The Dutch translation for 'some' and 'any' is _sommige_.
Dutch _sommige_ is more limited in its application than English _some_. The Dutch use _sommige_ in the sense of 'certain', e.g "Some (certain) things never change."
Dutch | Application | English
sommige | singular
plural | some in the sense of 'certain'
In English, we also use _some_ to indicate that we are talking about a small amount (some, a few), e.g. "I wrote some (a few) lines". In this case, the Dutch prefer 'enkele' or 'een paar' ('a few'), which we will discuss in [Small amounts](#/lesson/Pronouns.Id12).
We only use _sommige_ before plural nouns or singular uncountable nouns.
Plural: _sommige_
Sommige dingen veranderen nooit. | Some (certain) things never change.
Voor sommige tv-kanalen moet je een satellietschotel hebben. | For some (certain) tv channels, one must have a satellite dish.
Ik had sommige mensen al eerder ontmoet. | I had already met some (of the) people before.
Singular: _sommig_ or _sommige_
We use _sommig_ for het-words, _sommig e_ for de-words.
[ de straling]
Sommige straling is schadelijk voor de mens. | [the radiation]
Certain types of radiation are harmful to people.
[ het werk]
Voor sommig werk moet je handig zijn. | [the job]
For certain jobs, one must be handy (motorically skilled).
Independent sommige(n)
Sommige can also be independent (i.e. not preceding a noun). We only do this when we refer to plural nouns. When we refer to things, we write _sommige_, for people we add -n: _Sommige n_.
In die boekhandel verkopen ze antieke boeken. Sommige zijn zeer kostbaar. | In that bookshop, they sell antique books. Some (of them) are very valuable.
De studenten hadden hard voor het tentamen geleerd. Sommigen hadden de hele nacht doorgehaald. | The students had studied hard for the test. Some (of them) had stayed up all night.