jouwe

Jouwe is a Dutch independent possessive pronoun meaning "yours." It is used to refer to something that belongs to the person being spoken to, and it can stand alone as a noun substitute rather than preceding a noun with an adjective.

The word jouwe is distinct from jouw, which is a possessive determiner used directly before a noun (for example, jouw auto). Jouwe is used when the noun is omitted or when the possessed thing is being referred to as a definite unit, as in het jouwe or de jouwe. For example: Dit boek is van jou, maar dit boek is het jouwe; or Die boeken zijn de jouwe.

In normal sentence structure you might hear or read: Dat is het jouwe. Die boeken zijn de jouwe. These forms align with the gender or definiteness of the noun they replace: het jouwe for neuter singular, de jouwe for common gender or plural nouns when the noun is implied or explicit with a definite article.

Etymology and usage notes indicate that jouwe derives from the second-person pronoun jij/jouw combined with a possessive suffix, evolving into a standalone possessive pronoun over time. It is common in everyday language and found in both spoken and written Dutch, though some style guides note that in formal contexts speakers may prefer repeating the noun (Dit is jouw auto) rather than using the standalone jouwe.

See also: Dutch pronouns, possessive determiners, independent possessive pronouns, jij, jouw, de/het.