Niks

nothing [indefinite pronoun]

"Niks" means "nothing" (or "not [...] anything"). A synonym for "niks" is "niets". Its antonym is found easily by omitting the 'n': "iets" means "something". "Niks" on the other hand does not have a similar antonym ("iks" does not exist).

Examples:
- "Ik snap er niks van hoe Dubai maar blijft groeien en groeien." 
("I don't understand how Dubai just keeps on growing and growing.")

- "Is er iets, je bent zo stil?" - "Nee, (er is) niks / er is niks aan de hand." 
("Is something wrong, you are so quiet?" "No, (there's) nothing".)

- "<Tegel rechts:> Als je niks te doen hebt, doe het dan niet hier." 
("<Tile on the right:> If you don't have anything to do, then don't do it here.")

- "Ik ben al 3 maanden een baan aan het zoeken maar heb nog steeds niks gevonden."
("I have been looking for a job for three months now and I still haven't found anything.")

- "Waarom neem je die baan in Muscat niet? Je hebt niks te verliezen!" 
("Why don't you take that job in Muscat? You have nothing to lose!")

Expressions:
- "Niks mee te maken!": that's not relevant at all!

Example:
- "Sorry dat ik je verjaardagsdiner vergeten ben maar ik had het echt heel druk." - "Niks mee te maken!"
("Sorry I forgot your birthday-diner but I was really busy." "That's not relevant at all!")

- "Voor niks gaat de zon op": everything has a cost (Lit.: For nothing rises the sun).

Example:
- "Het was te goed om waar te zijn, en inderdaad: voor niks gaat de zon op."
("It was too good to true, and indeed: everything has a cost.")

Related words:
- Niets: nothing [adverb].
- Iets: something [adverb].

Comments

[Dave]

"Tegel on the right"? Shouldn't that be "Tegel van rechts"? :)

[Sander]

Thanks for the observant eye :-)