Questions & Answers about Het getal nul is klein.
What is the difference between getal and nummer?
In Dutch, getal is used for a mathematical number, quantity, or figure (like 0, 10, or 42). Nummer is used for an item in a sequence or an identification, like a phone number (telefoonnummer), a house number (huisnummer), or a song.
Why is it het getal and not de getal?
Getal is a neuter word, so it takes the definite article het (the) instead of de. There is no strict rule for why it is neuter, so it is best to memorize het getal as a set pair.
How do you pronounce nul? Is it just like the English word "null"?
Not quite! The Dutch u is a short vowel that doesn't exist in English. It sounds a bit like the "u" in "hurt" or "purse", but much shorter and with rounded lips. It is not pronounced with the blunt "uh" sound of the English word "null".
Why doesn't klein have an -e at the end here?
Because klein comes after the verb is to describe the subject, rather than sitting right in front of a noun. In Dutch, adjectives only get an -e ending when they are placed directly before the noun they describe (for example, het kleine getal).
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