Iets is gevallen.
English: Something has fallen.
- Language
- Dutch
- Level
- B2
- Unit
- Voornaamwoorden en congruentie
- Practice types
- 0
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
Niemand weet het antwoord.
English: No one knows the answer.
Heb je iemand gezien?
English: Did you see anyone?
Alles is mogelijk.
English: Everything is possible.
Men zegt dat het morgen regent.
English: People say it will rain tomorrow.
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.