Dutch makes requests and invitations friendly with three tiny words. _Even_ makes a request small and quick (_Kun je even helpen?_), _maar_ gives permission or encouragement (_Kom maar binnen_), and _eens_ invites someone to try something (_Kijk eens_). Without them, a Dutch command can sound much blunter than you mean.
The pattern
Put _even_, _maar_ or _eens_ early in the sentence, usually after the verb and any short pronouns. _Even_ says "just quickly", _maar_ says "go ahead" and _eens_ says "try this".
- _even_: a small favour or a short action. _Wacht even._ In text messages people often write _ff_: _Ben ff weg._
- _maar_: permission or encouragement. _Ga maar zitten._ _Zeg het maar._
- _eens_: an invitation to look, taste or try. _Proef eens._ In speech it often shrinks to _'s_: _Kijk 's._
- A short pronoun such as _me_, _je_ or _het_ usually comes before the particle: _Kun je me even helpen?_
- The particle comes before an infinitive (the full verb form, like _zitten_) and before the second part of a separable verb: _Ga maar zitten_, _Kom maar binnen_.
- They work in commands and in questions: _Kom maar._ _Mag ik even langs?_ With _u_ it sounds like this: _Gaat u maar zitten._
Examples
| Kun je me even helpen met deze doos? | Could you help me with this box for a second? |
|---|---|
| Wacht even, ik pak mijn fiets. | Hang on a moment, I'm getting my bike. |
| Mag ik even langs? | Could I just get past? |
| Kom maar binnen, Sanne. | Come on in, Sanne. |
| Gaat u maar zitten, de huisarts komt zo. | Please take a seat, the GP will be with you shortly. |
| Zeg het maar. | Go ahead, what can I get you? |
| Kijk eens, het sneeuwt! | Look, it's snowing! |
| Proef eens, Priya heeft deze soep gemaakt. | Have a taste, Priya made this soup. |
| Vraag het eens aan Joris. | Why don't you ask Joris? |
Why it works this way
The [imperative](#/lesson/imperative), the command form of a verb, is very bare in Dutch: _Kom. Ga zitten. Help me._ English speakers soften commands with "please", "could you" or "just". Dutch speakers do that too, but very often they simply drop in a particle: a small word that adds tone rather than content. Compare:
- _Ga zitten._ sounds like an instruction to a class. _Ga maar zitten._ means "feel free to sit down".
- _Help me._ sounds urgent, almost like an emergency. _Kun je me even helpen?_ asks for a small favour.
- _Kijk naar het bord._ is an order. _Kijk eens naar die hond._ means "have a look at that dog".
_Even_ keeps its "short and quick" meaning outside requests too: _Ik ga even naar de supermarkt_ means "I'm just popping to the supermarket". Tone matters, especially with _maar_: it can also sound like "fine, then", as in _Zoek het maar uit_ ("sort it out yourself"). If you speak German, _even_ and _eens_ often do the job of "mal".
Remember: think of three hand gestures. _Even_ is one raised finger: "one second". _Maar_ is an open palm: "go ahead". _Eens_ is a pointing finger: "look at this, try this".
Once these feel natural, you can stack them, as in _Kom maar even kijken_. That is the topic of [particle combinations](#/lesson/particle-clusters). The next set of small words, [toch, wel, hoor, nou and gewoon](#/lesson/toch-wel-hoor-nou), adds even more colour.
Watch out
- Not: _Kun je even me helpen?_ Say: _Kun je me even helpen?_ (the short pronoun _me_ goes before the particle)
- Not: _Kom binnen maar._ Say: _Kom maar binnen._ (the particle comes before _binnen_, not at the end like English "then")
- Not: _Mag ik maar het zout?_ Say: _Mag ik even het zout?_ (when you ask for something, use _even_; _maar_ gives permission)
- Not: _Even Bas heeft gedanst._ Say: _Zelfs Bas heeft gedanst._ (English "even" in this sense is _zelfs_)
Quick check
- On a busy train you want to get past someone. Fill in _even_, _maar_ or _eens_: _Mag ik ... langs?_
- Daan asks: _Mag ik de laatste stroopwafel?_ You say yes, go ahead. Fill in _even_, _maar_ or _eens_: _Ja, neem ...!_
- Put the words in the right order to make a question: _helpen / me / even / je / kun_
- Fix the sentence: _Ga zitten maar, de dokter komt zo._
Answers
- _even_: you are asking for something small and quick.
- _maar_: you are giving permission.
- _Kun je me even helpen?_ The short pronoun _me_ comes before _even_.
- _Ga maar zitten, de dokter komt zo._ The particle comes before the infinitive _zitten_.
Use it today
Use each word once today: ask a colleague _Kun je even kijken?_, let someone go first at the supermarket checkout with _Ga maar voor_, and show a friend something on your phone with _Kijk eens_.