iets/niks
Something and Nothing
Iets means something and niks means nothing. Niks takes a second nie at the end: Ek het niks gekoop nie. (I didn't buy anything.)
How It Works
1. Iets. Iets means something, and in questions it also means anything:
- Ek wil iets eet. (I want to eat something.)
- Het jy iets gehoor? (Did you hear anything?)
2. Niks takes the place of the first nie. In the double negative, niks stands where the first nie would be, and the second nie goes at the end:
- Ek het niks gekoop nie. (I didn't buy anything.)
- Daar is niks in die yskas nie. (There is nothing in the fridge.)
3. Niks at the very end. When niks is itself the last word, the closing nie may be added or left out: Sy sê niks nie and Sy sê niks both mean she says nothing.
4. No extra nie before niks. Niks already makes the sentence negative. Ek het nie niks gekoop nie is not correct Afrikaans.
5. With an adjective. An adjective after iets or niks adds -s: iets lekkers (something tasty). See iets lekkers. To say nothing at all, use glad niks.
Examples (6)
- Ek wil iets eet.
I want to eat something.
Word by Word: I want something eat.
- Ek het niks gekoop nie.
I didn't buy anything.
Word by Word: I have nothing bought not.
Niks is the first negative, and nie closes the sentence.
- Het jy iets gehoor?
Did you hear anything?
Word by Word: Have you something heard?
In a question, iets means anything.
- Daar is niks in die yskas nie.
There is nothing in the fridge.
Word by Word: There is nothing in the fridge not.
- Ek het iets vir jou gebring.
I brought something for you.
Word by Word: I have something for you brought.
- Sy sê niks nie.
She says nothing.
Word by Word: She says nothing not.
Niks is the last word here, so Sy sê niks is also correct.
Common Mistakes
Leaving out the second nie after niks.
Ek het niks gekoop.Ek het niks gekoop nie.When more words follow niks, the sentence still needs nie at the very end.
Adding an extra nie before niks.
Ek het nie niks gekoop nie.Ek het niks gekoop nie.Niks already takes the place of the first nie, so only the closing nie is added.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Niks is a negative word that still needs a closing nie.
Related Patterns
- iemand/niemandSomeone and No One
The same pattern for people: iemand and niemand.
Level 2 - iets/niks + Adjective + -sSomething Nice: Iets Lekkers
Adjectives after iets and niks add -s: iets lekkers.
Level 3 - glad nieNot at All: Glad Nie
Glad niks means nothing at all.
Level 3 - enige/enigiets/enigiemandAny: Enige
Enigiets means anything at all.
Level 3 - Where the First nie Goes
Explains where the first negative goes in a longer sentence.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice iets/niks in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Afrikaans lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
