Bedeutung
Forgiving a small mistake.
Kultureller Hintergrund
The Dutch value 'nuchterheid' (being level-headed). 'Het geeft niet' reflects this by showing you aren't easily bothered by small things. In Flanders, people might use 'Het is niet erg' or 'Geen probleem' slightly more often than 'Het geeft niet', which can sound a bit more 'Northern Dutch' to some ears, but it is perfectly understood. In Surinamese Dutch, you might hear 'No spang' (don't worry/no stress), which is a popular alternative to 'Het geeft niet' among younger people and in informal settings. In offices, 'Het geeft niet' is used to maintain a flat hierarchy. It signals that we are all human and mistakes are part of the process, as long as they are small.
The 'Hoor' Factor
Add 'hoor' at the end ('Geeft niet, hoor!') to sound 10x more like a native speaker. It adds a layer of friendly reassurance.
Don't be too casual
If you say it too quickly without eye contact, it can sound dismissive. A small smile makes it genuine.
Bedeutung
Forgiving a small mistake.
The 'Hoor' Factor
Add 'hoor' at the end ('Geeft niet, hoor!') to sound 10x more like a native speaker. It adds a layer of friendly reassurance.
Don't be too casual
If you say it too quickly without eye contact, it can sound dismissive. A small smile makes it genuine.
Directness
If a Dutch person says 'Het geeft niet', they usually mean it. You don't need to keep apologizing.
Short is Sweet
In WhatsApp, just typing 'Geeft niet!' is perfectly polite and very common.
Teste dich selbst
Someone accidentally bumps into you and says 'Sorry!'. What is the most natural response?
A: Graag gedaan. B: Het geeft niet. C: Dank u wel. D: Alsjeblieft.
'Het geeft niet' is the correct way to accept an apology. 'Graag gedaan' is for thanks.
Complete the sentence to say 'It doesn't matter that you are late.'
Het ______ niet dat je te laat bent.
'Het geeft niet' is the standard expression here. 'Het maakt niet uit' would also work, but 'geeft' fits the specific phrase structure.
Match the phrase to the correct situation.
1. Someone says 'Dank je!' 2. Someone says 'Sorry!' 3. Someone says 'Hoi!'
Apologies are met with 'Het geeft niet', thanks with 'Graag gedaan', and greetings with 'Hallo'.
Fill in the missing line in this friendly dialogue.
Anke: 'Oeps, ik ben je verjaardag vergeten!' Ben: '________, hoor! We vieren het volgende week.'
Ben is forgiving Anke for forgetting his birthday, so 'Geeft niet' is the perfect friendly response.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Ways to say 'It's okay'
Forgiving
- • Het geeft niet
- • Het is niet erg
Choosing
- • Het maakt niet uit
- • Maakt niks uit
Moving on
- • Zand erover
- • Geen probleem
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenA: Graag gedaan. B: Het geeft niet. C: Dank u wel. D: Alsjeblieft.
'Het geeft niet' is the correct way to accept an apology. 'Graag gedaan' is for thanks.
Het ______ niet dat je te laat bent.
'Het geeft niet' is the standard expression here. 'Het maakt niet uit' would also work, but 'geeft' fits the specific phrase structure.
1. Someone says 'Dank je!' 2. Someone says 'Sorry!' 3. Someone says 'Hoi!'
Apologies are met with 'Het geeft niet', thanks with 'Graag gedaan', and greetings with 'Hallo'.
Anke: 'Oeps, ik ben je verjaardag vergeten!' Ben: '________, hoor! We vieren het volgende week.'
Ben is forgiving Anke for forgetting his birthday, so 'Geeft niet' is the perfect friendly response.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenYes, it is perfectly neutral and polite enough for a professional setting.
'Het geeft niet' is specifically for forgiveness. 'Maakt niet uit' is more for choices or indifference.
No, it's neutral. It works in almost any situation.
Yes, 'niets' is a bit more formal or emphatic, but 'niet' is more common.
You would say 'Het maakt mij niet uit'. 'Het geeft mij niet' is not used.
Yes, dropping the 'Het' is very common in spoken Dutch.
Then don't use this phrase! Say 'Ik vind dit niet leuk' or 'Dit is een probleem'.
No! That is a common mistake. Use 'Graag gedaan' instead.
Yes, 'Het gaf niet', but it's mostly used in storytelling, not daily speech.
No, to a native speaker, it's just a single unit of meaning. They don't think about the word 'give'.
Verwandte Redewendungen
Het maakt niet uit
similarIt doesn't matter / It's all the same.
Geen probleem
synonymNo problem.
Het is niet erg
synonymIt is not bad / serious.
Zand erover
specialized formLet's forget about it.
Maakt niks uit
similarDoesn't matter at all.
