Diminutives (verkleinwoorden) are very common in Dutch. They are formed by adding a suffix to a noun, and they generally express smallness, cuteness, affection, or sometimes insignificance.

Key Features:

• All diminutives are het-words, regardless of the original noun's gender.
• de tafel (the table) -> het tafeltje (the little table)
• de hond (the dog) -> het hondje (the little dog / doggie)
• het huis (the house) -> het huisje (the little house / cottage)
• The meaning isn't always strictly 'small'. It can imply familiarity or make something sound nicer.
• Zullen we een kopje koffie drinken? (Shall we have a cup [little cup] of coffee?)
• Wat een leuk bloesje! (What a nice blouse [little blouse]!)

Formation Rules (Suffixes):

The suffix depends on the ending of the noun:

1. -je

• Added to nouns ending in consonants like -b, -c, -d, -f, -g, -ch, -k, -p, -s, -t, -x, -z (if the preceding vowel is long or a diphthong, or if there are multiple consonants).
• boek -> boekje (booklet)
• brief -> briefje (note)
• hond -> hondje (doggie)
• glas -> glaasje (small glass - note vowel lengthening)
• vis -> visje (little fish)

1. -tje

• Added to nouns ending in:
• Vowels (-a, -e, -i, -o, -u, -y): auto -> autootje, oma -> omaatje, menu -> menuutje (note vowel doubling for long sound)
• -l, -n, -r (preceded by a long vowel or diphthong): stoel -> stoeltje, maan -> maantje, deur -> deurtje
• -w: nieuw -> nieuwtje (piece of news)

1. -etje

• Added to nouns ending in -l, -n, -r (preceded by a short vowel). This doubles the consonant.
• bal -> balletje (little ball)
• man -> mannetje (little man)
• ster -> sterretje (little star)
• zon -> zonnetje (little sun)

1. -pje

• Added to nouns ending in -m (preceded by a long vowel or diphthong).
• boom -> boompje (little tree)
• raam -> raampje (little window)
• film -> filmpje (short film/clip)

1. -kje

• Added to nouns ending in -ing (where -ing is unstressed).
• koning -> koninkje (little king)
• woning -> woninkje (little house)
• ketting -> kettinkje (little chain/necklace)

Irregular Diminutives: Some words have slightly irregular forms, often involving vowel changes:

• gat -> gaatje (little hole)
• blad -> blaadje (little leaf/sheet)
• schip -> scheepje (little ship)

Diminutives are a core part of everyday spoken Dutch.