Editing Dutch grammar (section)

====Diminutive in {{lang|nl|-tje}}====

The basic suffix {{lang|nl|-tje}} is modified in different ways depending on the final sounds of the noun it is attached to.

The {{lang|nl|-t-}} is removed from the ending when added to words ending in a [[fricative]] or [[plosive]] (-b, -c, -d, -f, -g, -ch, -k, -p, -q, -s, -sj, -t, -v, -x, -z).

* hond → hondje
* brief → briefje
* hok → hokje
* vis → visje
* douche → doucheje ({{IPA|/duʃ/}} → {{IPA|/ˈduʃ(j)ə/}})
* race → raceje ({{IPA|/reːs/}} → {{IPA|/ˈreːsjə/}} ~ {{IPA|/ˈreːʃə/}})

The last two words end in a consonant sound, despite not being spelled that way.

When the vowel of the last syllable is both short and stressed, and it is followed by a [[sonorant]], an extra schwa {{lang|nl|-e-}} is inserted, giving {{lang|nl|-etje}}.
* kom → kommetje
* pil → pilletje
* lam → lammetje
* ding → dingetje
* vriendin → vriendinnetje
* baron → baronnetje

In all other cases, the basic form {{lang|nl|-tje}} is used. This includes:
* Words ending in a stressed tense/long vowel or [[diphthong]].
* Words ending in any unstressed vowel.
* Words ending in one of the above types of vowel, followed by {{lang|nl|-l}}, {{lang|nl|-n}}, {{lang|nl|-r}}.
* Words ending in one of the above types of vowel, followed by {{lang|nl|-m}}. The resulting combination {{lang|nl|-mtje}} is assimilated to {{lang|nl|-mpje}}.
* Words ending in one of the above types of vowel, followed by {{lang|nl|-ng}}. The resulting combination {{lang|nl|-ngtje}} is assimilated to {{lang|nl|-nkje}}.

When the final vowel is long, it is doubled accordingly. Final {{lang|nl|-i}}, which does not really occur in native Dutch words, is converted into {{lang|nl|-ie}}. Final {{lang|nl|-y}} gets an apostrophe.

* koe → koetje
* auto → autootje
* mama → mamaatje
* vrouw → vrouwtje
* taxi → taxietje
* baby → baby'tje
* school → schooltje
* kuil → kuiltje
* maan → maantje
* muur → muurtje
* appel → appeltje
* boom → boompje
* duim → duimpje
* bodem → bodempje
* koning → koninkje
* houding → houdinkje

In the case of the vowels {{lang|nl|oe}} and {{lang|nl|ie}}, there is some ambiguity. While pronounced short in many dialects, they can also be long for some speakers, so forms both with and without the extra {{lang|nl|-e-}} can be found.
* bloem → bloemetje ''or'' bloempje (however {{lang|nl|bloemetje}} has an additional meaning: {{lang|en|bouquet}})<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://taaladvies.net/taal/advies/vraag/1195/bloem_bloempje_bloemetje/|title = Bloempje / Bloemetje – Taaladvies}}</ref>
* wiel → wieltje ''or'' wieletje