How to write an email or letter in Dutch: the complete guide

Dutch people are very direct, we are not trying to offend, it is just the way we communicate. Communicating with Dutch people can be intimidating.

This guide to writing emails and letters in Dutch will walk you through many example phrases and cultural tips.

How to start an email or a letter in Dutch

Whether you are writing an email or a letter, start with a greeting. The most common formal Dutch email salutations are:

• Geachte meneer/mevrouw, (“Dear Sir/Madam” - used if the gender of recipient is not known)
• Geachte mevrouw … , (“Dear Ms …” - used if the recipient is female)
• Geachte meneer … , (“Dear Mr …” - used if the recipient is male)
• Geachte lezer, (“Dear reader” - gender-neutral or used when gender is not known)
• Beste meneer/mevrouw, or Beste lezer, (slightly less formal, but also okay to use)

Salutations should end with a comma. Dutch salutations for letters are the same as those used for emails.

Dutch email / letter openings for formal correspondences

Dutch people are very direct. This is apparent in the way they write letters. Correspondence should be as short, clear, and as to-the-point as possible. It is not advised to add any information that is not strictly necessary.

In addition, Dutch people are very informal. This means that even in any kind of formal correspondence the use of humour is not frowned upon and sometimes even encouraged.

There is an interesting contrast between Dutch email etiquette and German email etiquette. In German humor is absolutely not acceptable in a formal letter whereas in Dutch it is encouraged in certain cases because, to a Dutch person, it shows great social skills and creativity.

Standing out is not only acceptable in Dutch culture, it also increases your chances of landing a job or getting new customers.

Here are some Dutch phrases which can be used to start an email:

• Ik schrijf deze brief omdat …
  (“I’m writing this letter because […]”. Quick and to the point way of stating the purpose of the correspondence)
• Hartelijk dank voor uw e-mail/uw snelle reactie.
  (“Thank you very much for your email/quick reply.” - Dutch people very much appreciate gratitude so this is a very strong way to start an email if there has been correspondence before)
• Hopelijk heb je een fijn weekend gehad.
  (“I hope you had a nice weekend.” - Often used for writing to a colleague or friend before asking for something)
• Graag wil ik reageren op de vacature voor Marketing Manager
  (“I would like to apply for the job vacancy for Marketing Manager.” - Clearly states that the sender is writing because of a job vacancy that they would like to apply for)

Cultural tip: Creating a personal bond is important, even if you don’t really know the recipient. Kindness is very very much appreciated. If you aren’t kind, the recipient will not be inclined to be helpful.

Here are some examples of ways this is done in Dutch:

asking a short question or making a friendly statement before getting to the point:

• “Hopelijk heb je een fijn weekend gehad.” (I hope you had a nice weekend.)
• “Hopelijk heb je een leuke dag” (I hope you are having a niceday)

These are just used in the initial (outreach) email. Subsequent emails should be more direct.

Never start a Dutch outreach email with an apology like “sorry to bother you”, because it sounds really negative and the recipient will feel reluctant to help.

Writing to a colleague, unlike in some other European cultures, is not considered formal correspondence in the Netherlands. Dutch companies prefer a horizontal hierarchy, everybody is considered equally important. You just have to be respectful, you don’t have to be formal.

Dutch email / letter openings for casual/informal correspondences

The Dutch are very direct and down-to-earth and prefer informality over formality. Because of this direct attitude and openness, any polite opening is socially accepted.

Here are the common ways to start an informal email (or letter) in Dutch:

• Lieve …, (“Dear … ” this is used when writing to parents, friends, or other close relationships)
• Beste …, (also means “Dear … ” but is used in a slightly more formal way. Do not use this for family but rather for acquaintances)
• Hallo …, (“Hello … ” can be used to write a quick email, postcard or other short correspondence)

How should Dutch names be capitalized in email greetings?

The capitalization of Dutch names changes when they are used after a salutation.

Many Dutch names last names consist of two or more words (for example “de Vries” and “van der Veen” are common Dutch last names ).

Notice that in “van der Veen” the words ‘van’ and ‘der’ are not capitalized. But in some cases, they will be capitalized. These cases are:

• when used with a title (or with after Mister/Misses): for example, “professor Van der Veen”
• when used with a salutation, for example: “Geachte meneer Van der Veen” (Dear mister Van der Veen)

A common mistake that non-native Dutch speakers make is capitalizing “meneer” (mister) and “mevrouw” (miss). These are not capitalized in Dutch.

When the recipient’s initials are included, the rules of capitalization are different again. When writing a name and starting with initials a last name consisting of multiple words should not be capitalized.

For example:

• Geachte J.C. de Vries, (Dear J.C. de Vries,)
• Geachte mevrouw L.H. van der Veen, (Dear Ms L.H. Van der Veen,)

The following only applies to letters (and not emails): the acronym t.a.v stands for “ter attentie van”, which means “to the attention of”.

It appears on the letter’s envelope, in the form “t.a.v. [name of recipient]”, it only appears inside of a letter in the case of a job application. This makes the letter look more professional and will ensure that it will reach the right person.

How to end an email or letter in Dutch

The ending of a Dutch email should be short and to the point. If there is an attachment, the ending of the letter is the place to refer to it.

Also, use a short sentence to express your gratitude or include a call to action. Dutch people appreciate creativity very much and it is therefore encouraged to come up with a creative ending.

Examples of how to end a letter can be found in the topic “Other useful Dutch e-mail phrases''.

How do you end a formal email or letter in Dutch?

There is only one way to end a formal letter in Dutch which is “Met vriendelijke groeten’ (with kind regards). Sometimes you will see only the words “Vriendelijke groeten” (kind regards). This is also okay. Any other ending of a letter will be seen as informal.

How do you end an informal email / letter in Dutch?

As mentioned before, Dutch people prefer informality over formality. This means that it is basically ok to end an informal correspondence any way you like.

Commonly, people calling for action in a correspondence will end with:

• Alvast bedankt!
  (thank you in advance!)
• Ik hoor graag van je
  (I would love to hear from you).

Other common ways to end an informal correspondence are:

• Hartelijke groet(en),
  (“Kind regards” - used for acquaintances)
• Groet(en),
  (“Greetings” - used for any kind of informal correspondence)
• Veel liefs,
  (“Lots of love” - used for close relationships such as friends and family)

There’s really no wrong way to end an informal correspondence in Dutch. Be creative and it will surely be appreciated.

Other useful Dutch email phrases

• Ik vertrouw erop u hiermee van dienst te zijn geweest
  (“I hope that I have been of service to you.” - Very formal, only used as reply to a formal letter)
• Vertrouwende u hiermee voldoende geïnformeerd te hebben
  (“I trust that I have informed you well.” - Very formal, only used as reply to a formal letter)
• Graag zie ik uw antwoord zo spoedig mogelijk tegemoet
  (“I hope to hear from you soon.” - Formal and used to ask for a quick reply)
• Ik zie uw reactie graag tegemoet
  (“I hope to receive your reaction soon.” - Formal and used to ask for a reply)
• Als u nog vragen hebt, twijfelt u dan niet om contact met mij op te nemen
  (“Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.”)
• In de bijlage vindt u …
  (“In the attachments you will find…”)

Specific types of Dutch letters

There are many kinds of correspondences but the most important ones will be explained below.

How to write a postcard in Dutch

Sending a postcard in Dutch is the perfect example of a situation where informal language is used. Common salutations are:

• Hallo …! (Hello ..!)
• Beste …, (Dear …,)

After the salutation, you can be as creative as you like and end with a nice greeting such as the following.

• Zie je snel! (See you soon!)
• Lieve groetjes (Dear greetings)
• Groetjes (Greetings)

An exception is a condolence card. In this case, it is common to write “Met oprechte deelneming” (with sincere condolences), followed by the names of the writer and the writer’s direct family. Do not add any informalities or other information.

How to write a thank you card in Dutch

A thank you card is a formal correspondence in the Netherlands. It is often used to thank someone for delivering great service or doing a great favor for someone.

Situations in which you could send a thank you card are:

• When someone sends you a nice gift
• When you have ended a job or internship and would like to thank your former employer
• When you had a good (job) interview

Since Dutch culture is very direct it is okay to ask for a good reference or feedback in a thank you letter. This will be highly appreciated by the recipient.

Sentences that can be used are, for example:

• Heel erg bedankt (Thank you very much)
• Ik waardeer het heel erg (I appreciate it very much)
• Zou je een referentiebrief voor me willen schrijven?
  (Could you write me a good reference?)

How to write a birthday card in Dutch

When writing a birthday card on behalf of your family, it is enough to just write “Gefeliciteerd” (Congratulations) and end with the names of your family starting from oldest to youngest.

If you are writing a birthday card to a good friend or to a direct family member, it is expected to be a little more elaborate.

Write for example “Fijne verjaardag” (Happy birthday) or “Dat je maar een oude man/vrouw mag worden” (I hope you will one day become an old man/woman). The last wish is actually very common in Dutch and is meant to wish the receiver a long and healthy life.

What do you write on a Dutch wedding card

There are no specific rules for writing wedding cards, although it is encouraged to get a little creative.

Most Dutch people write a short and sweet sentence wishing the happy couple good luck and happiness.

Others just write “Veel geluk” (Lots of luck) and their names. A Dutch wedding card does not require lots of elaboration.

Dutch email/ letter example

This is an example of a very formal Dutch letter. In this case, the writer is applying to a job vacancy on a website. The writer does not know the name nor gender of the contact person and therefore uses the salutation “Geachte lezer,” (Dear reader,).

Below, you will find an example of an informal correspondence, in this case, a postcard sent to a friend of the writer.