Dutch compound nouns: write the parts together

De keukentafel (the kitchen table) is one word in Dutch. It joins keuken (kitchen) and tafel (table) into one noun. This is a compound noun, called a samenstelling in Dutch.

In the regular Dutch pattern, the final noun is the head. It gives the compound its core meaning, and the part before it makes that meaning more specific. De keukentafel (the kitchen table) is a kind of tafel (table), not a kind of keuken (kitchen).

• A noun can come first: appel + taart → de appeltaart (apple pie).
• An adjective can come first in an established compound: klein (small) + geld (money) → het kleingeld (small change); ordinary adjective–noun groups, such as rode jurk (red dress), stay separate.
• A preposition or adverb can come first: achter (back) + deur (door) → de achterdeur (back door).
• A verb can supply its stem, with the normal stem spelling: eten (to eat) → eet + kamer → de eetkamer (dining room).

Some compounds add a linking element between the parts.

You cannot reliably choose the linking element from the separate words alone. Learn or check the complete word, then see linking elements in compounds for the spelling patterns.

The head supplies the compound's de or het and its plural pattern. In the regular compounds here, keep the earlier part unchanged and form the plural on the final noun.

The final-noun rule lets you predict many compound forms: huis is a het-word, so stadhuis and ziekenhuis (hospital) are also het-words. If a fixed word does not fit the regular pattern or you cannot identify its head, check a dictionary.

Dutch normally writes the parts of a compound together. English may use a space in apple pie or front door, but Dutch writes appeltaart and voordeur. Do not write keuken tafel or tand arts.

Some compounds need a hyphen instead of a plain join. The page on hyphens in compounds owns the required cases, the optional clarity hyphen, and the omission hyphen. A space is not a substitute for either spelling.

Dutch can build longer compounds from compounds that already exist. Start at the right-hand noun, then work left in blocks.

• badkamer (bathroom) + deur (door) → de badkamerdeur (bathroom door). It is a kind of deur (door), so it takes de.
• ziektekosten (medical costs) + verzekering (insurance) → de ziektekostenverzekering (health insurance). It is a kind of verzekering (insurance), so it takes de.

1. Find the final noun: that is normally the head.
2. Use the head to understand the core meaning and choose de or het.
3. Use the head's plural pattern for the whole compound.
4. Write the parts together, then check whether a hyphen or linking element is needed.