Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

This lesson introduces key Dutch adverbs that describe manner like 'anders' (differently) and 'graag' (gladly), degree adverbs such as 'erg' (very) and 'heel' (quite), and negation adverbs like 'niet' (not) and 'nooit' (never), helping you express how, how much, and when actions occur.
  1. Adverbs of manner indicate how something happens: 'anders', 'graag'.
  2. Adverbs of degree indicate the intensity: 'erg', 'heel', 'zo'.
  3. Adverbs of negation make a sentence negative: 'niet', 'nooit', 'nergens'.
Type (Type)Bijwoord (Adverb)Voorbeeld (Example)
Hoedanigheid (Manner)Anders
Graag
Zo
Ik moet het anders oplossen. (I have to solve it differently.)
Hij drinkt graag thee. (He likes to drink tea.)
Hij loopt zo langzaam. (He walks so slowly.)
Ontkenning (Negation)Nergens
Nooit
Niet
Ik kan de dokter nergens vinden. (I can't find the doctor anywhere.)
Ik ben nooit ziek. (I am never ill.)
Ik voel me niet goed. (I do not feel well.)
Graad (Degree)Erg
Heel
Zo
Ze is erg oud. (She is very old.)
Zij is heel ziek vandaag. (She is very ill today.)
Het medicijn werkt zo goed. (The medicine works so well.)

Exercise 1: Bijwoorden Anders, graag, zo, heel,...

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

heel, nergens, niet, anders, zo, nooit, graag

1.
We moeten het probleem ... oplossen.
(We have to solve the problem differently.)
2.
Ze is ... zo ziek geweest als nu.
(She has never been as ill as she is now.)
3.
Hij weet ... of hij morgen naar school kan.
(He does not know if he can go to school tomorrow.)
4.
Ik kan mijn medicatie ... vinden.
(I can't find my medication anywhere.)
5.
De patiënt voelt zich ... moe na de behandeling.
(The patient feels very tired after the treatment.)
6.
Ik wil ... een afspraak met de dokter maken.
(I would like to make an appointment with the doctor.)
7.
De medicatie werkt ... goed dat hij snel beter werd.
(The medication works so well that he got better quickly.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Ik voel me vandaag ___ goed.

(I don't feel ___ well today.)

2. Hij loopt ___ omdat hij pijn heeft.

(He walks ___ because he is in pain.)

3. Ik wil ___ een afspraak maken bij de dokter.

(I would ___ like to make an appointment with the doctor.)

4. Het medicijn werkt ___ goed tegen de pijn.

(The medicine works ___ well against the pain.)

5. Ik vind de temperatuur hier ___ koud.

(I find the temperature here ___ cold.)

6. Ik kan de dokter hier vanmorgen ___ vinden.

(I can't find the doctor ___ here this morning.)

Understanding Dutch Adverbs: Anders, graag, zo, heel,...

This lesson introduces you to Dutch adverbs—words that provide additional information about actions or states. Adverbs in Dutch are used to describe how, when, where, or to what degree something happens.

Types of Adverbs Covered

We focus on three main types of Dutch adverbs in this lesson:

  • Adverbs of manner (Hoedanigheid): These explain how an action takes place. For example, anders (differently), graag (with pleasure), and zo (like that).
  • Adverbs of negation (Ontkenning): These make a sentence negative. Examples include nergens (nowhere), nooit (never), and niet (not).
  • Adverbs of degree (Graad): These express intensity or degree, such as erg (very), heel (very), and zo (so).

Highlights and Examples

Adverbs modify sentences by adding important context. For instance:

  • Ik moet het anders oplossen. – "I have to solve it differently." (manner)
  • Hij drinkt graag thee. – "He likes to drink tea." (manner)
  • Ik voel me niet goed. – "I do not feel well." (negation)
  • Ze is erg oud. – "She is very old." (degree)

These adverbs often appear before the main verb or adjective they modify, and they are essential for expressing nuances in daily conversations.

Differences Between English and Dutch Use of Adverbs

In Dutch, adverbs like graag (which can mean "gladly" or "like to") often appear directly after the verb, whereas English might place similar adverbs differently. For example, "Hij drinkt graag thee" translates to "He likes to drink tea," but literally is "He drinks gladly tea." Also, the negation niet is placed after the verb or object it negates, unlike simply putting "not" before the verb in English.

Useful Dutch adverbs and their English equivalents:

  • anders – differently
  • graag – gladly, with pleasure
  • zo – so, like that
  • heel – very
  • erg – very, quite
  • niet – not
  • nooit – never
  • nergens – nowhere

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Kato De Paepe

Business and languages

KdG University of Applied Sciences and Arts Antwerp

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Last Updated:

Thursday, 17/07/2025 21:07