Dutch grammar: gebruik van onbepaalde voornaamwoorden

What this grammar point covers

Indefinite pronouns in Dutch are words like 'something', 'nothing', 'someone', or 'everything'. They refer to people or things in a general, non-specific way.

When to use it

Use indefinite pronouns in Dutch when you talk about people or things in a general way, without specifying exactly who or what you mean. They are common in questions, negatives, and when you do not know the exact person or thing.

Key forms

• iets
• niets
• iemand
• niemand
• alles
• men
• enige(n)
• enkele(n)
• wat
• elk(e)
• ieder(e)

Examples

Tips

• Some indefinite pronouns like 'iemand' and 'niemand' are only used for people.
• 'Iets' and 'niets' are only used for things.
• Be careful with word order: indefinite pronouns usually come before the verb.

Exceptions and edge cases

• The pronoun 'men' is only used for general statements and never refers to a specific person.
• 'Enige' and 'enkele' can change form depending on the sentence.