Dutch IJ explained (+ Free kerning text)
Understanding the peculiarities of the Dutch ‘IJ’ digraph and implementing appropriate spacing and kerning rules is crucial to achieve optimal visual harmony and readability. To assist you with this, I’ve compiled a spacing and kerning list specifically tailored for the uppercase ‘IJ’ and lowercase ‘ij’ digraph.
What is this IJ character?
The ‘IJ’ and ‘ij’ are digraphs of the letters i and j which occurs in the Dutch language. A digraph is a pair of characters used to write either a distinct sound or a sequence of sounds that does not correspond to the normal values of the two characters combined. In the Dutch language we use the ‘ij’ in all sorts of common words.
Does my font need a IJ character?
Don’t worry if your font has no ‘IJ’ or ‘ij’ glyph, 90% of the time it is not needed at all if you don’t change the character shape. You can write words like IJsselmeer (with two uppercase characters) or ijsjes (with two lowercase characters) and that’s totally fine for any Dutch speaker to read, but some letterforms allow it to design a single character that mostly looks like a ‘U’ and an ‘I’ combined, or in the case of a lowercase a ‘u’ and ‘j’ combined.
The uppercase IJ is needed in vertical text. If you type a Dutch word in the vertical position you need to add the IJ as a single character.
Some examples of upper- and lowercase implementation of the ‘IJ’ and ‘ij’.
Writing a word like ‘IJssel’ with uppercase I+J is fully understandable by any Dutch speaking person. For the lowercase as well with an i+j. It should not look like a ‘y’ with diaeresis. The tittles (dots) should sit on the stems.
And if you’re adding the IJ and ij to your font, make sure to include the acute as well.
We Dutch use these characters to emphasize a word.
Dutch IJ and ij Kerning Table
I’ve compiled a spacing and kerning list specifically tailored for the uppercase ‘IJ’ and lowercase ‘ij’ digraph. This list contains all the words you can find in the Dutch language. Copy paste them into your favorite type design software.
Lowercase in alphabetical order followed by the Dutch ‘ij’ character
aij - zij
naijver naijlende habijt hakbijl accijns kapucijner omdijk bandijzer geijkt beijzeld piekfijn hoefijzer droogijs chirurgijn ophijsen schijnsel inkijk harlekijn blijvend blijheid roomijs galmijt insnijden buitenijs strooijonker gaspijp nekpijn rijmen grijnzen etsijzer neersijpelde stijl denktijd ouija ravijn houtvijl wijnvat zwijmelen azijn zijde
AIJ - ZIJ
NAIJVER NAIJLENDE HABIJT HAKBIJL ACCIJNS KAPUCIJNER OMDIJK BANDIJZER GEIJKT BEIJZELD PIEKFIJN HOEFIJZER DROOGIJS CHIRURGIJN OPHIJSEN SCHIJNSEL INKIJK HARLEKIJN BLIJVEND BLIJHEID ROOMIJS GALMIJT INSNIJDEN BUITENIJS STROOIJONKER GASPIJP NEKPIJN RIJMEN GRIJNZEN ETSIJZER NEERSIJPELDE STIJL DENKTIJD OUIJA RAVIJN HOUTVIJL WIJNVAT ZWIJMELEN AZIJN ZIJDE
There are no Dutch words with the combination iij, qij, xii, yij. Dutch words that are spelled with a hyphen are left out.
Lowercase in alphabetical order that start with the Dutch ‘ij’ followed by a-z
ija - ijz
vrijaf zijarm bijbel rijbaan rijcomfort snijcirkel zijdak wijdte bijeen batterijen vijfje wrijf opstijgen bijgelapt rijhal bijhouden zijig rijijzer pijjekker kijken rijkste bijltje rijmen gelijmd fijner bijnaam minijob partijorgaan grijpen pijpje zijruit snijrooster wijsje anijs bijtel slijtend vrijuit zijuitgang bijvorm zijvlak rijweg snijworst afwijzen onderwijzen
IJA - IJZ
VRIJAF ZIJARM BIJBEL RIJBAAN RIJCOMFORT SNIJCIRKEL ZIJDAK WIJDTE BIJEEN BATTERIJEN VIJFJE WRIJF OPSTIJGEN BIJGELAPT RIJHAL BIJHOUDEN ZIJIG RIJIJZER PIJJEKKER KIJKEN RIJKSTE BIJLTJE RIJMEN GELIJMD FIJNER BIJNAAM MINIJOB PARTIJORGAAN GRIJPEN PIJPJE ZIJRUIT SNIJROOSTER WIJSJE ANIJS BIJTEL SLIJTEND VRIJUIT ZIJUITGANG BIJVORM ZIJVLAK RIJWEG SNIJWORST AFWIJZEN ONDERWIJZEN
There are no Dutch words with the combination ijq, ijx, ijy. Dutch words that are spelled with a hyphen are left out.
Dutch words with ij- (hyphen)
wij-zij-gevoel vergeet-mij-nietje
WIJ-ZIJ-GEVOEL VERGEET-MIJ-NIETJE
Dutch words that start with Uppercase + ij
Bijbel Cijfer Dijbeen Eijsden Fijn Gijzelen Hijgen Jij Kijken Lijken Mijter Nijverheid Pijlen Rijbaan Sijsje Tijdig Vijfde Wijden Zijarm
There are no Dutch words with the combination Aij, Iij, Oij, Qij, Uij, Xij, Yij
Upper- and Lowercase alphabet divided by ‘ij’
IJAIJBIJCIJDIJEIJFIJGIJHIJIIJJIJKIJLIJMIJNIJOIJPIJQIJRIJSIJTIJUIJVIJWIJXIJYIJZIJ
ijaijbijcijdijeijfijgijhijiijjijkijlijmijnijoijpijqijrijsijtijuijvijwijxijyijzij
Dutch words that start with IJ followed by a lowercase character
IJa - IJz
IJara IJbot IJdel IJe IJkwet IJlde IJmuiden IJp IJsjes IJzer
IJA - IJZ
IJARA IJBOT IJDEL IJE IJKWET IJLDE IJMUIDEN IJP IJSJES IJZER
There are no Dutch words with the combination IJc, IJf, IJg, IJh, IJi, IJj, IJn, IJo, IJp, IJq, IJr, IJt, IJu, IJw, IJy
Buy me a Coffee
This kerning table is free to use, but it did take a lot of time to research everything and create. Do you want to return the favor, but are you not sure how to do that?
You can always buy me a coffee, a coffee & carrot cake, or 1kg of my favorite coffee beans, you decide, whatever you think my help was worth to you.
Hi, my name is Viktor Baltus.
I’m a Dutch designer with a passion for calligraphy and typography. During my studies in Amsterdam, I discovered a love for font-making and now I love helping other aspiring designers turn their font-making dreams into reality. I believe in teaching in a clear and concise manner, so my students can easily understand and grow as designers. Whether you're looking to pick up new design skills or just brush up on your knowledge, I'm here to help.
