Word
Het is doodstil en je hoort helemaal niets.
Meaning
It is dead quiet and you hear nothing at all.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Questions & Answers about Het is doodstil en je hoort helemaal niets.
What exactly does helemaal add to niets in this sentence?
While niets simply means 'nothing', adding helemaal amplifies it to mean 'nothing at all' or 'absolutely nothing'. In this sentence, it emphasizes the complete absence of sound.
Could I change the word order to niets helemaal?
No, the amplifier helemaal must always come directly before the negative word it modifies. Whether you are using niets, niet, or niemand, helemaal always goes first.
Can I use dood to emphasize other adjectives like in doodstil?
Yes! Just like 'dead quiet' in English, Dutch frequently attaches dood to adjectives to make them stronger. You will also commonly see doodmoe (dead tired), doodeng (terrifying), or doodziek (deadly ill).
Does je refer to the listener specifically here?
Not necessarily. In this context, je is used as a general pronoun meaning 'one' or 'people in general'. It describes the experience of anyone in that location. Note that you must use the unstressed je for this general meaning, never the stressed jij.