Social relations

Etiquette

In the Netherlands it is common to address unknown or older people with ‘u’. Friends and colleagues usually address each other with ‘jij’. According to etiquette you always address someone new with ‘u’, until one of the speakers indicates that this is no longer necessary. It is usually the older or more senior person who takes the initiative to do so.

‘Gezin’ and ‘familie’

The Dutch see family as the basis of their social environment. It is important to mention that the Dutch language has two words for the English word ‘family’: ‘gezin’ and ‘familie’. This is unusual in Europe. ‘Gezin’ refers to the close, immediate family, consisting of the people within the household; in a traditional family the husband, wife and children. ‘Familie’ refers to the larger family, to which everyone belongs that is biologically or lawfully related.
Dutch people think it is cute to call their dear friend or relative poepie, scheetje or drollie, which literally means “little poop”, “little fart”, and “dumpie”.