Register: Choosing 'u' or 'je' and the Proper Greeting — Writing A2

A missing greeting or closing immediately drops your score on a Dutch email or letter.

Before you write a single word, identify your recipient to pick the right register. Are you writing to the gemeente, a huisarts (doctor), or a school? Use the formal register (u). Are you writing to a vriend, a buurman, or a direct colleague? Use the informal register (je).

Consistency wins. If you start formal, stay formal. If you begin a formal letter, you must use u and uw for the entire text. Never switch to je or jouw halfway through! Mixed register is a very common mistake that will severely impact your result.