nee
no, negative response — niet
2 not
— geen
no, zero quantity
ja
5
yes — wel
positive affirmative, no straight English
equivalent
Dutch doesn't use an auxiliary verb like 'to do,' with its 'not' – 'niet' can directly be coupled with all verbs; also note that geen is not always said as 'no' (zero quantity) in English, but often as 'not' with a verb
| Je weet niet wat 't is
2 |
You don't know what it is |
| Daar heb ik geen tijd voor
2
|
I [have no time] don't have time for that |
| Ik heb geen hoofdpijn
|
I don't have a headache |
| "Heeft U bananen?" - "Nee."
|
'Do you have bananas?' - 'No' |
| "Heeft U sinaasappels?" - "Ja."
|
'Do you have oranges?' - 'Yes.' |
| "Er zijn wel sinaasappels"
|
'But [there are] we do have oranges' |
| Er zijn geen aardappels
2
|
There are no potatoes |
| Er is wel rijst
2
3
|
But there is rice, we do have rice |
| Ik spreek geen Nederlands
2
|
I don't speak Dutch |
| Ik spreek helaas geen
Nederlands
2
|
Unfortunately, I don't speak Dutch |
| Maar ik kan het wel verstaan
2
3
|
But I do understand it |
| Geld maakt niet gelukkig
2
|
Money doesn't make (you) happy, money doesn't create happiness |
| ... maar 't is wel (ge)makkelijk
2
3
|
... but it is convenient, it makes life easier |
| Je kunt wel blijven eten
2
3 |
You can stay [to eat] for dinner (or lunch) |
| Je hoeft niet weg te gaan
2
3 |
You don't have to leave |
| Ik heb 't gedaan
2 |
I have done it, I did it |
| Ik heb 't niet gedaan
|
I did not do it |
| Ik heb 't wel gedaan
|
I did do it |
| Het is niet ver
2 |
It's not far |
| 't Is niet logisch
2
3
|
It's not logical |
| Het is niet waar
|
It's not true! |
| Er is geen bewijs
2
3
|
There is no proof |
| t Is niet anders
2
3
|
[It's not different] - That's the way it is (regrettably) |
| t Heeft toch geen zin
|
It's no use anyway (Whatever you do ...) |
| Vind je ook niet?
2
3 |
Don't you think so too? Don't you agree? |
| Ik kan 't niet vinden
2
3 |
I can't find it |
| "Hou(d) jij van opera? – Ik niet"
|
'Do you like opera? – I don't' |
| (second person:) "Maar ik wel!"
2
|
'But I do!' |
| Ik hou(d) er niet van
2
3 |
I don't like it |
| Hij houdt niet van spruitjes
2 |
He doesn't like Brussels sprouts |
| Hij lust geen spruitjes
2 |
He doesn't like Brussels sprouts |
| 't Is niet eerlijk
2 |
It's not fair |
| 't Is niet fout
2
3 |
It's not wrong |
| 't Geeft niet
2
3 |
It doesn't matter, it's alright, never mind |
| 't Doet er niet toe
2
|
It doesn't matter |
| Het regent niet.
|
It is not raining. |
| Ik ken dat woord niet
|
I don't know that word, I don't know what it means |
| We hebben niet veel sneeuw dit
jaar.
|
We don't have much snow this year. |
| Er zijn geen bergen in Nederland
|
There are no mountains in Holland ‑>> |
| Geen zuchtje wind
2 |
Not a breath of air, there is no wind at all |
| Hij heeft geen auto
|
[He has no car] - He doesn't have (own) a car |
| Ik hoor geen verschil
|
[I hear no difference] - I don't hear a difference |
| We mochten geen foto's maken
2 |
[We were allowed no pictures] - We were not allowed to [make] take pictures |
| Ik wil geen vlees eten
2 |
I don't want to eat meat |
| Heb je geen last
van het lawaai?
2
3
4
|
Doesn't the noise bother you? |
| Is er geen betere oplossing?
2
3 |
Is there no better solution? |
| Is er niet een betere oplossing?
2
3 |
Is there not a better solution? |
| We kunnen niet zo doorgaan
2
3
4
|
We can't go on like this |
| Niet wat je zou verwachten
|
Not what you would expect |
| Het zou me niet verbazen
2
|
I would not be surprised |
| Ik denk het niet
2
3 |
I don't think [it] so, I don't agree, I'm of another opinion |
| Ik hoop van niet
|
I hope not (hoping that something isn't true or is not going to happen) |
| 't Lijkt wel zomer!
| It looks like, feels like summer |
| 't Is niet zò duur
2
3
4
5 |
It's not thàt expensive |
| 't Is niet de moeite waard
2
|
It's not worth [the trouble] it (don't bother) |
| Ik weet 't niet
|
I don't know (it) |
| Dat wist ik niet
2
|
I didn't know that |
| Ik kan 't niet uitleggen
2
|
I can't explain (it) (to you) |
| Je kunt niet
twee dingen tegelijk doen
2
3
4
|
You can't do two things at the same time |
|
Als je 't nu niet doet, wanneer dan wel?
2 |
[If you don't do it now, when are you?] If not now, when? |
| Heb je niet meer voorbeelden?
2
|
Don't you have more examples? |
- 3. Subject - Verb - Complement - 4. Adjectives, Adverbs and Nouns
5A. Past Participles and Verb Infinitives at the End of the Line
5B. Past Participles, Infinitives, and the use of 'te'
6A. Questions - 6B. Query Words
Gij zult niet stelen
'Thou shalt not steal'