gij

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Dutch

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Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle Dutch gī, ghi, from Old Dutch gī, from Proto-West Germanic *jiʀ, from Proto-Germanic *jīz, Northwest Germanic variant of *jūz, from Proto-Indo-European *yū́. Doublet of jij.

Compare also Low German ji, jie, English ye, German ihr.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɣɛi̯/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: gij
  • Rhymes: -ɛi̯

Pronoun

gij

  1. (dialectal, colloquial) you
    Motte gij nog een pilske?
    Do you want another beer?
  2. (archaic, literary, religious) thou, ye
    Gij zult niet doden.
    Thou shalt not kill.
    • 1933, “Tussen hoop en vrees” (0:10:37 from the start), in Andere Tijden‎, spoken by Juliana of the Netherlands, published 2011 via VPRO, retrieved 16 July 2024:
      Ik eindig tenslotte met de wens, dat gij, die deze geluidsfilm hoort en ziet, dat ons volk met al de voldoening die hierbij mogelijk is, terug zal kunnen zien op de nationale inzameling, tot beloning van hen die er de omvangrijke uitvoering van verrichten, en tot de dankbaarheid van degenen die het allerzwaarst lijden onder de algemene nood.
      I will conclude, finally, by wishing that ye who hear and see this sound film, that our people will be able to look back on the national fundraising with all the satisfaction that could be possible in doing so, to the reward of those who carry out its extensive implementation and to the gratitude of those who suffer most severely from the general distress.
    • 1947, J.A.A. van Doorn, quoting Simon Spoor, ‎, quoted in Gevangen in de tijd. Over generaties en hun geschiedenis, Amsterdam: Boom, published 2002, →ISBN, page 28:
      Gij rukt niet op om aan dit land den oorlog te brengen, maar om het de vrede te hergeven.
      You are not advancing to bring war to this country, but to restore peace to it.
    • 1966 September 20, “Troonrede 1966 [Speech from the throne 1966]”, in Parlement.com‎, retrieved 3 October 2023:
      De Regering (...) wil bevorderen dat de kritische belangstelling, die bij velen voor het openbaar gebeuren bestaat, zich positief kan richten op het vervullen der taken, waarvoor ons volk zich gesteld ziet. Dit zal alleen mogelijk zijn als Gij, leden van de volksvertegenwoordiging, in voortdurend contact met ons volk in al zijn geledingen, daaraan Uw medewerking verleent.
      The Government (...) wants to promote that the critical interest in public affairs, which exists among many, can focus positively on the fulfilment of the tasks facing our people. This will only be possible if Ye, members of parliament, in constant contact with our people in all its parts, lend your cooperation to this.

Usage notes

  • In most of the Netherlands, the personal pronoun gij and its variants are now mainly used in religious context and are otherwise considered archaic. In Belgium and the southern Netherlands, gij is still the go-to second-person singular in colloquial language; in formal written language it is not used unless the referred second person is God or the monarch.
  • The best translation when used in archaic contexts would be thou; when used in Belgium or the southern Netherlands, it would typically be a familiar you (singular), like tu in French. Unlike in English, gij usually takes the same verb form as jij except when there is inversion or with some irregular verbs or in the past tense. Compare heb jij dit gedaan? versus hebt gij dit gedaan? (have you / hast thou done this?). Also: jij zal versus gij zult (you shall/will / thou shalt/wilt), jij bent versus gij zijt (you are / thou art), jij vloog versus gij vloogt (you flew / thou flewest) etc.

Declension

Dutch personal pronouns
subject object possessive reflexive genitive5
singular full unstr. full unstr. full unstr. pred.
1st person ik 'k1 mij me mijn m'n1 mijne me mijner, mijns
2nd person jij je jou je jouw je jouwe je jouwer, jouws
2nd person archaic or regiolectal gij ge u – uw – uwe u uwer, uws
2nd person formal u – u – uw – uwe zich uwer, uws
3rd person masculine hij ie1 hem 'm1 zijn z'n1 zijne zich zijner, zijns
3rd person feminine zij ze haar h'r1, 'r1, d'r1 haar h'r1, 'r1, d'r1 hare zich harer, haars
3rd person neuter het 't1 het 't1 zijn z'n1 zijne zich zijner, zijns
plural
1st person wij we ons – ons, onze2 – onze ons onzer, onzes
2nd person jullie je jullie je jullie je – je –
2nd person archaic or regiolectal6 gij ge u – uw – uwe u uwer, uws
2nd person formal u – u – uw – uwe zich uwer, uws
3rd person zij ze hen3, hun4 ze hun – hunne zich hunner, huns
1) Not as common in written language.
2) Inflected as an adjective.
3) In prescriptivist use, used only as direct object (accusative).
4) In prescriptivist use, used only as indirect object (dative). 		5) Archaic. Nowadays used for formal, literary or poetic purposes, and in fixed expressions.
6) To differentiate from the singular gij, gelle (object form elle) and variants are commonly used colloquially in Belgium. Archaic forms are gijlieden and gijlui ("you people").

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Pronunciation

Etymology 1

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “from 幾?”)

Classifier

gij (Sawndip forms 𰂌 or 几 or 其 or 鳮 or 启, 1957–1982 spelling giз)

  1. Classifier for abstract nouns.
  2. Classifier for a group of objects.
  3. Derives a noun from a verb.
Derived terms

Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “from Proto-Tai *C̬.qɯjꟲ (“excrement”)?”)

Noun

gij (1957–1982 spelling giз)

  1. (dialectal) faeces; stool; dung
    Synonym: haex

Etymology 3

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “from 舉?”)

Verb

gij (1957–1982 spelling giз)

  1. to elect; to choose; to recommend
    Synonym: gawj
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