Signification
Lacking motivation.
Contexte culturel
The phrase is a hallmark of Dutch directness. It is socially acceptable to prioritize your own mood over social expectations. In Flanders, people might use 'goesting' instead of 'zin'. 'Ik heb geen goesting' is the Belgian equivalent. While direct, using this with a manager is still risky. It's better to frame it as a lack of 'focus' or 'priority'. Dutch schools focus heavily on 'zin in leren' (desire to learn). If a student has 'geen zin', it's often treated as a pedagogical challenge rather than just laziness.
The 'Er' Rule
If you are replying to a question, always use 'er': 'Ik heb er geen zin in.' It makes you sound much more native.
Don't be too blunt
While the Dutch are direct, saying 'geen zin' to a stranger or a boss can still be seen as rude. Use it with people you know.
Signification
Lacking motivation.
The 'Er' Rule
If you are replying to a question, always use 'er': 'Ik heb er geen zin in.' It makes you sound much more native.
Don't be too blunt
While the Dutch are direct, saying 'geen zin' to a stranger or a boss can still be seen as rude. Use it with people you know.
Combine with 'even'
Adding 'even' softens the phrase: 'Ik heb even geen zin.' It implies it's just for a moment.
Goesting in the South
If you travel to the south of the Netherlands or Belgium, try using 'goesting' for extra local flavor!
Teste-toi
Fill in the correct form of 'hebben' and the word 'zin'.
Ik ___ vandaag echt geen ___ om te werken.
We use 'heb' for the first person 'Ik' and the noun 'zin'.
Which preposition is correct?
Heb je zin ___ een ijsje?
The fixed preposition for 'zin hebben' with a noun is 'in'.
Complete the dialogue naturally.
A: Zullen we naar de film gaan? B: Nee, sorry, ik ___ ___ ___ ___.
'Ik heb er geen zin in' uses 'er' to refer back to the movie.
Match the phrase to the situation.
You are at a party and someone offers you a snack you don't like.
Directly mentioning the object is most clear here.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesIk ___ vandaag echt geen ___ om te werken.
We use 'heb' for the first person 'Ik' and the noun 'zin'.
Heb je zin ___ een ijsje?
The fixed preposition for 'zin hebben' with a noun is 'in'.
A: Zullen we naar de film gaan? B: Nee, sorry, ik ___ ___ ___ ___.
'Ik heb er geen zin in' uses 'er' to refer back to the movie.
You are at a party and someone offers you a snack you don't like.
Directly mentioning the object is most clear here.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
12 questionsNo, 'zin' is a noun, so you must use 'geen'.
It's common among Dutch students, but it might be seen as a bit lazy. Use with caution!
'Zin' is standard Dutch; 'goesting' is mainly used in Belgium and the southern Netherlands.
Use 'Ik heb er echt totaal geen zin in!'
Yes! 'Een zin' is a sentence. Context tells you which one is meant.
This is the standard Dutch infinitive construction for purpose or inclination.
No, 'Ik ben moe' means 'I am tired'. You can have 'geen zin' even if you aren't tired.
Yes, but 'geen trek hebben' is more common for hunger-related desires.
It means 'senseless violence'. Here 'zin' means 'sense' or 'purpose'.
Ik had, jij had, wij hadden. 'Ik had geen zin' means 'I didn't feel like it'.
Yes, but it's very mean! It means 'I don't feel like dealing with you'.
Just saying 'Geen zin' is very common in texting.
Expressions liées
Zin hebben in
builds onTo feel like (something)
Geen trek hebben
specialized formNot having an appetite
Geen behoefte hebben aan
synonymTo have no need for
Er tegenop zien
similarTo dread something
Lust hebben in
synonymTo have a lust/desire for
Zinloos
specialized formMeaningless / Pointless
