kaartje

Kaartje is a Dutch noun, the diminutive form of kaart, meaning a card. In everyday Dutch, kaartje denotes a small card used for information, access, or communication, and can refer to physical or digital items. The word has several common senses.

One sense is a ticket or pass: a train ticket (treinkaartje), a cinema ticket, or any admission card. It is also used for small cards that certify something or grant entry, such as a bus kaartje or a festival kaartje. Another frequent use is in the context of greeting cards or postcards; people say sending a kaartje or a little card.

The term also appears in compounds, most notably visitekaartje, the standard term for a business card; a kaartje with a personal message may accompany a gift.

Etymology: kaartje comes from kaart, meaning card, from Latin carta via French carte; the diminutive -je signals smallness or affection. In practice, kaartje is more informal than kaart, and can be used for both physical cards and digital equivalents (e-tickets, e-cards).

Regional usage: it is widely used in the Netherlands and Flanders. Context determines exact meaning: it can refer to a ticket, a greeting card, or a small note.