dative
The dative or derde naamval in Dutch, is used to express a relation between an indirect object or is used after certain prepositions (aan and voor).
For Example:
- Hij gaf den ouden man twee muntstukken.
- (He gave the old man two coins.)
- Hij gaf aan den ouden man twee muntstukken.
- (He gave two coins to the old man.)
[edit] Accusative
The accusative or vierde naamval in Dutch, is used to express a relation between an direct object or is used after certain prepositions.
For Example:
- Na jaren ontmoette hij den ouden man weer.
- (After many years he met the old man again.)
- De agent richtte zich tot den ouden man. (tot, is an untranslatable preposition)
- (The police officer addressed the old man.
[edit] Pronouns
[edit] Personal Pronoun
Dutch declention is most preserved in the personal pronouns.
| Singular | |||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Nominative | ik ('k) | jij (je), gij (ge), u | hij, zij, het |
| Dative | mij (me) | jou (je), u | hem, haar, het |
| Accusative | mij (me) | jou (je), u | hem, haar, het |
| Plural | |||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Nominative | wij (we) | jullie, gij (ge), u | zij (ze) |
| Dative | ons | jullie, u | hun |
| Accusative | ons | jullie, u | hen |
The genitive of the personal pronoun is usually replaced by the possessive pronoun.
[edit] Reflexive pronoun
The reflexive pronoun is always accusative of dative:
| Singular | |||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Dative | mij(zelf)/me(zelf) | je(zelf), zich(zelf), u(zelf) | zich(zelf) |
| Accusative | mij(zelf)/me(zelf) | je(zelf), zich(zelf), u(zelf) | zich(zelf) |
| Plural | |||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Dative | ons(zelf) | je(zelf), zich(zelf), u(zelf) | zich(zelf) |
| Accusative | ons(zelf) | je(zelf), zich(zelf), u(zelf) | zich(zelf) |
[edit] References
Cases in Dutch Dutch Grammar on nouns and pronouns dutchgrammar.com on pronouns
