Word
Ik deel niemands wachtwoord.
Meaning
I share no one's password.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Questions & Answers about Ik deel niemands wachtwoord.
How does niemands work here instead of just niemand?
Niemands is the possessive form of niemand (nobody or no one). By adding the -s, it becomes "nobody's" or "no one's". Just like in English, it sits directly in front of the noun it modifies, making niemands wachtwoord mean "no one's password".
Why isn't there an apostrophe in niemands like there is in the English "nobody's"?
In Dutch, the possessive -s is glued directly to the end of the word. You only use an apostrophe if adding the -s directly would change how a final vowel is pronounced (like in oma's). Since niemand ends in a consonant, no apostrophe is needed.
Is wachtwoord literally "wait word"?
Yes! It is a compound word made from wacht (from wachten, meaning to wait or to stand guard, like a sentry) and woord (word). It originally referred to a guard's watchword and is now the standard Dutch term for a computer or digital password.
Do I need to add niet (not) to make this sentence negative?
No, you do not need niet. The word niemands already contains the negative meaning. Just like in English standard grammar, adding an extra negative word here would create an unnatural double negative.