How many words are in this list?

This page gives 100 Dutch words on “Function words”. The full topic holds 120 in the KoKo app: 48 at the easy level, 42 at the medium level and 30 at the hard level.

Which words should I start with?

With level 1: these are the easiest words of the topic. Move on to level 2 once they come to you without thinking, then to level 3.

How can I remember this Dutch vocabulary?

By seeing each word again at longer and longer intervals, just before you forget it: that is spaced repetition. The KoKo app does it for you and tells you each day which words to review.

Can I print this list or save it as a PDF?

Yes. The “Print the list” button at the top of the page opens your device’s print dialog: choose to save as PDF to keep the 100 words and their translation, with nothing else around them.

Dutch vocabulary: function words

Pronouns, articles, demonstratives, possessives: the small words of Dutch grammar you cannot build a sentence without.

Here are 100 Dutch words on “Function words”, translated into English and sorted from easiest to hardest.

Level 1: easy 40 words

Dutch	English
een	aIndefinite article, masculine singular
een	aIndefinite article, feminine singular
een beetje	a little
alle	allDeterminer or pronoun, masculine plural
soms	doQuestion marker, no literal equivalent
zijzelf	herselfReflexive pronoun, feminine singular
hem	himObject pronoun, to him or to her
zijn	hisSingular possessor, belonging to him or her
ik	ISubject pronoun, first person singular
mij	meStressed form, after a preposition or on its own
meer dan	more than
mijn	myPossessive determiner, before the noun
nee	noNegative answer
niet meer	no longer
niets	nothingPronoun used on its own
ervan	of it
men	one
alleen maar	only
ander	other
dezelfde	same
zij	sheSubject pronoun, feminine singular
wat	somePartitive article, feminine singular
wat	somePartitive article, masculine singular
de	theDefinite article, feminine singular
de	theDefinite article, masculine singular
hun	theirPlural possessor, belonging to them
er is	there isExistence
deze	theseDemonstrative determiner, plural
zij	theySubject pronoun
deze	thisDemonstrative determiner, masculine before a consonant
deze	thisDemonstrative determiner, feminine singular
wij	weSubject pronoun, first person plural
wat	whatQuestion word, object
wat	whatQuestion word, subject
wat	whatBefore a verb
wanneer	when
jawel	yesYes, contradicting a negative statement
je	youObject pronoun, informal address
jij	youSubject, informal address
u	youSubject, formal or plural address

Level 2: medium 35 words

Dutch	English
veel	a lot of
heel	allDeterminer, feminine singular
alle	allDeterminer, feminine plural
wie dan ook	anyone
evenveel	as much as
elk	eachDeterminer, before the noun
elkaar	each otherMutual action between two people
genoeg	enough of
iedereen	everybodyPeople in general, everyone together
hijzelf	himselfReflexive pronoun, masculine singular
hoe	how
ikzelf	myself
nooit	never
niemand	nobodyEveryday use
geen enkele	nonePronoun, used on its own
geen	not anyDeterminer, in a negative sentence
niets	nothingNegation used with the verb
ons	ourPossessive determiner, belonging to us
meerdere	several
een paar	someIndefinite determiner, a small number
iets	somethingIndefinite pronoun, an unspecified thing
dat	thatDemonstrative pronoun, refers to something far away or already mentioned
degene	that oneDemonstrative pronoun, masculine singular
hen	themStressed pronoun after a preposition
daar is	there isPointing out, presenting
deze	thisDemonstrative determiner, masculine before a vowel
degenen	thoseDemonstrative pronoun, masculine plural
te veel	too much
wat	whatOn its own or after a preposition
welk	whichInterrogative determiner, before the noun
waarvan	whose
waarom	why
waarom niet	why not
jou	youStressed form, after a preposition
jijzelf	yourself

Level 3: hard 25 words

Dutch	English
hoe dan ook	any which way
wat dan ook	anything
wanneer dan ook	anytime
waar dan ook	anywhere
zoals het is	as it is
zeker	certain
ieder	each onePronoun, masculine singular
ieder	each onePronoun, feminine singular
de zijne	his ownPossessive pronoun, used on its own
hoe ver	how far
hoeveel	how manyFollowed by a noun, to ask about a number
de mijne	minePossessive pronoun, used on its own
de meeste	most
noch noch	neither nor
niemand	no oneFormal or legal register
zichzelf	oneselfEmphatic form, stresses the subject
wijzelf	ourselves
zulk	such
zo’n	such a
zijzelf	themselvesReflexive pronoun, masculine plural
dit	this oneDemonstrative pronoun, refers to something close
degenen	thoseDemonstrative pronoun, feminine plural
welke	which oneInterrogative pronoun, used on its own
eenieder die	whoever
de jouwe	yoursPossessive pronoun, used on its own

Mini quiz

5 words from this page, picked at random. Find their translation.

Frequently asked questions

How many words are in this list?: This page gives 100 Dutch words on “Function words”. The full topic holds 120 in the KoKo app: 48 at the easy level, 42 at the medium level and 30 at the hard level.
Which words should I start with?: With level 1: these are the easiest words of the topic. Move on to level 2 once they come to you without thinking, then to level 3.
How can I remember this Dutch vocabulary?: By seeing each word again at longer and longer intervals, just before you forget it: that is spaced repetition. The KoKo app does it for you and tells you each day which words to review.
Can I print this list or save it as a PDF?: Yes. The “Print the list” button at the top of the page opens your device’s print dialog: choose to save as PDF to keep the 100 words and their translation, with nothing else around them.