Bedeutung
Something is useless.
Kultureller Hintergrund
Reflects the 'nuchter' (down-to-earth) mentality. Efficiency is highly valued, and wasting effort is seen as illogical. Used similarly but often with more 'verzachtende woorden' (softening words) like 'eigenlijk' or 'misschien' to sound less blunt. In the Surinamese-Dutch community, you might hear 'No spang' (don't worry), which covers some of the same ground as 'dat is de moeite niet' when declining a favor. In business, this phrase is used to prioritize tasks. If a project has a low ROI, it is 'de moeite niet'.
Use it to be polite
When someone offers to do a small favor, say 'Dat is de moeite niet' to show you don't want to burden them.
Don't forget the 'de'
Saying 'Dat is moeite niet' is grammatically incorrect. The article 'de' is mandatory.
Bedeutung
Something is useless.
Use it to be polite
When someone offers to do a small favor, say 'Dat is de moeite niet' to show you don't want to burden them.
Don't forget the 'de'
Saying 'Dat is moeite niet' is grammatically incorrect. The article 'de' is mandatory.
Add 'meer' for extra nuance
Adding 'meer' (anymore) at the end—'Dat is de moeite niet meer'—is perfect for talking about old things that are now broken.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the missing words to complete the Dutch phrase.
Ik ga niet naar die film, dat is de ______ ______.
The standard phrase is 'de moeite niet'.
Which sentence is the most natural way to say 'It's not worth it' in Dutch?
A: Het is niet waard. B: Dat is de moeite niet. C: Dat is de moeite geen. D: Het is de moeite waard niet.
B is the most common idiomatic expression.
Match the situation to the response.
Situation: Someone offers to walk 5km to get you a single candy bar.
Walking 5km for a candy bar is too much effort for the reward.
Complete the dialogue.
Sanne: 'Zal ik de hele tekst voor je overtypen?' Tom: 'Nee hoor, ______. Ik kan het ook scannen.'
Tom is declining a favor because there is an easier way (scanning).
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenIk ga niet naar die film, dat is de ______ ______.
The standard phrase is 'de moeite niet'.
A: Het is niet waard. B: Dat is de moeite niet. C: Dat is de moeite geen. D: Het is de moeite waard niet.
B is the most common idiomatic expression.
Situation: Someone offers to walk 5km to get you a single candy bar.
Walking 5km for a candy bar is too much effort for the reward.
Sanne: 'Zal ik de hele tekst voor je overtypen?' Tom: 'Nee hoor, ______. Ik kan het ook scannen.'
Tom is declining a favor because there is an easier way (scanning).
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
4 FragenNot usually. It depends on your tone. In a practical context (like shopping), it's just efficient. In a social context, it's often polite.
Yes, 'Het' and 'Dat' are interchangeable here, though 'Dat' is slightly more common when pointing at a specific thing.
'Inspanning' is more formal and physical (exertion). 'Moeite' is more general and used in idioms.
Be careful. Saying 'Hij is de moeite niet' means 'He isn't worth the trouble,' which is quite a harsh insult.
Verwandte Redewendungen
De moeite waard
contrastWorth the effort
Zonde van de tijd
synonymA waste of time
Het loont niet
similarIt doesn't pay off
Laat maar zitten
builds onNever mind / leave it
