Prinsesje Petronella wil leren beeldhouwen

What does the “-je” ending mean in Dutch?

A spoiled royal demands sculpting lessons in this puppet sketch, introduced as «Prinsesje Petronella» (“little Princess Petronella”). That -je ending on prinsesje is the Dutch diminutive, and the Dutch bolt it onto almost everything.

It can mean “small” (een huisje, a little house), “cute” or affectionate (prinsesje), or just cosy and casual (een biertje, “a beer”; een uurtje, “an hour or so”). The ending shifts with the word: -je, -tje, -pje, -etje. Sprinkle them on and your Dutch instantly sounds friendlier, and very, very Dutch. Even a bratty princess gets one.