iets/niets

Something/Nothing

Level 2

iets = something / anything
niets = nothing
niks = nothing (informal)

How It Works

In Dutch, iets and niets are used to talk about objects or ideas without naming them specifically.

1. The Partitive -s
When an adjective follows iets or niets, you usually add an -s to the end of that adjective. This is a remnant of old Dutch grammar.

  • iets lekkers (something tasty)
  • niets nieuws (nothing new)

2. Spelling and Exceptions

  • If the adjective ends in a long vowel (a, o, u, i) or a -y, use an apostrophe: -'s (e.g., iets lila's, iets sexy's).
  • If the adjective ends in a schwa (a silent -e), you do add an -s (e.g., iets rozes, iets beiges).
  • If the adjective ends in -ee, just add a plain -s (e.g., iets gedwees).
  • If the adjective already ends in an -s sound (like paars or vers), you do not add another -s.
  • Material adjectives ending in -en (like houten, gouden, wollen) do not take the -s ending (e.g., iets houten).

3. Formal vs. Informal
While niets is the standard written form, niks is extremely common in spoken Dutch. Similarly, wat is often used instead of iets in casual conversation (e.g., Wil je wat eten?).

4. Relative Clauses
When you want to say 'something that...', it is most common to use wat as the relative pronoun. While dat is sometimes used for concrete objects, wat is the preferred choice for learners.

  • iets wat ik ken (something that I know)

Examples (5)

  1. Ik heb iets interessants gelezen.

    I have read something interesting.

    Word by Word: I have something interesting read.

    Notice the -s added to the adjective 'interessant' because it follows 'iets'.

  2. Er is niets nieuws onder de zon.

    There is nothing new under the sun.

    Word by Word: There is nothing new under the sun.

    The adjective 'nieuw' becomes 'nieuws' when paired with 'niets'.

  3. Heb je iets lekkers voor mij?

    Do you have something tasty for me?

    Word by Word: Have you something tasty for me?

    In questions, 'iets' can mean 'something' or 'anything'.

  4. Ik zie niks in de doos.

    I see nothing in the box.

    Word by Word: I see nothing in the box.

    'Niks' is the informal, spoken version of 'niets'.

  5. Dat is iets wat ik niet begrijp.

    That is something (that) I don't understand.

    Word by Word: That is something what I not understand.

    After 'iets', it is standard to use the relative pronoun 'wat'.

Common Mistakes

  • Forgetting the partitive -s on the adjective.

    Ik wil iets lekker eten.
    Ik wil iets lekkers eten.

    Most adjectives following 'iets' or 'niets' must end in -s.

  • Using 'niet' (not) instead of 'niets' (nothing).

    Ik heb niet gekocht.
    Ik heb niets gekocht.

    'Niet' is an adverb used to negate a verb; 'niets' is a pronoun meaning 'nothing'.

  • Adding an -s to material adjectives.

    Ik heb iets goudens gevonden.
    Ik heb iets gouden gevonden.

    Material adjectives (like 'gouden', 'houten', 'zilveren') are an exception and do not take the partitive -s after 'iets' or 'niets'.

How It Connects

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

iets/nietsLevel 2Something/Nothing

Learn This First

To understand 'iets' (something) and 'niets' (nothing), you should first be comfortable with basic sentence structure, including how to conjugate verbs and how to negate a sentence using 'niet'. These indefinite pronouns function similarly to nouns or object pronouns in a sentence.

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ietsniets