matje

Matje is the diminutive form of mat in Dutch, used to refer to a small mat or mat-like object. The term signals a compact or lighter version of a regular mat and is common in everyday language for household items and simple floor coverings.

In households, matjes serve practical purposes such as protecting floors, providing cushioning, or preventing slipping. They can be found as small door mats (deurmattje), bath mats (badmatje), kitchen mats (keukenmatje), or various surface mats intended for cleaning, comfort, or safety. Matjes come in a range of materials, including cotton, synthetic fibers, rubber, and foam, depending on the intended use.

In sports and fitness contexts, matje often denotes a mat used for floor exercises or safety during training. Examples include yogamatje (yoga mat) and other compact mats designed for activities performed on the floor. The diminutive form emphasizes a lighter, more portable version of a full-sized mat.

Matje is primarily a Dutch term and is typically not used as a technical term in other languages. It should not be confused with maatje, a different Dutch word that can mean a friend or buddy, nor with maatjesharing, a culinary term for a type of small herring. As a productive suffix, -je appears in many Dutch compound nouns to indicate a smaller or affectionate version of the base noun.