Breakdown of Zij hadden niets anders dan veel vermogen in die kring.
zij
they
hebben
to have
veel
much / many / a lot of
in
in
die
that / those (de-words and plurals)
niets
nothing
dan
than
anders
else / other (than)
de kring
the circle
het vermogen
the wealth / the fortune
Questions & Answers about Zij hadden niets anders dan veel vermogen in die kring.
How does the phrase niets anders dan function in this sentence?
It translates literally to "nothing other than," but it is the standard Dutch way to express "nothing but." It acts as a modifier for exclusivity. Because it directly precedes veel vermogen, it emphasizes that this wealth was the absolute only thing they had in that specific group.
The word vermogen is translated as "wealth" here. Can it mean other things too?
Yes! At the B2 level, you will see vermogen used in several distinct ways. While it means "wealth," "assets," or "capital" in this financial or social context, it also frequently means "ability," "capacity," or "power" (such as a vehicle's engine power or someone's mental capacity).
Could I place in die kring earlier in the sentence, like Zij hadden in die kring niets anders dan veel vermogen?
Yes, you absolutely can. Placing the location (in die kring) directly after the verb hadden is very natural in Dutch and slightly shifts the focus to the specific circle. The original sentence places the heavy object phrase (niets anders dan veel vermogen) earlier, which puts the spotlight on the fact that they had wealth and nothing else. Both options are perfectly correct.
Why use kring instead of cirkel for "circle" here?
While cirkel is mainly used for the physical geometric shape, kring is much broader and more abstract. It is the go-to word for a social circle, a group of people with shared interests, or a conceptual loop (like a kringloopwinkel for a thrift store). Since this sentence talks about a social environment, kring is the most natural choice.
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