jongere

Jongere is a Dutch noun that refers to a young person. The term is gender-neutral and widely used in both informal and formal contexts. It denotes a person in the transition from childhood to adulthood, rather than a person defined by a strict birth-year bracket. Because age ranges can vary by policy, organization, or country, the exact span attributed to a jongere is not fixed.

Etymology and nuance: Jongere is formed from the word jong, meaning young, with the agent suffix -er. It is related to jongen (boy) but is not restricted to males. The plural form is jongeren. In everyday Dutch, jongere is often contrasted with tiener (teenager) and jeugd (youth), though these terms do not map exactly onto the same age ranges and can cover different concepts of social groupings.

Usage in policy and society: In the Netherlands and Flemish Belgium, the term is common in education, youth work, and social policy. Government reports, municipal programs, and non-profit organizations refer to jongeren when discussing needs and services related to education, employment, housing, mental health, and civic participation. Depending on the program, the defined age range for jongeren can include early adolescence through late twenties, with some policies using narrower or broader definitions.

See also: Youth, Adolescence.