Countries and nationalities in Dutch: names for places, languages, and people
Learn Dutch country and nationality word sets so you can state where someone comes from, which language they speak and their nationality.
Ik kom uit Nederland en ik spreek Nederlands. (I come from the Netherlands and I speak Dutch.) The country name is Nederland (the Netherlands). The language name is Nederlands (Dutch). The nationality adjective can be Nederlandse (Dutch). An inhabitant noun names a person from the country: Nederlander (a Dutch person).
How do you choose the country, language, adjective, or inhabitant form?
Use the country after uit (from), the language after spreken (to speak), the nationality adjective before a noun, and an inhabitant noun after zijn (to be).
- Country: Ik kom uit Nederland. (I come from the Netherlands.)
- Language: Ik spreek Nederlands. (I speak Dutch.)
- Nationality adjective: Ik volg een Nederlandse cursus. (I am taking a Dutch course.)
- Inhabitant noun: Ik ben Nederlander. (I am Dutch.)
The language column below gives examples. It does not list every language used in each country. Learn each row as a small word set.
| Country | Language example | Nationality adjective | Inhabitants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nederland | Nederlands | Nederlands | Nederlanders |
| België | Nederlands, Frans, Duits | Belgisch | Belgen |
| Duitsland | Duits | Duits | Duitsers |
| Frankrijk | Frans | Frans | Fransen |
| Spanje | Spaans | Spaans | Spanjaarden |
| Italië | Italiaans | Italiaans | Italianen |
| Polen | Pools | Pools | Polen |
| Turkije | Turks | Turks | Turken |
| Marokko | Arabisch | Marokkaans | Marokkanen |
| Oekraïne | Oekraïens | Oekraïens | Oekraïners |
| China | Chinees | Chinees | Chinezen |
Dutch inhabitant nouns take different forms. Compare Nederlander, Belg, Spanjaard, Italiaan, Pool, and Chinees. The plural can also change the spelling: Chinees becomes Chinezen.
Most country names omit de and het
Ik woon in Nederland. Ik kom uit Duitsland. Ik reis naar Frankrijk. (I live in the Netherlands. I come from Germany. I am travelling to France.) A singular country name normally stands without an article. The preposition changes with the meaning; review core preposition meanings for in (in), uit (from), and naar (to).
| Type of country name | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary singular name | No article | uit Nederland (from the Netherlands) |
| Plural name | Keep de | uit de Verenigde Staten (from the United States) |
| Name that includes the form of state | Keep de or het from the name | uit het Verenigd Koninkrijk (from the United Kingdom) |
Use Oekraïne without an article when it names the country: Zij komt uit Oekraïne. (She comes from Ukraine.)
Language names change their article with the sentence
Ik spreek Nederlands. (I speak Dutch.) A language name normally has no article after spreken. Use het in the common in het pattern when the language is the medium: De brief is in het Nederlands geschreven. (The letter is written in Dutch.)
Belgium has three official languages: Nederlands, Frans, and Duits. The nationality adjective is Belgisch: een Belgische identiteitskaart (a Belgian identity card).
Nationality adjectives often add -e before a noun
Nederlands is the basic adjective. It becomes Nederlandse before a de-word such as cursus (course): een Nederlandse cursus (a Dutch course). The same pattern gives een Duitse trein (a German train), een Franse tekst (a French text), and een Marokkaanse winkel (a Moroccan shop).
A singular indefinite het-word usually keeps the basic form: een Nederlands paspoort (a Dutch passport). A definite het-word takes -e: het Nederlandse paspoort (the Dutch passport). See the adjective -e ending for the complete rule.
State nationality with a bare inhabitant noun
Ik ben Nederlander. (I am Dutch.) A neutral statement of nationality can use an inhabitant noun without een (a or an). The same pattern appears in Hij is Belg. (He is Belgian.) and Zij is Italiaanse. (She is Italian.) Use the plural for a group: Er wonen veel Italianen in de stad. (Many Italians live in the city.) Read when Dutch omits een for the wider rule.
Singular inhabitant forms vary. Common sets include Nederlander / Nederlandse, Italiaan / Italiaanse, and Fransman / Française. You can also use iemand uit Frankrijk (someone from France) when the person's connection to the country matters more than a person-noun form.
Origin and legal nationality can differ. Ik kom uit Marokko. (I come from Morocco.) states origin. Ik heb de Nederlandse nationaliteit. (I have Dutch nationality.) states legal nationality.
Use capital letters for country-based forms
Write country names, language names, nationality adjectives, and inhabitant names with a capital: Nederland, Nederlands, Nederlandse, and Nederlander. The adjective keeps its capital in een Franse krant (a French newspaper). See the full Dutch capital-letter rules.
Mistake to avoid: learn the word set, not one suffix
Frankrijk gives Frans and Fransman, while Spanje gives Spaans and Spanjaard. Build your sentence from the checked country, language, adjective, or inhabitant form. The table lists country, language, adjective, and inhabitant forms for 11 countries. Use a current dictionary or geographical-names list for other countries.
See also
Review capital letters for names and place-based words. Use the adjective -e ending for Nederlands / Nederlandse. Review een and no article for Hij is Belg. Review core preposition meanings for in, uit, and naar.
- Complete the sentence: *Ik kom ___ Nederland.* (I come from the Netherlands.)
- *van*
- *uit*
- *in het*
- *op*
Use *uit* (from) with a country to state origin: *Ik kom uit Nederland.* (I come from the Netherlands.) *Nederland* has no article in this sentence.
- Complete the sentence: *Zij spreekt ___.* (She speaks Dutch.)
- *Nederland*
- *Nederlandse*
- *Nederlands*
- *Nederlander*
The language name is *Nederlands*. A language name normally has no article after *spreken* (to speak): *Zij spreekt Nederlands.* (She speaks Dutch.)
- Which phrase means 'a Dutch course'?
- *een Nederlandse cursus*
- *een Nederlands cursus*
- *een Nederlander cursus*
- *een Nederland cursus*
*Cursus* (course) is a de-word, so the nationality adjective takes *-e*: *een Nederlandse cursus* (a Dutch course).
- Complete the sentence: *Hij komt ___ Verenigde Staten.* (He comes from the United States.)
- *uit*
- *uit het*
- *uit een*
- *uit de*
*De Verenigde Staten* is a plural country name and keeps its article: *Hij komt uit de Verenigde Staten.* (He comes from the United States.)
- Which sentence is a neutral statement of nationality?
- *Ik ben een Belgisch.*
- *Ik ben Belg.*
- *Ik ben België.*
- *Ik ben belg.*
Use the capitalised inhabitant noun without *een* in this neutral pattern: *Ik ben Belg.* (I am Belgian.)
Test yourself
Question 1 of 5
Complete the sentence: Ik kom ___ Nederland. (I come from the Netherlands.)