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De or het ouder?

de ouder

parent, father or mother; by extension a substitute caregiver

/ˈɑu̯dər/

Article and plural

Singular
de ouder
Plural (meervoud)
de ouders
Diminutive
het oudertje

Why de?

  • No reliable spelling rule decides this one, so de ouder is learned together with the word.
  • Every plural takes de, so it is de ouders whatever the singular takes.
  • Every diminutive takes het: het oudertje.

The rules for de and het, with the exceptions

Check the article of another noun

What de changes

SingularPlural
this, thesedeze ouderdeze ouders
that, thosedie ouderdie ouders
which (the … that)de ouder die …de ouders die …
ouronze ouderonze ouders

Meaning in English

  1. parent, father or mother; by extension a substitute caregiver

Remember ouder with Spreek

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