In Dutch, “een” (pronounced like “ane”) with accent marks (streepjes) becomes “één” (pronounced like “ane” with a sharper e sound).
Here’s when to use “één”:
- When it refers to the number 1:
- Example: Ik heb één appel. (I have one apple.)
- To avoid confusion with the indefinite article “een”:
- This is especially important when spoken aloud, as “een” and “één” sound very similar.
- Example: Ik heb thuis een hond en één kat. (I have one dog and one cat at home.)
However, you wouldn’t use “één” with accent marks in these cases:
- For indefinite articles: “Een” remains without accent marks when referring to “a” or “an”.
- Example: Ik wil een kop koffie. (I want a cup of coffee.)
- In fixed expressions: Many phrases like “een van de” (one of the), “een of ander” (some), etc. don’t require accent marks on “een”.
So, “één” with accent marks is all about clarity and emphasizing it means “one” rather than the indefinite article “een”.