Actually, in modern Dutch the actual sex of the animal determines the gender to use, not the grammatical gender. If unknown, use the male form. (This may be dif

Actually, in modern Dutch the actual sex of the animal determines the gender to use, not the grammatical gender. If unknown, use the male form. (This may be different in Flanders.) ...if you know the sex of the animal. Also see here (the 'Toelichting'): http://taaladvies.net/taal/advies/vraag/1631/zijn_haar_de_muis_heeft_staart_bezeerd/ http://taaladvies.net/taal/advies/vraag/1631/zijn_haar_de_mu... Of course, these annoyances only exist because the distinction is going away, but hasn't gone completely.