De-words and Plurals: Dezelfde
When you want to say "the same" in Dutch, the word you use depends on the gender of the noun. For de-words and all plural nouns, use dezelfde.
| We have exactly the same taste. | Wij hebben precies dezelfde smaak. |
| He often dresses in the same style. | Hij kleedt zich vaak in dezelfde stijl. |
| Why are you not wearing the same socks? | Waarom draag je niet dezelfde sokken? |
Het-words: Hetzelfde
For het-words (neuter singular nouns), you must use hetzelfde instead. Notice that this rule aligns perfectly with the definite articles de and het.
| Let's buy the same red T-shirt! | Laten we hetzelfde rode T-shirt kopen! |
| When she saw the same T-shirt, she immediately wanted to have it. | Toen ze hetzelfde T-shirt zag, wilde ze het meteen hebben. |
The Same Thing
You can also use hetzelfde completely on its own. When it is not attached to a noun, it simply means "the same" or "the same thing".
| He coincidentally ordered the same thing. | Hij bestelde toevallig hetzelfde. |
| They coincidentally said exactly the same thing. | Ze zeiden toevallig precies hetzelfde. |
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