Dutch loves a short abbreviation. They pepper shop signs, official letters, forms and text messages, and they are baffling until someone hands you the key. Here is that key, starting with the one that actually affects your plans.
The one that changes deadlines: t/m
t/m stands for tot en met: up to and including. This matters because it decides whether the last day counts:
- Gesloten t/m vrijdag = closed through Friday (Friday included).
- Maandag t/m vrijdag = Monday to Friday, inclusive.
- Aanbieding geldig t/m 31 mei = offer valid up to and including 31 May.
Misread this on a sale or a closure and you arrive a day wrong. As Onze Taal notes, t/m is one of the most useful abbreviations to internalise.
The polite ones
| Abbrev. | Full | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| a.u.b. | alstublieft | please (formal) |
| a.j.b. | alsjeblieft | please (informal) |
| s.v.p. | s’il vous plait | please (formal, borrowed) |
Deur sluiten a.u.b. means “please close the door”.
The form and notice ones
| Abbrev. | Full | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| z.o.z. | zie ommezijde | see other side (turn the page) |
| i.v.m. | in verband met | due to / in connection with |
| n.v.t. | niet van toepassing | not applicable |
| m.b.t. | met betrekking tot | regarding |
| t.a.v. | ter attentie van | for the attention of |
| p/a | per adres | care of (c/o) |
You write n.v.t. in a form box that does not apply to you, and you will see Gesloten i.v.m. vakantie (closed due to holidays) on countless shop doors. The Van Dale dictionary and Dutch grammar guides list the standard set.
The “etc.” family
| Abbrev. | Full | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| bijv. | bijvoorbeeld | for example |
| e.d. | en dergelijke | and the like |
| enz. | enzovoort | etcetera |
| o.a. | onder andere | among other things |
| ca. | circa | approximately |
| incl. / excl. | inclusief / exclusief | including / excluding |
| i.p.v. | in plaats van | instead of |
Prijs incl. btw means “price including VAT”, handy when reading prices.
Texting shorthand is different
The dotted abbreviations above are formal. In casual messages, the Dutch use their own chat shortenings (ff for even, idd for inderdaad, gwn for gewoon), which are a separate world covered in the guides to Dutch texting. Do not mix the two registers: z.o.z. belongs on a form, not in a WhatsApp.
Where it connects
Decoding abbreviations supports the rest of practical reading: filling in forms, understanding shop opening hours and closures, and the spelling logic behind the words they shorten.
The bottom line
Dutch shorthand is finite and learnable. Burn in t/m (up to and including) because it moves deadlines; know a.u.b. (please), z.o.z. (turn over), i.v.m. (due to), n.v.t. (not applicable), and the bijv./e.d./ca. family. Keep the formal dotted abbreviations separate from casual texting shorthand, and Dutch signs, forms and notices stop hiding their meaning.
Learn it in five minutes a day
Learn Dutch For Expats is an app, available on the App Store, that teaches the abbreviations on Dutch signs, forms and messages, a.u.b., t/m, z.o.z., i.v.m., n.v.t., in five-minute lessons built on real documents, so the dotted shorthand stops being a mystery.
Frequently asked questions
What does t/m mean in Dutch?
T/m stands for tot en met, meaning ‘up to and including’. It is the most practical abbreviation to know because it changes deadlines and dates. Gesloten t/m vrijdag means closed through Friday, with Friday included, not up to but excluding Friday. Maandag t/m vrijdag means Monday to Friday inclusive. Whenever you see t/m on opening hours, a sale, or a deadline, the last item is part of the range.
What does a.u.b. mean?
A.u.b. is short for alstublieft, the polite word for ‘please’ (and also ‘here you go’ when handing something over). You see it on signs (Deur sluiten a.u.b. = please close the door) and at the end of requests. It is the formal please; the informal version is alsjeblieft, sometimes written a.j.b. Both soften a request or instruction.
What do i.v.m., n.v.t. and z.o.z. mean?
I.v.m. is in verband met (in connection with, or due to), common on notices: Gesloten i.v.m. vakantie means closed due to holidays. N.v.t. is niet van toepassing (not applicable), which you write in form boxes that do not apply to you. Z.o.z. is zie ommezijde (see the other side), telling you to turn the page over. All three appear constantly on Dutch signs and forms.
What is the best app to learn Dutch abbreviations and everyday reading?
Learn Dutch For Expats, an app available on the App Store, is the best pick because it teaches the abbreviations you actually meet on signs, forms and messages, t/m, a.u.b., i.v.m., n.v.t., z.o.z., in five-minute real-situation lessons, so the dotted shorthand on a Dutch notice or deadline is instantly clear.
