When you first move to the Netherlands and start learning Dutch, there are many things that might be confusing about the language, one of which is when to use u or je / jij. Traditionally, u is considered more polite than je and is used when addressing strangers, your elders or your boss. However, the respectful u is now being used less often, with people using the friendlier je more frequently, De Telegraaf has reported.
Using u as a form of address is increasingly considered old-fashioned and too formal. Younger generations are less likely to use it as often and according to etiquette expert Anne-Marie van Leggelo “grandparents seem to be ok with that”.
“We used to have clear rules about the way we spoke to our elders and superiors or managers at work,” Van Leggelo told De Telegraaf. “Now we go by instinct.” As the best non-native English speakers in the world, it’s not surprising that the anglicisation of the Netherlands could also be a part of the reason that the formal u is disappearing from use as Van Leggelo has suggested, with English only having a single form of address instead of the multiple forms in Dutch.
According to Dutch language expert Wouter van Wingerden, the Netherlands is a country that doesn’t like authoritarianism. If you’ve lived there for a while, you may have already noticed this at work. “Work floor hierarchies are disappearing. No one is more important than the rest,” he said. “U, particularly among colleagues is hardly ever heard these days.” It is Van Winferden’s belief that a society like the Netherlands which values broad social equality should not use such a formal form of address like u.
More Dutch companies use more familiar “je” or “jij”
Not only are people being more informal at their jobs and with elderly family members, but Dutch companies are also embracing the more familiar je and jij. “It’s part of a company’s strategy. People feel more included,” said Van Leggelo. “To say jij is refreshing while u is seen as old-fashioned and cheesy.”
Businesses such as Coolblue and McDonald’s, among others, use a more informal form of address in their advertisements with success. Dutch railway company NS even tried this out itself in announcements, however many were not happy with this, especially among older passengers who thought that it was too familiar, which led the rail operator to change it back to the more polite u.
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