Learn how to form negations in Dutch using 'niet' and 'geen' with verbs, adjectives, and nouns. Practice sentences like 'Ik heb geen geld' and 'Hij is niet vriendelijk' to master negative constructions.
  1. 'Niet' usually comes after the verb or before the word that is negated.
  2. In a sentence with an infinitive, niet is usually placed after the infinitive, except when there is also a conjugated verb in the main clause.
TypePositief (Positive)Negatief (Negative)

 

Zinnen met geen. (Zelfstandig naamwoord zonder lidwoord). (Sentences with geen. (Noun without an article).)

Ik heb geld. (I have money.)

Ik spreek goed Nederlands. (I speak Dutch well.)

Ik heb dropjes. (I have liquorice sweets.)

Ik heb geen geld. (I have no money.)

Ik spreek geen Nederlands. (I do not speak Dutch.)

Ik heb geen dropjes. (I have no liquorice.)

Werkwoord (Verb)

Wij gaan zwemmen. (We are going swimming.)

Wij werken. (We work.)

Wij gaan niet zwemmen. (We are not going swimming.)

Wij werken niet. (We do not work.)

Infinitief

Wij werken. (We work.)

Ik kan zwemmen. (I can swim.)

Wij werken niet. (We do not work.)

Ik kan niet zwemmen. (I can not swim.)

Bijvoeglijk naamwoord (Adjective)Hij is vriendelijk. (He is friendly.)Hij is niet vriendelijk. (He is not friendly.)

Exercise 1: Negatie

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

geen, niet

1.
Mijn zus is ... zo open over haar gevoelens.
(My sister is not so open about her feelings.)
2.
Het is ... slimme jongen.
(He is not a clever boy.)
3.
We hebben elkaar gisteren ... ontmoet.
(We did not meet each other yesterday.)
4.
Hij lijkt onvriendelijk, want hij toont ... interesse.
(He seems unfriendly because he shows no interest.)
5.
Het is ... eerlijk.
(It is not fair.)
6.
De jongen is ... zo gesloten als zijn vader.
(The boy is not as reserved as his father.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Ik ben ___ vriendelijk.

(I am ___ friendly.)

2. Zij heeft ___ geduld.

(She has ___ patience.)

3. Wij spreken ___ hard.

(We speak ___ loudly.)

4. Hij eet ___ vlees.

(He eats ___ meat.)

5. Ik kan ___ lachen als ik boos ben.

(I can ___ laugh when I am angry.)

6. Jij werkt vandaag ___ hard.

(You are working hard today ___ .)

Understanding Negation in Dutch

This lesson focuses on how to form negative sentences in Dutch, which is an essential skill for everyday communication. You will learn the two main negation words: "niet" and "geen", and understand when and how to use each correctly depending on the type of word you want to negate.

Key Negation Words

  • Niet: Used to negate verbs, adjectives, and other parts of speech, usually placed after the verb or before the word being negated.
  • Geen: Used to negate nouns without an article, equivalent to "no" or "not any" in English.

Negation Patterns

The structure of negative sentences varies based on the type of word negated:

  • Sentences with geen (nouns without articles): Examples include "Ik heb geen geld" (I have no money) and "Ik heb geen dropjes" (I have no licorice sweets).
  • Verbs negated with niet: For instance, "Wij gaan niet zwemmen" (We do not go swimming) and "Wij werken niet" (We do not work).
  • Infinitive verbs: When negating sentences with infinitive verbs, niet is usually placed after the infinitive unless there is a conjugated verb in the main clause, for example, "Ik kan niet zwemmen" (I cannot swim).
  • Adjectives: Negated with niet, such as "Hij is niet vriendelijk" (He is not friendly).

Examples to Remember

  • Ik ben niet vriendelijk. (I am not friendly.)
  • Zij heeft geen geduld. (She has no patience.)
  • Wij spreken niet hard. (We do not speak loudly.)
  • Hij eet geen vlees. (He does not eat meat.)
  • Ik kan niet lachen als ik boos ben. (I cannot laugh when I am angry.)
  • Jij werkt vandaag niet hard. (You are not working hard today.)

Important Notes on Differences from English

In Dutch, negation distinguishes clearly between geen and niet, depending on the grammatical context, which is not always the case in English negation. For example, English uses "no" as a determiner and "not" for verbs and adjectives. Dutch mirrors this difference, but placement and usage rules can be more specific. Remember that geen negates nouns without an article and implies the absence of something, while niet negates verbs, adjectives, and other sentence parts.

Some useful phrases include:

  • geen: no, not any (e.g., geen geld = no money)
  • niet: not (e.g., niet vriendelijk = not friendly)

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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, 31/07/2025 19:53