{"id":2913,"date":"2014-08-13T08:33:06","date_gmt":"2014-08-13T08:33:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/dutch\/?p=2913"},"modified":"2014-08-13T08:33:06","modified_gmt":"2014-08-13T08:33:06","slug":"better-than-yes-or-no","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/dutch\/better-than-yes-or-no\/","title":{"rendered":"Better than Yes or No"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Image<\/a>

Image by Oberazzi found in Flickr.com<\/p><\/div>\n

When we speak in our native language, we tend to have a better variety of ways to answer simple yes or no questions. In English, you can use sure, of course, I\u2019d love to, etc. to express yes and absolutely no, no way, I\u2019d rather die, etc. to say no. These varieties help us get across that our answer is not simple a yes or a no; these add a degree of approval or negation. Dutch is no different in this regard. You can answer questions with simple ja <\/em>or nee<\/em>, but these simple versions are just that: simple.<\/p>\n

Ja, ja, ja<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

For a reinforced yes or a versterkte ja<\/em>, there are several options. If someone asks you Ben je blij<\/em>? after your team has won a championship, you can answer Nou en of! <\/em>or Heel erg blij!<\/em> to show your excitement.<\/p>\n

If it is a cold day out, and, as your cheeks are turning red and your breath is icy, someone asks you Hoe koud is het?<\/em> you can certainly answer with Verschrikkelijk koud! <\/em>which is something like terribly cold.<\/p>\n

If the situation is opposite, you are at a beach, and the temperatures are just too warm for comfort and someone asks Is het warm?<\/em> you can answer them with Ontzettend<\/em> warm!<\/em> which is similar to the previous one: terribly or tremendously warm.<\/p>\n

In the Netherlands, there are train areas that are considered silent areas. These are mostly for people that want to read or work or maybe just don\u2019t want to hear a lot of talking. It has happened to me that I go into these areas by mistake and the silence can be a huge contrast to the hustle and bustle of the city. If someone asks me Was het stil in de trein?<\/em>, I can surely answer Ja, hartstikke stil!<\/em> which is something like awfully silent.<\/p>\n

A more common way to say yes, one that I\u2019ve often heard used is a simple Jawel<\/em> which is like surely yes. This is the most common \u201cyes\u201d and one that everyone I\u2019ve met uses instead of saying ja<\/em>. Every time I\u2019ve learned a language, I\u2019ve tried to quickly learn a couple of words or phrases that move me from the language learner to the fluent speaker and I would say jawel<\/em> is one of those words for Dutch. It rolls off the tongue nicely and fits with all questions that demand a yes answer.<\/p>\n

Nee, nee, nee<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

For no answers, I haven\u2019t ran into as many variations, but the following three get the job done. The three give the idea that the nee<\/em> is final! No question about it. These are Helemaal niet!, Absoluut niet!, <\/em>and Totaal niet! <\/em>with the emphasis on the first syllable.<\/p>\n

If someone were to ask me now if Dutch is a hard language to learn, my answer would certainly be Totaal niet! <\/em>because I am quickly learning it and finding the simplicity in its grammar rules. When people ask me if I like drops, that licorice candy that many Dutch people love, my answer is a sure and loud Helemaal niet! <\/em>because even the memory of its taste makes me feel yukky. Lastly, as I am asked if I think Dutch food is better than Mexican food, my answer will always be Absoluut niet!<\/em> for the simple reason that Mexican food tastes like home to me and will never be equaled (but I will clarify that I do like Dutch food).<\/p>\n

So, as you practice your Dutch, make sure you add these phrases to your answers. They will start becoming automatic responses soon and you will give your conversation more feeling!<\/p>\n

\n

Useful phrases:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

For yes:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jawel!<\/em><\/p>\n

Nou en of!<\/em><\/p>\n

Heel erg!<\/em><\/p>\n

Ja, hartstikke _____!<\/em><\/p>\n

Ontzettend _______!<\/em><\/p>\n

Vreselijk _______!<\/em><\/p>\n

Verschrikkelijk _____!<\/em><\/p>\n

For no:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Helemaal niet!<\/em><\/p>\n

Absoluut niet!<\/em><\/p>\n

Totaal niet!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

When we speak in our native language, we tend to have a better variety of ways to answer simple yes or no questions. In English, you can use sure, of course, I\u2019d love to, etc. to express yes and absolutely no, no way, I\u2019d rather die, etc. to say no. These varieties help us get…<\/p>\n

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