Essential Grammar - Master the Basics | MANO Academy

3.2 Object Pronouns and Prepositions

In Dutch, understanding direct and indirect object pronouns and basic prepositions helps you communicate more effectively in sentences. Here’s a breakdown of these concepts.

1. Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns

In Dutch, object pronouns are used similarly to English, with different forms for direct and indirect objects. Here’s a look at the pronouns and how to use them.

A. Direct Object Pronouns

Direct object pronouns refer to the person or thing that directly receives the action of the verb.

English	Dutch	Example Sentence	Translation
Me	Me/Mij	Hij ziet mij.	He sees me.
You	Je/Jou/U	Ik hoor jou.	I hear you.
Him	Hem	Zij kent hem.	She knows him.
Her	Haar	Ik bel haar.	I call her.
It	Het	Ik zie het.	I see it.
Us	Ons	Hij helpt ons.	He helps us.
You (pl.)	Jullie	Wij zien jullie.	We see you (plural).
Them	Hen/Hun/Ze	Zij belt ze.	She calls them.

Notes:

Mij and jou can be stressed (to emphasize), but me and je are more common in casual use.
Hen, hun, and ze are all used for “them”:
- Hen is generally used as a direct object.
- Hun is used as an indirect object (explained further below).
- Ze is informal and works for both direct and indirect objects.

B. Indirect Object Pronouns

Indirect object pronouns refer to the person or thing that indirectly receives the action, usually benefiting from it. In Dutch, indirect objects often come with the preposition "aan" or "voor".

English	Dutch	Example Sentence	Translation
Me	Me/Mij	Hij geeft mij een cadeau.	He gives me a gift.
You	Je/Jou/U	Ik stuur jou een bericht.	I send you a message.
Him	Hem	Zij toont hem de foto.	She shows him the photo.
Her	Haar	Ik geef haar bloemen.	I give her flowers.
It	Het	Ik stuur het een signaal.	I send it a signal.
Us	Ons	Hij stuurt ons een brief.	He sends us a letter.
You (pl.)	Jullie	Wij geven jullie advies.	We give you (plural) advice.
Them	Hun	Zij vertelt hun een verhaal.	She tells them a story.

Examples in Sentences: "Hij geeft me een boek." = "He gives me a book." / "Wij vertellen hun een geheim." = "We tell them a secret."

2. Basic Prepositions

Prepositions in Dutch are used similarly to English. Here are some of the most common ones and their usage.

English	Dutch	Example Sentence	Translation
In	In	Ik ben in het huis.	I am in the house.
On	Op	Het boek ligt op tafel.	The book is on the table.
At	Bij	Ik ben bij mijn vriend.	I am at my friend’s house.
With	Met	Ik ga met haar naar de winkel.	I go with her to the store.
For	Voor	Dit is voor jou.	This is for you.
By	Door	Geschreven door hem.	Written by him.
Under	Onder	De kat zit onder de tafel.	The cat is under the table.
Above/Over	Boven	De lamp hangt boven de tafel.	The lamp hangs above the table.
Next to	Naast	Ik zit naast mijn vriendin.	I sit next to my friend.
Between	Tussen	Het boek ligt tussen de kranten.	The book is between the newspapers.

Examples in Sentences:

"De hond slaapt op de bank." = "The dog sleeps on the couch."
"Het cadeau is voor haar." = "The gift is for her."
"Ik ben in Amsterdam." = "I am in Amsterdam."

3. Putting It All Together

Combining object pronouns and prepositions, you can create more complete sentences:

Direct and Indirect Objects with Prepositions:
- "Ik geef het boek aan hem." = "I give the book to him."
- "Hij komt bij ons eten." = "He’s coming to eat with us."
- "Zij spreken met hen." = "They are speaking with them."