geen

No/Not Any (Negation)

Level 1

In Dutch, geen is the standard way to say 'no', 'not a', or 'not any' when talking about indefinite things. It replaces the article een.

How It Works

The word geen is a determiner used to negate indefinite noun phrases. Unlike English, which often uses 'not a', Dutch almost always uses geen.

When to use geen:

  • Singular indefinite nouns: Replaces een. (een boek → geen boek)
  • Plural nouns: When no specific article is used. (appels → geen appels)
  • Uncountable nouns: For mass nouns like water, time, or money. (tijd → geen tijd)

Adjective Inflection:
Just like with een, if you use geen with a singular het-word, the adjective does not get an -e ending. For example: een groot huis → geen groot huis.

Word Order:
Geen sits in the exact same spot as an article, appearing before the noun and any adjectives. For example: Ik heb geen grote auto.

Geen vs. Niet:
Use geen for indefinite nouns. Use niet for everything else: verbs, adjectives, and definite nouns. Note that while geen comes before the noun, niet typically follows a definite noun: Ik ken de man niet (I don't know the man).

Examples (5)

  1. Ik heb geen auto.

    I have no car / I don't have a car.

    Word by Word: I have no car.

    Since 'auto' is an indefinite singular noun (a car), we use 'geen' instead of 'niet een'.

  2. Er zijn geen appels meer.

    There are no apples left.

    Word by Word: There are no apples more.

    For plural nouns without a definite article, 'geen' is used to mean 'no' or 'not any'.

  3. Zij spreekt geen Nederlands.

    She speaks no Dutch / She doesn't speak Dutch.

    Word by Word: She speaks no Dutch.

    Languages are treated as uncountable nouns here, so 'geen' is the correct negation.

  4. Dat is geen groot huis.

    That is not a big house.

    Word by Word: That is no big house.

    Because 'huis' is a singular neuter (het) noun, the adjective 'groot' does not get an -e ending after 'geen'.

  5. Hij koopt geen nieuwe fiets.

    He is not buying a new bicycle.

    Word by Word: He buys no new bicycle.

    'Geen' comes before the adjective 'nieuwe' and the noun 'fiets'. Since 'fiets' is a de-word, the adjective keeps the -e.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'niet een' instead of 'geen'.

    Ik heb niet een hond.
    Ik heb geen hond.

    English speakers often translate 'not a' literally as 'niet een'. For a plain negation of an indefinite noun, Dutch uses 'geen'. 'Niet een' is only used with stress, for contrast (niet ÉÉN hond, maar twee).

  • Using 'geen' with definite nouns (de/het).

    Ik zie geen de man.
    Ik zie de man niet.

    If a noun has a definite article like 'de' or 'het', you must use 'niet' (usually placed after the noun phrase) instead of 'geen'.

  • Using 'geen' to negate adjectives alone.

    Het is geen koud.
    Het is niet koud.

    'Geen' only negates nouns. To negate an adjective like 'koud' (cold), you must use 'niet'.

How It Connects

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geenLevel 1No/Not Any (Negation)

Learn This First

To understand 'geen', you first need to know how indefinite nouns work with 'een', as 'geen' essentially replaces 'een' in negative sentences. It is also helpful to understand basic negation with 'niet' to know when 'geen' is the appropriate choice.

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geen