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Questions & Answers about Ik mis de familie.
Why is mis spelled with only one 's', unlike the English word 'miss'?
The infinitive (dictionary form) of the verb is missen. To find the ik (I) form, we usually remove the -en ending, which would leave us with 'miss'. However, a strict Dutch spelling rule states that words never end in a double consonant. Therefore, we drop the extra 's' to make it mis. Because the syllable is still closed by that single 's', the 'i' keeps its short sound perfectly well without needing a double letter.
Does familie mean exactly the same thing as the English word 'family'?
Not quite. In Dutch, familie usually refers to your extended family (including aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents). If you want to talk about your nuclear family (just the parents and children living together in one household), you should use the word gezin instead.
How can I remember to use de instead of het with familie?
Familie is a de word. A very helpful trick for this is that Dutch nouns ending in the letters -ie (like familie, politie, or vakantie) almost always take de.
Can I also use missen if I am late and miss a train?
Yes! Just like in English, the Dutch verb missen can be used both for emotionally missing a person (as in this sentence) and for failing to catch transportation, like missing a bus or a train.