Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn key Dutch adverbs of quantity like 'veel' (much/many), 'weinig' (few/little), 'genoeg' (enough), and 'een beetje' (a little), used to express amounts with countable and uncountable nouns such as money, milk, and sugar.
  1. 'Veel' and 'weinig' are used with countable and uncountable nouns.
  2. 'Een beetje' is only used with uncountable words.
  3. 'Alles' and 'niets' refer to a totality or absence.
Bijwoord (Adverb)Voorbeeld (Example)
Veel (Much)Hij heeft veel geld. (He has a lot of money.)
Weinig (few)Er is weinig melk in de winkel. (There is little milk in the shop.)
Een beetje (A little)Wil je een beetje suiker? (Would you like a little sugar?)
Genoeg (Enough)Heb je genoeg geld? (Do you have enough money?)
Niets (Nothing)Ik heb niets nodig. (I need nothing.)
Alles (Everything)Hij heeft alles betaald. (He has paid everything.)

Exercise 1: Bijwoorden van hoeveelheid (veel, weinig, genoeg,...)

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

genoeg, veel, niets, alles, een beetje

1. -:
Zij wil ... geld lenen.
(She wants to borrow a little money.)
2. +:
Hij heeft ... geld bij zich.
(He has a lot of money with him.)
3. --:
Ik heb ... in mijn portemonnee.
(I have nothing in my wallet.)
4. =:
Heb je ... geld om te betalen?
(Do you have enough money to pay?)
5. ++:
Hij heeft ... afgerekend bij de kassa.
(He has paid everything at the checkout.)
6. -:
Wil je ... suiker in je thee?
(Would you like a little sugar in your tea?)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Hij heeft ___ euro's in zijn portemonnee.

(He has ___ euros in his wallet.)

2. Er is ___ wisselgeld in de kassa vandaag.

(There is ___ change in the cash register today.)

3. Heeft u ___ munten om te betalen?

(Do you have ___ coins to pay?)

4. Zij geeft ___ korting op de prijs.

(She gives ___ discount on the price.)

5. Ik heb ___ betaald, want ik kreeg alles cadeau.

(I paid ___, because I got everything for free.)

6. We hebben ___ geteld, het geld klopt.

(We counted ___, the money is correct.)

Adverbs of Quantity in Dutch

This lesson focuses on adverbs of quantity, which describe how much of something there is. These words help you express amounts clearly and naturally in Dutch. Common examples include veel (much/many), weinig (few/little), genoeg (enough), een beetje (a little bit), niets (nothing), and alles (everything).

Important Adverbs of Quantity

  • Veel: Used with both countable and uncountable nouns, meaning 'much' or 'many'.
    Example: Hij heeft veel geld.
  • Weinig: Also used with countable and uncountable nouns, meaning 'few' or 'little'.
    Example: Er is weinig melk in de winkel.
  • Een beetje: Refers only to uncountable nouns and means 'a little bit'.
    Example: Wil je een beetje suiker?
  • Genoeg: Means 'enough' and can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns.
    Example: Heb je genoeg geld?
  • Niets: Indicates a total absence, meaning 'nothing'.
    Example: Ik heb niets nodig.
  • Alles: Refers to the totality of something, meaning 'everything'.
    Example: Hij heeft alles betaald.

Usage Notes

Both veel and weinig are versatile and can be used with countable nouns (like 'euro's') and uncountable nouns (like 'melk'). In contrast, een beetje is always used with uncountable nouns to express small quantities.

Alles and niets emphasize total presence or absence, respectively, and they are often used in situations expressing completeness or emptiness.

Differences Between English and Dutch

While English distinguishes between 'much' (uncountable) and 'many' (countable), Dutch commonly uses veel for both. For expressing small amounts, English uses 'a little' for uncountables and 'a few' for countables, whereas Dutch typically uses een beetje only with uncountables and relies on weinig for small quantities of both.

Useful phrases to remember include:

  • Veel geld / Veel euro's — much money / many euros
  • Weinig melk / Weinig boeken — little milk / few books
  • Een beetje suiker — a little sugar
  • Genoeg tijd — enough time
  • Alles betaald — paid everything
  • Niets nodig — need nothing

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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 03:02