How to say all and every in Dutch

Alle kinderen zijn binnen. (All the children are inside.) De kinderen zijn allemaal binnen. (The children are all inside.) Ieder kind is binnen. (Every child is inside.) The first two sentences present the children as a complete group. The third considers each child separately. Dutch marks that difference through both word choice and word order.

A count noun names separate items, such as kind (child) and kinderen (children). A non-count noun names a substance, quantity or abstract idea, such as wijn (wine). A definite noun phrase points to a specific, known set. Its determiner is the word at the start: the definite articles de and het (the), a demonstrative such as die (that/those), or a possessive such as mijn (my).

Use alle directly before a plural count noun: alle treinen (all the trains), alle gasten (all the guests). It can also go before a singular non-count noun: alle wijn (all the wine), alle moeite (all the effort).

For the same plural or non-count meanings, use the quantity word al before a determiner that makes the noun phrase definite. That determiner can be the article de or het, a demonstrative such as die or deze, or a possessive such as mijn or onze.

• article: al de gasten (all the guests), al het geld (all the money)
• demonstrative: al die vragen (all those questions), al deze mensen (all these people)
• possessive: al mijn boeken (all my books), al onze tijd (all our time)

Do not combine alle with a following article: not alle de gasten, but alle gasten (all the guests) or al de gasten (all the guests). Number phrases have a separate common pattern: alle drie de kandidaten (all three candidates).

The word al also has a different meaning: Ik heb al gegeten. (I have already eaten.) In that sentence it means “already,” not “all.”

Allemaal is the usual everyday form when “all” is linked to a noun or pronoun elsewhere in the clause. It normally follows that noun or pronoun, but it does not have to come immediately after it. It can refer to people, things or a non-count quantity.

• subject: De kinderen zijn allemaal thuis. (The children are all at home.)
• object: Ik heb de formulieren allemaal ingevuld. (I filled in all the forms.)
• non-count quantity: Hij heeft het geld allemaal uitgegeven. (He spent all the money.)
• question: Wie komt er allemaal? (Which people are coming?) and Wat heb je allemaal gekocht? (Which things did you buy?) Here allemaal asks for the complete set.

Do not put allemaal directly before a definite noun phrase to mean “all the”: not allemaal de kinderen. Use alle kinderen (all the children) or al de kinderen (all the children).

Elk and ieder are synonyms meaning “each” or “every.” You can normally choose either one. Some speakers tend to use ieder for people and elk for things or small groups, but that is a preference, not a rule. Fixed expressions may favor one form, such as voor elk wat wils (something for everyone) and ieder voor zich (everyone for themselves).

The ordinary pattern is elke/iedere before a singular de-word and elk/ieder before a singular het-word. Mens is an exception with accepted variation. Ieder mens (every person) is especially common, although iedere mens is also possible. See the de and het overview for noun classes.

A noun phrase with elk or ieder is singular: Iedere klant krijgt korting. (Every customer gets a discount.) The same is true with elk van or ieder van: Elk van de kamers heeft een raam. (Each of the rooms has a window.)

After a plural group, the bare forms can mean “each”: De leerlingen kregen ieder een boek. (The pupils each received a book.)

Formal Dutch can use allen when “all” stands without a following noun and refers only to people. It takes a plural verb: Allen waren tevreden. (All were satisfied.) It can also point back to a group already named: De kandidaten zijn allen geslaagd. (The candidates all passed.)

Everyday Dutch usually chooses iedereen with a singular verb or a plural noun or pronoun with allemaal: Iedereen was tevreden. (Everyone was satisfied.) Ze waren allemaal tevreden. (They were all satisfied.)

A related spelling contrast appears with beide and beiden (both). It has its own conditions, so use the -n rule for people for that pattern. Everyday Dutch often uses allebei (both).

• Review noun classes in the de and het overview.
• Compare some, several, few and many.
• See the fuller guide to the -n rule for people.