Dutch has three words for "such", and the noun after it decides which one you need. Use _zo'n_ before one countable thing (_zo'n mooie dag_), _zulk_ before a het-word you cannot count (_zulk mooi weer_), and _zulke_ before plurals and uncountable de-words (_zulke mensen_, _zulke onzin_). Quick test: if _een_ fits, _zo'n_ fits.
The pattern
Use _zo'n_ wherever you could use _een_: before one countable thing. Where _een_ is impossible, use _zulke_, or _zulk_ before an uncountable het-word.
- _zo'n_ + singular countable noun, de or het: _zo'n fiets_, _zo'n huis_, _zo'n mooie dag_
- _zulk_ + uncountable het-word: _zulk weer_, _zulk lekker brood_, _zulk goed nieuws_
- _zulke_ + plural: _zulke mensen_, _zulke mooie foto's_
- _zulke_ + uncountable de-word: _zulke onzin_, _zulke informatie_
- Adjectives follow the _een_ rule: no -e before a singular het-word (_zo'n groot huis_, _zulk koud weer_), -e everywhere else (_zo'n mooie dag_, _zulke grote huizen_). More in [Adjective endings](#/lesson/adjective-endings).
- Before a number, _zo'n_ means about: _zo'n twintig euro_
You need these words constantly in small talk: grumbling about the weather, praising a colleague's presentation, or pointing at a neighbour's bike because you want one too. _Zo'n_ covers both "such a" and "a ... like that": _Ik wil ook zo'n fiets_ means I want a bike like that too.
Examples
| Het is vandaag zo'n mooie dag, laten we buiten lunchen. | It's such a lovely day today, let's have lunch outside. |
|---|---|
| Daan heeft zo'n elektrische bakfiets gekocht. | Daan has bought one of those electric cargo bikes. |
| Fatima kreeg voor haar verjaardag zo'n leuk cadeau dat ze bijna moest huilen. | Fatima got such a lovely birthday present that she nearly cried. |
| Met zulk slecht weer neem ik liever de trein dan de fiets. | In weather this bad I'd rather take the train than my bike. |
| Zulk lekker brood vind je alleen bij de bakker op de hoek. | You only find bread this good at the baker's on the corner. |
| Ik heb nog nooit zulke behulpzame buren gehad. | I've never had such helpful neighbours. |
| Wie verzint nou zulke onzin? | Who on earth comes up with nonsense like that? |
| Bij zulke drukte op het station kun je beter een latere trein nemen. | With crowds like these at the station, you're better off taking a later train. |
| Er stonden zo'n veertig mensen in de rij bij het gemeentehuis. | About forty people were queuing at the town hall. |
Why it works this way
_Zo'n_ is short for _zo een_, and the apostrophe marks the letters that disappeared (see [When Dutch uses an apostrophe](#/lesson/apostrophe)). Always write it, because _zon_ is the sun. Once you see the hidden _een_, the rule makes sense: _zo'n_ can only go where _een_ can go. You say _een dag_ and _een huis_, so _zo'n dag_ and _zo'n huis_ are fine. You cannot say _een mensen_ or _een informatie_, so those need a different word.
That word is _zulke_, which takes endings just like _welke_ in [Welk or welke, and wat voor](#/lesson/welk-or-welke): it ends in -e, except before a singular het-word. Countable het-words like _huis_ are already taken by _zo'n_, so plain _zulk_ is left with a small group: uncountable het-words such as _weer_, _brood_, _geld_, _werk_, _verkeer_ and _nieuws_. If you are unsure what counts as uncountable, see [Countable and uncountable nouns](#/lesson/uncountable-nouns).
English gives you a head start. Where English says "such a", Dutch says _zo'n_; where English says plain "such", Dutch says _zulk_ or _zulke_. This works most of the time, because both languages usually agree on what you can count. A classic mismatch is advice: uncountable in English, but Dutch happily says _een advies_, so "such good advice" is _zo'n goed advies_.
In relaxed speech many native speakers use _zo'n_ before plurals and uncountable nouns too (_zo'n schoenen_, _zo'n mooi weer_). In writing and careful speech this is not standard, so stick to _zulke_ and _zulk_. With weather there is also a safe shortcut: _Het is zo mooi weer_ is perfectly correct, because _zo_ simply goes with the adjective.
Remember: _zo'n_ is _zo een_ in disguise. If _een_ fits, use _zo'n_; if it does not, use _zulke_, and drop the -e only before a het-word.
Watch out
- Not: _Het was zo mooie dag._ Say: _Het was zo'n mooie dag._ (one countable day needs the _een_ hidden in _zo'n_)
- Not: _Ik wil ook zulk huis._ Say: _Ik wil ook zo'n huis._ (_huis_ is a het-word, but you can count it)
- Not: _Zo'n mensen vertrouw ik niet._ Say: _Zulke mensen vertrouw ik niet._ (_een_ never goes before a plural, so neither does _zo'n_)
- Not: _Ik heb nog nooit zulk onzin gehoord._ Say: _Ik heb nog nooit zulke onzin gehoord._ (_onzin_ is a de-word, so it takes the -e)
- Not: _Het is zo'n mooi weer vandaag._ Say: _Het is zulk mooi weer vandaag._ (you cannot count _weer_)
Quick check
- Fill in the gap with _zo'n_, _zulk_ or _zulke_: _... informatie mag je niet zomaar met klanten delen._
- Choose: _Met (zo'n / zulk / zulke) collega's is een maandag best te doen._
- Choose: _We hebben al twee weken (zo'n / zulk / zulke) koud weer._
- Fix the sentence: _Ahmed woont in zulk mooi dorp._
Answers
- _Zulke_: _informatie_ is an uncountable de-word.
- _zulke_: _collega's_ is a plural.
- _zulk_: _weer_ is an uncountable het-word.
- _Ahmed woont in zo'n mooi dorp._ You can say _een dorp_, so _zo'n_, even though _dorp_ is a het-word.
Use it today
Next time you chat with a colleague or neighbour, comment on the weather with _zulk_ (_Het is zulk koud weer vandaag_) and compliment something they own with _Ik wil ook zo'n ..._. Afterwards, check whether the _een_ test picked the right word.