Why Do Dutch People Say “Even” All The Time?

If you are learning Dutch, there is a good chance you have noticed one tiny word that seems to appear everywhere: even. 

And if you speak English, it can be confusing at first. Dutch "even'' looks exactly like English "even", but in everyday conversation it usually means something completely different. In Dutch, it can mean “for a moment”, “briefly”, “just” or “quickly”, depending on the context. 

So even is a nice example of a false friend: a word that looks familiar, but does not necessarily mean what you expect. 

You hear it all the time: 

Kun je even helpen? 
Can you help me for a moment? 

Ik kijk even. 
I’ll have a quick look. 

Wacht even. 
Wait a moment. 

Ik bel je even. 
I’ll give you a quick call. 

But even does more than tell you that something will only take a short time. In spoken Dutch, it often has another important job: it makes a sentence sound softer and more casual.

Compare these two sentences: 

Kun je me helpen? 
Can you help me? 

Kun je me even helpen? 
Can you help me for a moment? 

Both are perfectly correct. But the second often sounds less direct. By adding even, the speaker makes the request feel smaller, easier and less demanding. 

That is quite interesting in a language and culture that are often described as very direct. 

Dutch speakers may say exactly what they want, but at the same time they use small words to soften the way they say it. Even is one of those words.

You can hear the same thing at work: 

Kun je dit sturen? 
Can you send this? 

Kun je dit even sturen? 
Can you just send this? 

The word does not actually change the task. Sending something may take five seconds or half an hour. But even suggests that it is a small request and not too much trouble.

Dutch speakers also use it when talking about their own actions: 

Ik ga even naar buiten. 
I’m just stepping outside. 

Ik vraag het even aan mijn collega. 
I’ll just ask my colleague. 

Ik zoek het even op. 
I’ll quickly look it up. 

This is also why translating "even" word for word does not always work. Sometimes “for a moment” is the best translation. Sometimes “just” or “quickly” sounds more natural in English. And sometimes English would simply leave the word out altogether. 

For learners of Dutch, these small words can be surprisingly important. They may not change the basic meaning of a sentence, but they can completely change its tone. Once you start noticing even, you will probably hear it everywhere. And you may start noticing some of its equally small but powerful relatives too, such as maar, hoor and toch. 

At Dutch Online, we like to look at exactly these kinds of everyday words and expressions: the small details that help you understand not only what Dutch people say, but also how they say it. 

Sometimes, the smallest Dutch words tell you the most about how Dutch people really communicate.