iemand/niemand
Someone and No One
Iemand means someone and niemand means no one. Niemand takes a second nie at the end: Niemand is by die huis nie.
How It Works
1. Iemand. Iemand means someone, and in questions anyone:
- Iemand klop aan die deur. (Someone is knocking at the door.)
- Het iemand my sleutels gesien? (Has anyone seen my keys?)
2. Niemand as the subject. The verb comes second as usual, and nie goes at the end: Niemand is by die huis nie. Niemand het gebel nie.
3. Niemand as the object. Ek ken niemand hier nie. (I don't know anyone here.) When niemand is itself the last word, the closing nie may be added or left out: Ek sien niemand nie or Ek sien niemand.
4. No extra nie. Niemand already makes the sentence negative, so do not put nie before it: say Ek ken niemand hier nie.
Tip: the same pattern works for iets and niks (things), êrens and nêrens (places) and nooit (time). For anyone at all, use enigiemand.
Examples (6)
- Iemand klop aan die deur.
Someone is knocking at the door.
Word by Word: Someone knocks on the door.
- Niemand is by die huis nie.
Nobody is at home.
Word by Word: Nobody is at the house not.
Niemand is the first negative, and nie closes the sentence.
- Het iemand my sleutels gesien?
Has anyone seen my keys?
Word by Word: Has someone my keys seen?
In a question, iemand means anyone.
- Ek ken niemand hier nie.
I don't know anyone here.
Word by Word: I know nobody here not.
- Niemand het gebel nie.
Nobody called.
Word by Word: Nobody has called not.
- Ek wil met iemand praat.
I want to talk to someone.
Word by Word: I want with someone talk.
Common Mistakes
Leaving out the closing nie after niemand.
Niemand is by die huis.Niemand is by die huis nie.When more words follow niemand, the sentence still needs nie at the very end.
Adding an extra nie before niemand.
Ek ken nie niemand hier nie.Ek ken niemand hier nie.Niemand already takes the place of the first nie.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Iemand and niemand follow the same pattern as iets and niks.
Related Patterns
- nie ... nieDouble Negation
The double negative pattern that niemand follows.
Level 1 - altyd/nooitAlways and Never
Nooit follows the same pattern for time.
Level 2 - êrens/nêrensSomewhere and Nowhere
Nêrens follows the same pattern for places.
Level 2 - enige/enigiets/enigiemandAny: Enige
Enigiemand means anyone at all.
Level 3 - elke/alle/almal/allesEvery, All, Everyone, Everything
Almal (everyone) is the opposite of niemand.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice iemand/niemand in Bubblegum
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