Grammar Reference
Luxembourgish Grammar: A Beginner's Guide
Luxembourgish grammar sits between German and French. It follows Subject-Verb-Object word order, uses two auxiliary verbs (hunn and sinn), and has a simpler case system than German — three cases instead of four. Many French loanwords make the vocabulary feel familiar. The du/Dir distinction mirrors French tu/vous.
What is Luxembourgish?
Luxembourgish (Lëtzebuergesch) is a Germanic language spoken by around 400,000 people, primarily in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It developed from Moselle Franconian dialects and shares much of its structure with German, while borrowing heavily from French. Since 1984, it has been Luxembourg's official national language — the everyday tongue used in homes, schools, and public life.
How Luxembourgish Grammar Works
Luxembourgish grammar sits comfortably between German and French — it borrows Germanic case structure while streamlining many of the complex endings that deter learners. Compared to German, Luxembourgish is more approachable: fewer case declensions, a simpler article system, and many French loanwords that feel instantly familiar. Master word order, the two auxiliary verbs, negation, and the du/Dir distinction, and you have the scaffolding for a surprising range of everyday sentences.
📐 Word Order
Standard Luxembourgish follows Subject–Verb–Object order, much like English. The verb must always occupy the second position in the main clause:
- Ech iessen en Apel. — I eat an apple.
- Hatt schwätzt Lëtzebuergesch. — She speaks Luxembourgish.
- Mir wunnen zu Lëtzebuerg. — We live in Luxembourg.
When a time expression or adverb opens the sentence, the subject and verb swap around it — a rule shared with German:
- Haut ginn ech an d'Stad. — Today I go into town. (lit. Today go I…)
- Moies drénkt hien Kaffi. — In the morning he drinks coffee.
🔤 Essential Verbs: hunn & sinn
Hunn (to have) and sinn (to be) are the two most important verbs in Luxembourgish. They appear constantly on their own and as auxiliaries for forming the perfect tense.
| ech | hunn |
| du | hues |
| hien / hatt / si | huet |
| mir | hunn |
| dir | hutt |
| si | hunn |
hien = he, hatt = it/she (neuter), si = she
| ech | sinn |
| du | bass |
| hien / hatt / si | ass |
| mir | sinn |
| dir | sidd |
| si | sinn |
dir sidd = you are (plural or polite)
🚫 Negation
The primary negation word is net, placed after the verb — and after the object if there is one:
- Ech schwätzen net Franseesch. — I don't speak French.
- Hien ass net hei. — He is not here.
- Ech hunn dat net gemaach. — I didn't do that.
When negating a noun directly, use kee (masculine), keng (feminine / plural), or keen (neuter) — similar to German kein:
- Ech hunn keen Auto. — I have no car. (neuter: Auto)
- Hatt huet keng Zäit. — She has no time. (feminine: Zäit)
- Mir hunn kee Kaffi. — We have no coffee. (masculine: Kaffi)
👥 du vs Dir: Informal and Formal Address
Luxembourgish distinguishes between informal (du) and formal (Dir) address — a feature shared with German. Use du with friends, family, and close colleagues; use Dir with strangers, elders, or in professional settings. Dir also serves as the plural "you" when addressing a group.
| du — informal | Dir — formal / plural | |
|---|---|---|
| Use with | friends, family, close colleagues, children | strangers, elders, professionals, groups |
| hunn (to have) | du hues | Dir hutt |
| sinn (to be) | du bass | Dir sidd |
| Switching to informal | When someone says Soe mir du ("let's use du"), it is a warm invitation to drop formality. | |
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