Disambiguation: Dutch 'Dan' - Multiple Meanings and Related Words

Dan

'than' - "bigger than"
'then' (future) - "... and then there'll be trouble"
... dan ook - '...ever' - "whatever, wherever etc."

1. dan = than		2. dan = then (future)		2a. dan as a 'pragmatic marker'

3. ... dan ook = ...ever		willekeurig/toevallig = random

1. 'Dan' = 'than'

Dutch 'dan' is like English 'than,' often used with the superlative degree, like for instance groter dan

2 ('bigger than.')

Wim is groter dan Henk	Wim is taller than Henk
Henk is kleiner dan Wim	Henk is [smaller than] not as tall as Wim
Twee is groter dan één	2 is larger than 1 (2>1)
Drie is kleiner dan vier	3 is smaller than 4 (3<4)
Beter laat dan nooit	Better late than never
Londen is ouder dan Berlijn	London is older than Berlin
Meer dan drie uur 2 3	More than three hours
't Is meer dan duizend dollar 2 3	It's more than a thousand dollars
't Is meer dan een miljoen Euro 2	It's more than a million Euros
Net iets minder dan honderdduizend gulden 2	Just a little less than a hundred thousand guilders
Beter een goede buur dan een verre vriend 2	A good neighbor is better than a faraway friend
Sommige mensen denken dat ze meer rechten hebben dan anderen 2	Some people think they have more rights than others

Synomyms, Alternates and Related Words

'Dan' is the correct preposition (or conjunction) for the comparative degree, for instance groter dan 2 ('bigger than.') But many people in Holland use 'als' instead in phrases like this, for instance 'groter als' - but that's not considered correct Dutch. A teacher in secondary school told us that the rejection of 'als' was an arbitrary decision by the people who standardized Dutch in the 19th Century - just a choice for one dialect form over another.

2. 'Dan' = 'then' (future)

English 'then,' meaning 'at that time' simply states what happens next, referring to something mentioned before - like in the common, somewhat boring phrase 'and then ...' meaning 'after that,' giving a sequence of two or more events - or, extending further, it may mean something like 'resulting in, as a result, in consequence.'
English 'then' can be about either a past or a future event, but in Dutch, this 'then' is 'dan'

2 in the future, and 'toen'

2 3 in the past. See also the 'toen' disambiguation page.

Dan ben ik op reis 2 3	Then, at that time I [am] will be traveling
... en dan gaan we eten 2	... and then we'll eat
... en dan wordt 't donker 2 3	... and then it will get dark
... en dan is er feest	... and then there'll be a party
... en dan wordt 't spannend	... and then it'll get exciting

Dan weet ik nog niks 2 3	Then I still [know nothing] don't know anything - failed experiments
Dan moet je vroeger opstaan 2 3	[Then] For that you'll have to get up earlier (be more alert and active)
Dan weet je dat voor de volgende keer 2 3	[Then you know that ...] - So you can keep that in mind the next time
Dan weet je dat voor eens en altijd 2 3	Then you'll know (that) once and for all (you won't forget it)
Dan hoor je het ook eens van een ander 2	[Then] That way you'll also hear it from someone else (get a second opinion)
Neem de tweede weg links en dan de derde weg rechts	Take the 2nd road to the left and then the 3rd to the right
Dat zien we dan wel weer 2 3	We'll see about it [then] when the time comes
Wie dan leeft, wie dan zorgt 2 3	He/She who then lives, can then deal with the problems - don't worry too much about the future

Dutch has many standard expressions with 'dan' - often about less-than-ideal outcomes or situations that mean trouble

Dan houdt alles op 2	['Then everything ends'] - That changes everything, it's no use continuing after that
Dan ben je nog niet jarig 2 3	['Then it won't be like your birthday'] - You'll be in trouble, you'll suffer
Dan zijn we nog verder van huis 2 3	['Then we're even farther from home'] - Making an already bad situation worse
Dan heb je de poppen aan het dansen 2 3	['Then you'll have the dolls dancing'] - There'll be trouble, the fat is in the fire
Dan heb je 't gedonder in de glazen 2 3 4	['Then you'll have the windows rattling'] - There'll be trouble
Dan vind je de hond in de pot 2	['Then you'll find the dog in the cooking pot'] - Coming late to a meal, everything is gone and the dog is cleaning the pots
... en dan komt de aap uit de mouw 2 3 4	[... and then the monkey comes out of the sleeve'] - The truth comes out
Dan is 't voorbij met de pret	Then the fun is over, back to normal or worse
Dan is 't gedaan met de pret 2 3	Then the fun is over, back to normal or worse
Dan is 't uit met de pret 2	Then the fun is over, back to normal or worse
Dan moet ik iets anders bedenken 2 3	Then I'll have to think [up] of something else (we need a new plan)

You may come across the somewhat formal condition-and-result phrase als ... dan ('when/if ... then') but 'dan' or 'als' and the entire condition statement are often dropped, like in the examples above - more

Haast je als je de tijd hebt, dan heb je de tijd als je haast hebt	'Hurry when you have time, then you'll have time when you're in a hurry' (informal 'you')
Haast U als U de tijd heeft, dan heeft U de tijd als U haast heeft	'Hurry when you have time, then you'll have time when you're in a hurry' (polite 'you')
Als de lente komt, dan stuur ik jou tulpen uit Amsterdam 2	Come Spring I'll send you tulips from Amsterdam
Baat 't niet, dan schaadt 't niet 2	'If there is no benefit, there will no damage either' (trying harmless medication)

2a. 'Dan' a 'pragmatic marker'

'Dan' can also function as a 'pragmatic marker,' a hard-to-translate word that just indicates, puts into words shades of the speaker's mood, attitude or opinion. ‑>>
In that sense, dan

2 usually shows the speaker's exasperation: irritation or annoyance because the addressed person is slow or hesitant to act, speak up or understand

Wat is er? 2 3	What is it? What's going on? - Usually this means: What's wrong?
Wat is er dan? 2 3 4	What is it then? Tell me what's bothering you
Begrijp je 't niet? 2 3	Don't you understand (it)?
Begrijp je 't dan niet? 2 3	Do you really not understand (it)? Don't you see? (exasperated, the addressed person is not very perceptive)
Wat wil je drinken? 2	'What would you like to drink?'
Wat wil je dan? 2 3 4	What then do you want? What is it that you want? (exasperated, it's not clear what the addressed person wants)

3. - dan ook = -ever

Wat dan ook (whatever) - Waar dan ook (wherever) - Wie dan ook (whoever) - Hoe dan ook (however)

Dutch ook is 'also, too.' The combination with 'dan' 2 to 'dan ook' 2 expresses randomness, the choice doesn't matter, no restrictions, 'regardless,' 'any'

hoe dan ook 2 3	however, in whatever way possible
op welke manier dan ook	however, in whatever way possible
waar dan ook 2 3	wherever, in whatever place
wat dan ook	whatever
welke dan ook 2 3	whichever
Neem welke dan ook	Take [whichever] any
wie dan ook 2	whoever

Wat je ook doet ... 2 3	Whatever you do ... (it doesn't make a difference, it's hopeless)

More about 'also/too' 'ook' in Disambiguation 'Eens' and Disambiguation 'Zo'

Dutch also has (de) willekeur 'arbitrariness, random or on a whim' and its adjective/adverb willekeurig 2 (willekeurige 2) 'arbitrary, random' - and (het) toeval 'chance, coincidence' and its adjective/adverb toevallig 2 'by accident, not planned' - note the subtle difference in the examples:

een willekeurige voorbijganger	a random passer-by, a randomly chosen passer-by
een toevallige voorbijganger	a random passer-by, a person who just happened to be passing by

See also the Change page for 'chance' as 'possibility' and 'opportunity'

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