geen ... meer

Level 2

The pattern geen [noun] meer is used to express that something was previously present but is now gone or finished. It is the standard way to say 'no more' or 'no longer any' in Dutch.

How It Works

In Dutch, when you want to say you don't have something anymore, you must choose between niet meer and geen ... meer.

1. When to use it:
Use this pattern for indefinite nouns. These are nouns that would normally take een, bare plurals (like 'tickets'), or mass nouns (like 'water'). It is the negative counterpart of nog (still) or nog een (another).

2. Word Order:
The words geen and meer bracket the entire noun phrase (the noun plus any adjectives):

  • Ik heb geen koud water meer. (I have no cold water left.)

3. Definite Nouns:
If the noun is definite (using de, het, or a possessive like mijn), you must use niet meer instead:

  • Ik heb de sleutels niet meer. (I don't have the keys anymore.)

4. The Quantitative 'Er':
If you don't mention the noun because it's already understood, you must use the quantitative er:

  • Ik heb er geen meer. (I don't have any anymore.)

Examples (4)

  1. Er is geen melk meer.

    There is no milk left.

    Word by Word: There is no milk more.

    Here, 'melk' is an uncountable noun. The pattern shows the milk has run out.

  2. Hij is geen vegetariër meer.

    He is no longer a vegetarian.

    Word by Word: He is no vegetarian more.

    This shows a change in state; he used to be one, but not anymore.

  3. We hebben geen koude drankjes meer.

    We have no cold drinks left.

    Word by Word: We have no cold drinks more.

    Note how 'geen' and 'meer' bracket the entire noun phrase, including the adjective 'koude'.

  4. Ik drink geen koffie meer.

    I don't drink coffee anymore.

    Word by Word: I drink no coffee more.

    This indicates a habit that has stopped. It is the negative counterpart of 'Ik drink nog koffie'.

Common Mistakes

  • Keeping 'geen' and 'meer' together like the English 'no more'.

    Ik heb geen meer tijd.
    Ik heb geen tijd meer.

    In Dutch, 'meer' must follow the noun. You cannot place it directly after 'geen' when a noun is present.

  • Using 'niet meer' for indefinite nouns.

    Ik heb niet meer geld.
    Ik heb geen geld meer.

    Use 'geen' for indefinite nouns (money, bread, time). 'Niet meer' is for verbs, adjectives, or specific 'de/het' nouns.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

geen ... meerLevel 2

Learn This First

To understand 'geen ... meer', you first need to know how to use 'geen' to negate nouns (meaning 'no' or 'none'). You also need to understand the concept of 'niet meer' (no longer/not anymore), as 'geen ... meer' is simply the version of this concept used specifically with nouns.

Words in This Pattern

geenmeer