Dutch can leave out a noun and let the adjective, the describing word, do its job. _De oude_ means the old one, _het mooie is dat ..._ means the nice thing is that ..., and _de rijken_ means rich people. Where English needs an extra word like one, people or thing, Dutch usually manages with just the article (_de_ or _het_) and the adjective with _-e_.
The pattern
Keep the article, drop the noun, and give the adjective its _-e_. The adjective now works as a noun: _de oude_, _de rijken_, _het mooie_.
- The ... one. If the noun is clear from the context, use its article: _de oude_ (the old one, about a _fiets_), _het grote_ (the big one, about a _huis_). For things, the plural looks the same: _de zwarte_ (the black ones, about _schoenen_).
- People. With no noun in the context, _de_ or _een_ plus an adjective usually means a person: _de zieke_ (the sick person), _een bekende_ (someone you know). For people in general, add _-n_: _de rijken_ (rich people), _de doven_ (deaf people), _ouderen_ (older people, built on _ouder_).
- An abstract idea. _Het_ plus an adjective means the ... thing or the ... part: _het mooie is dat ..._ (the nice thing is that ...), _het nieuwe aan dit plan_ (what is new about this plan). The _-st_ form works too: _het leukste_ (the most fun part).
- The usual [spelling changes](#/lesson/adjective-spelling) apply: _doof_, _dove_, _doven_.
Examples
| Mijn fiets is de oude naast de deur. | My bike is the old one next to the door. |
|---|---|
| Sanne wil het kleine huis, maar Daan wil het grote. | Sanne wants the small house, but Daan wants the big one. |
| Welke schoenen trek je aan? De zwarte, denk ik. | Which shoes are you wearing? The black ones, I think. |
| De huisarts ziet in de winter veel zieken. | The GP sees a lot of sick people in winter. |
| Volgens Ahmed moeten de rijken meer belasting betalen. | According to Ahmed, rich people should pay more tax. |
| De gemeente organiseert elke week een koffieochtend voor ouderen. | The municipality organises a coffee morning for older people every week. |
| Het mooie is dat ik op de fiets naar mijn werk kan. | The nice thing is that I can cycle to work. |
| Priya vraagt wat het nieuwe aan dit plan is. | Priya asks what is new about this plan. |
| Het vervelende is dat de trein vandaag weer vertraging heeft. | The annoying thing is that the train is delayed again today. |
Why it works this way
English needs a support word: the old one, rich people, the annoying thing. Dutch can do without it, because the article and the _-e_ ending already show that a noun is meant. Think of _de oude_ as _de oude fiets_ with _fiets_ left out because everyone can see the bike. The article belongs to that invisible noun, so a house becomes _het grote_ and a bike stays _de oude_.
When the adjective means people in general, it behaves like a full noun: it gets a plural _-n_ and can follow _een_ or _veel_, or stand alone: _een zieke_, _veel zieken_, _ouderen_. English the rich has no plural ending; Dutch _de rijken_ does, and takes a plural verb: _de rijken betalen_. Compare:
- _Welke tomaten wil je? De rijpe._ (tomatoes on the table: no _-n_)
- _In deze stad hebben de armen het moeilijk._ (poor people in general: _-n_)
The abstract use takes _het_ and has no plural. Add _aan_ to say what it is about: _het leuke aan Utrecht_ (in speech you also hear _van_). It is not the same as _iets nieuws_ (something new), which takes _-s_: see [iets leuks, niets nieuws](#/lesson/iets-leuks).
Remember: English adds a word, Dutch adds an ending. One, people or thing becomes the article plus _-e_, with an extra _-n_ for people in general.
Watch out
- Not: _Ik neem de blauwe één._ Say: _Ik neem de blauwe._ (no word for one after the adjective)
- Not: _De rijke betalen meer belasting._ Say: _De rijken betalen meer belasting._ (rich people in general: add _-n_)
- Not: _Welke bananen neem je? De gelen._ Say: _Welke bananen neem je? De gele._ (bananas are things: no _-n_)
- Not: _Het leuk aan dit werk is de vrijheid._ Say: _Het leuke aan dit werk is de vrijheid._ (the adjective needs _-e_)
- Not: _De mooie is dat het gratis is._ Say: _Het mooie is dat het gratis is._ (an abstract idea takes _het_)
Quick check
- Choose _de_ or _het_: _Ik heb twee boeken geleend. Ik begin met ... dikke._
- Fill in _doof_ as a noun: _De gemeente maakt haar website ook geschikt voor blinden en ..._
- Choose the correct answer to _Welke jas is van Joris?_ (a) _De lange één._ (b) _De lange._ (c) _De langen._
- Choose _de_ or _het_: _... leuke aan mijn werk is dat ik veel buiten ben._
Answers
- _het_: you leave out _boek_, and it is _het boek_.
- _doven_: people in general get _-n_, and _f_ changes to _v_ as in _dove_.
- (b) _De lange._ Dutch has no word for one after the adjective, and a coat is a thing, so no _-n_.
- _Het_: an abstract idea takes _het_.
Use it today
Tell a colleague or neighbour one thing you like about living in the Netherlands, starting with _Het leuke aan ... is dat ..._, and one thing that annoys you, starting with _Het vervelende is dat ..._. The weather is always a safe choice.