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Dutch grammar · A1

Indefinite Articles

Alexander StebnerCreator of Lingora · Updated 20 October 20262 min readComments

Dutch has two definite articles ( and ), but only one indefinite article: . It corresponds to the English a or an.

Unlike definite articles, is used for all singular nouns, regardless of whether they are "de-words" (masculine/feminine) or "het-words" (neuter).

  • Dat is een tafel.

    That is a table.

  • Ik lees een boek.

    I am reading a book.

  • Zij heeft een broer.

    She has a brother.

01

Pronunciation

The pronunciation of the article is very short and unstressed. It sounds like the "un" in the English word "run" or the dull "e" sound at the end of "garden". It does not sound like the number one.

02

The Number One

The word for the number one is spelled . The accent marks are used to distinguish the number from the article in writing, though in informal texts, the accents are sometimes omitted if the context is clear.

The pronunciation of is very different from the article. It is a long, stressed sound, similar to the "ai" in "main". You use when you want to emphasize the quantity.

  • Ik heb één vraag.

    I have one question.

  • Zij heeft één kat en twee honden.

    She has one cat and two dogs.

03

Plurals

The indefinite article is strictly singular. There is no plural indefinite article in Dutch. When referring to an indefinite plural noun (like "books" or "apples"), you simply use the noun without an article.

  • Ik heb een appel.

    I have an apple.

  • Ik heb appels.

    I have apples.

  • Wij zijn studenten.

    We are students.

04

Negation with 'Geen'

In English, you might say "That is not a dog." In Dutch, you cannot say "niet een". Instead, you combine the negative and the article into a single word: (no / not a).

  • Dat is een fiets.

    That is a bicycle.

  • Dat is geen fiets.

    That is not a bicycle.

  • Ik heb geen idee.

    I have no idea.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Dutch course

132 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 2. A few of them, with the words “Indefinite Articles” is about in bold:

  • Dit is mijn vriendin Anna. Ze is een studente.

    This is my friend, Anna. She is a student.

    Lesson 2

  • Ik koop een banaan en zes eieren.

    I am buying one banana and six eggs.

    Lesson 43

  • Ik heb ook een dozijn eieren en een snoepreep voor je gekocht.

    I bought a dozen eggs and a candy bar for you too.

    Lesson 47

All 22 Dutch grammar topics

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