Er

Introduction

Locative er

Existential er

Quantitative er

Er … uit zien

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Introduction

The word er occurs a great deal in Dutch. Sometimes it is easy to translate into English, but at other times it is not. Its meaning depends on the particular type of er that is used. The three different types of er that are discussed here are locative er, existential er and quantative er. Er can also occur in fixed expressions.

Locative er

Locative er is the unstressed form of daar (‘there') and is often used when the same location is referred to for a second time in the same conversation. Daar and (locative) er are adverbs of place, indicating a location, hence the term locative.

Daar staat de ketjap en de sambal staat er ook.
There is the ketjap and the sambal is there too.

Ik ga naar de bibliotheek om te studeren. Ook ontmoet ik er mijn vrienden.
I go to the library to study. I also meet my friends there.

Note that it is possible to use daar twice in the above examples (eg. Daar staat de ketjap en de sambal staat daar ook), but this would only be done if the second daar needed emphasis.

Locative er is usually put after the subject and finite verb cluster in a main clause.

Amsterdam is een leuke stad. Ik kom er altijd graag.
Amsterdam is a nice city. I always like to go there.

Amsterdam is een leuke stad. Zaterdag ga ik er naartoe.
Amsterdam is a nice city. I will go there on Saturday.

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Existential er

Existential er is derived from the locative meaning, but with this type of er, there is no parallel stressed form as there is with locative er. Note that not only the verb zijn can be used in combination with existential er, but also verbs of position and even more general verbs:

Er zijn 10.000 studenten in Hull.
There are 10,000 students in Hull.

Wie is er nu weer zoek?
Who has got lost now?

Er staat een kratje bier in het boodschappenwagentje.
There is a crate of beer in the shopping trolley.

Hoeveel uitwisselingsstudenten studeren er in Hull?
How many exchange students study in Hull?

Make sure that the form of the verb matches the actual subject of the sentence. In the first example above 10.000 studenten is obviously plural, hence the plural form of the verb.

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Quantative er

This type of er is not related to the locative or existential types. Quantitative er occurs invariably with numerals or other words expressing quantities (eg. één, geen or veel). This er is never translated in English.

Ik heb geen auto, maar mijn zus heeft er wel één.
I do not have a car, but my sister does have one (of them).

Mag ik een boterham van jou? Ik heb er geen meer.
Can I have one of your slices of bread? I haven't got any (of them) left.

Hier, neem maar een appel van mij, ik heb er toch veel.
Here, have one of my apples, I have many (of them) anyway.

It is possible to have quantitative er together in one sentence with a different form of er, as in the first line of a well-known birthday song:

Er is er één jarig.
Somebody is having a birthday.

In this sentence, the first er is existential, the second quantitative.

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Er ... uit zien

Er also occurs in certain fixed idiomatic expressions. One of those is er … uit zien. The word on the dotted line, so to speak, is usually an adjective, but doesn't need to be (see the last example):

Jullie woonkamer ziet er gezellig uit.
Your living room looks nice/cosy.

Wat zie je er moe uit! Ga snel naar bed!
You're looking really tired! Go to bed soon!

Simone ziet er sportief uit.
Simone is looking sporty.

Wij vroegen ons af hoe je eruit zou zien.
We were wondering what you would look like.

It is difficult to define the meaning of er in this expression and it is best to learn the whole expression as a separate vocabulary item.

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Click here to read more about er in the Advanced Dutch Grammar.