This type of _er_ is hardly different from the previous type. It comes from _ervan_, meaning 'of it' or 'of them'. "I have two of them" translates to "Ik heb er twee (van)".
Because _het_ is combined with a preposition, we use _er_ instead. At some point, the Dutch must have decided to drop the postposition _van_, leaving us with a bare _er_.
[FF](#/lesson/WordOrder.04) | [EHD](#/lesson/WordOrder.09) | [DIROB](#/lesson/WordOrder.16) | [OV](#/lesson/WordOrder.24)
Ik heb | | veel bananen | gegeten
Ik heb | er | veel | gegeten
I have eaten many bananas (many of them).
[FF](#/lesson/WordOrder.04) | [EHD](#/lesson/WordOrder.09) | [DIROB](#/lesson/WordOrder.16) | [OV](#/lesson/WordOrder.24)
We hebben | | twee kleine egeltjes | gezien
We hebben | er | twee | gezien
We have seen two little hedgehogs (two of them).
[FF](#/lesson/WordOrder.04) | [EHD](#/lesson/WordOrder.09) | [DIROB](#/lesson/WordOrder.16) | [OV](#/lesson/WordOrder.24)
Hij heeft | | weinig vrienden | -
Hij heeft | er | weinig | -
He has few friends (few of them).
[FF](#/lesson/WordOrder.04) | [EHD](#/lesson/WordOrder.09) | [TIME](#/lesson/WordOrder.13) | [DIROB](#/lesson/WordOrder.16) | [OV](#/lesson/WordOrder.24)
We hebben | | afgelopen nacht | zoveel vallende sterren | gezien
We hebben | er | afgelopen nacht | zoveel | gezien
We have seen so many falling stars (so many of them) last night!