In Dutch, you can turn an adjective into a noun to describe a person or a group of people. This is especially common when discussing healthcare, charity, and community support.
A Single Person
To refer to one person, add -e to the adjective and use the article de.
- blind (blind) becomes de blinde (the blind person)
- gehandicapt (disabled) becomes de gehandicapte (the disabled person)
| If the blind person falls, I help him. | Als de blinde valt, help ik hem. |
| The wheelchair is for the disabled person. | De rolstoel is voor de gehandicapte. |
Standard Dutch spelling rules apply when adding this ending. For example, consonants often change (f becomes v, s becomes z) and open long vowels drop a letter:
- doof (deaf) becomes de dove
- dakloos (homeless) becomes de dakloze
| The deaf person did not hear the car. | De dove hoorde de auto niet. |
| The homeless person sleeps outside in the winter. | De dakloze slaapt in de winter buiten. |
A Group of People
To refer to a plural group of people, add -en to the adjective. You can use de when talking about a specific group (like "the poor"), or leave the article off for a general statement (like "lonely people").
| The foundation organizes a party for the deaf people. | De stichting organiseert een feest voor de doven. |
| We donate clothes to the poor people. | Wij doneren kleren aan de armen. |
| The foundation helps the sick people. | De stichting helpt de zieken. |
| Lonely people often have a pet. | Eenzamen hebben vaak een huisdier. |
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