How to Say “No” in Dutch

Ways to say it

The word is a particle used to show disagreement or to express negation. In Dutch, nee and neen can also function as nouns meaning a negating expression. While nee is the simplest and most straightforward way to say "no," other phrases can modify how you decline something, such as nee, bedankt (no, thank you) for casual settings or Ik heb geen interesse (I'm not interested) for declining offers informally.

Which one should you use?

There is a distinction between the particle used to answer a question and the determiner used to negate a noun. Use nee or neen to answer a question with "no," but use the related form geen when you mean "not any" or "no" in relation to a noun, such as geen water (no water).

Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?

nee is the standard form. neen is a more formal or emphatic version of nee. To soften a refusal in a formal way, you might use Helaas (unfortunately) or Het spijt me (I'm sorry).

Related words

Not any (det): geen.

A negating expression (noun): nee, neen.

How does it change in a sentence?

While nee and neen are particles used for negation or as nouns, geen is a determiner used specifically to negate nouns.

How do you pronounce it?

/neː/

What mistakes should you avoid?

Avoid using nee to negate a noun. For example, do not say "nee water" when you mean "no water". Instead, use the determiner geen to say geen water.

When do people say it?

When declining or saying no, you can use various expressions to adjust your tone. For example, nee, bedankt is a common casual way to say "no, thank you." In more polite or formal contexts, you might use alstublieft (please) or dank u wel (thank you) alongside your refusal. To express a lack of desire for something, you can use the phrase Daar heb ik geen zin in (I don't feel like it).