Breakdown of Meneer, we hebben uw paspoort.
meneer
sir / Mr.
hebben
to have
het paspoort
the passport
uw
your (formal)
we
we (unstressed form of wij)
Questions & Answers about Meneer, we hebben uw paspoort.
Why use uw here instead of jouw for "your"?
Uw is the formal version of "your". Because the speaker is addressing the person respectfully as Meneer (Sir), they use the polite form uw instead of the informal jouw.
Does uw change its spelling depending on the word that comes after it, like ons/onze does?
No, uw never changes. Unlike ons, which becomes onze before de-words, uw is always exactly the same, whether it comes before a de-word, a het-word (like paspoort), or a plural noun.
Does meneer mean "Sir" or "Mr."?
It can mean both! When used by itself to address someone directly, like in this sentence, it translates to "Sir". If you put a last name right after it, like Meneer Jansen, it translates to "Mr. Jansen".
Could I say wij hebben instead of we hebben?
Yes, you can. We and wij both mean "we". We is the unstressed, everyday version used when you are just stating a normal fact. You would use wij if you wanted to emphasize that we have it, as opposed to someone else having it.
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