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Common Ground
Tone of voice9/12

Chapter 9 of 12

Tone of voice

Talk like a neighbour across the table

Short sentences. Everyday words. Say what's on the menu, what it costs and when to come. Then stop.

We are

Warm and direct Practical: times, prices, places Honest about what we don't know Happy to laugh at ourselves

We are not

Preachy about food or the planet Corporate ('dear customer') Pushy ('last chance!') Cute ('yummy goodness')

How we write

  1. Address people as "you". In Dutch we always use je/jij, never u, also with older members.

  2. One idea per sentence. Aim for B1 level: if a 12-year-old gets it, everyone does.

  3. Be specific. "Pumpkin soup, € 4.50" beats "delicious seasonal dishes".

  4. Use "we" for Common Ground, and name people by first name: "Sanne cooks tonight".

  5. No exclamation marks. If something is exciting, the facts will show it.

Before and after

Rewrite it the Common Ground way

Real examples from our own posters, posts and emails.

Do
  • “Soup night, every Thursday. 18:00. Pay what you can.”
  • “Your box is ready. Pick it up on Friday between 16:00 and 19:00.”
  • “We ran out of leeks. Sorry. Kale is back on Tuesday.”
Don't
  • “Join us for an unforgettable culinary community experience!!”
  • “Dear customer, your order has been processed successfully.”
  • “Due to unforeseen supply chain circumstances, certain products are temporarily unavailable.”

Words and slogans

Our words

Tagline
“A more human tomorrow.” In Dutch: “Een menselijker morgen.” Always with the full stop, in Newsreader, never translated freely. Use it on campaign end frames, posters and the website header, not in running text.
Words we use, words we avoid
Members, not customers. Neighbours, not target group. Pay what you can, not discount or free. Kitchen, not food service. Volunteers by first name, not 'our team'. Avoid: sustainable (say what you mean), superfood, exclusive, foodie.
Other languages
Many of our neighbours read Dutch as a second language. Keep Dutch simple first. Translations into English, Arabic, Turkish or Polish are made by members and checked by a second native speaker. Put them below the Dutch, in the same typeface.

Questions about this guide?

Contact Noor

Last updated 24 Sept 2026

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