The 20 words that come up most in official Dutch letters

Official letters in the Netherlands come from different bodies, but they share much the same language. The Belastingdienst, the municipality, UWV and the IND use the same words to announce a decision, ask for payment and set a deadline. Knowing these words makes it easier to work out who a letter is from, what it asks for and by which date.

In this post we have gathered the twenty words you will meet most often, grouped under four headings according to the part of the letter where they appear.

Dates and periods

The lines in a letter that need the most careful reading are the dates. Miss a period and you can lose the right to object, or find costs added to the debt.

Word	Meaning	Where it appears and what it means
dagtekeningdate of the letter · The date from which periods are counted	date of the letter	Printed near the top of the letter. The objection period usually runs from this date, not from the day the letter reached you.
termijnperiod, or instalment	period, or instalment	"Binnen de termijnperiod, or instalment" means "within the period". In a payment plan each instalment is also called a termijnperiod, or instalment.
uiterlijkat the latest	at the latest	In "Uiterlijkat the latest 15 oktober" the date given is the last day.
kenmerkreference number	reference number	Usually at the top right. You are asked for it in every letter and phone call with the body.

We explain in more detail which day a period starts on in our post about deadlines.

Decisions

When a letter announces a decision, the way to object to that decision is set out at the end of the same letter.

Word	Meaning	What it means
besluitdecision	decision	The decision the body has taken about you.
beschikkingadministrative decision	administrative decision	A formal decision addressed to one person. It appears often in letters about toeslagen, the WOZ value and traffic fines.
aanslagtax assessment · In everyday language it means 'attack'; in a tax letter it states the tax you must pay or will get back	tax assessment	In everyday language it means "attack"; in a tax letter it states the tax you must pay or will get back. A translation that ignores the context can render this word wrongly.
bezwaarobjection	objection	Made to the body that took the decision. The period is 6 weeks as a rule.
beroepappeal to the court	appeal to the court	The next step if the objection is rejected. It goes to the court, not to the body.

Payment

Word	Meaning	What it means
verschuldigdowed	owed	"Het verschuldigde bedrag" is the amount you owe.
voorschotadvance	advance	Toeslagen are paid as an advance; the final calculation is made after the year ends, and anything paid in excess is reclaimed.
terugvorderingreclaim	reclaim	A demand to pay back an amount that was paid in excess.
betalingsregelingpayment plan	payment plan	Requested when a debt cannot be paid in one go.
boetefine	fine	A verzuimboete is a fine for not meeting an obligation on time.

Warnings and procedure

Word	Meaning	What it means
herinneringreminder	reminder	The first warning in the payment process, usually without any costs.
aanmaningformal reminder	formal reminder	The second stage. Costs are usually added and a new payment period is given.
ingebrekestellingnotice of default	notice of default	A formal warning that the debtor is in default. From this stage on, interest and collection costs can start to run.
bijlageenclosure	enclosure	A form or statement sent with the letter. "Zie bijlageenclosure" tells you there is another document in the envelope.
machtigingauthorisation	authorisation	Permission given so that someone else can act on your behalf.
verzoekrequest	request	"Wij verzoeken u" reads like a polite request, but it usually tells you about something you are expected to do.

Stock sentences

The sentences below appear, word for word or very nearly, in letters from many bodies:

• "U kunt binnen zes weken na de dagtekeningdate of the letter · The date from which periods are counted van deze brief bezwaarobjection maken." You can object within 6 weeks of the date of this letter.
• "Wij verzoeken u het bedrag uiterlijkat the latest ... over te maken." You are asked to pay the amount by the date given at the latest.
• "Bent u het niet eens met dit besluitdecision?" If you do not agree with this decision. This sentence is always followed by a description of how to object.
• "Vermeld bij betaling het betalingskenmerk." Quote the payment reference when you pay. Without the reference, the payment may not be booked against the right debt.
• "Heeft u al betaald? Dan kunt u deze brief als niet verzonden beschouwen." If you have already paid, you can disregard this letter.
• "Wij hebben uw gegevens nog niet ontvangen." The information expected from you has not yet reached the body. This sentence usually comes with a new period.

From the words to the whole letter

Knowing what the words mean may not be enough to understand what a letter wants from you. "Voorlopige aanslagtax assessment · In everyday language it means 'attack'; in a tax letter it states the tax you must pay or will get back" translates as "provisional assessment", but whether the letter says you will be paid every month or that you are being asked to pay only becomes clear from the lines of the calculation table. And when you read a "beschikkingadministrative decision", what matters most is whether the decision goes in your favour or against you.

That is why we suggest treating the word list as a starting point. Across the whole letter you are looking for the answers to four questions: who the letter is from, what has been decided, what is being asked of you, and by which date you have to do it.

Letrin's role with these letters

Letrin reads the photo of the letter on your phone and gives the answers to those four questions in your language: the type of letter, the body that sent it, a short summary, what is being asked of you, the steps to take, the dates and the amounts. The words from this post stay in Dutch in the explanation, with their meaning in your language beside them. That way you recognise the same terms when you write to the body or speak to it on the phone.

The photo does not leave your phone. Only text that you have approved, with personal details such as your BSN and IBAN hidden, is sent to the server. No account is needed, and the first explanations are free.

Check it against the paper

This list gives the general meaning of each word; the legal effect of a term can change with the context of the letter. We recommend always checking dates and amounts against the original letter. If you are unsure about a decision, Juridisch Loket and the municipality's sociaal raadslieden give free help.