Iedereen

Iedereen is a Dutch indefinite pronoun meaning “everyone” or “everybody.” It refers to all persons in a general sense and is used without naming individuals. In standard Dutch it is treated as singular and typically takes a singular verb, as in: “Iedereen is welkom” and “Iedereen heeft recht op privacy.”

Etymology and form: The word combines the determiner iets akin to “ieder” (each) with the suffix -en to form a universal pronoun. It is one of several inclusive constructions in Dutch that express total inclusion of people.

Usage and nuance: Iedereen is gender-neutral and common in everyday speech, media, and official texts. It can introduce statements about rights, duties, or shared experiences, and it is often used to emphasize inclusivity or broad applicability. In some contexts it may be substituted with phrases like “alle mensen” for greater formality or emphasis, but the meaning remains broadly the same.

Related forms and contrasts: The determiner “iedere” is used before a noun when talking about general instances, for example “iedere dag” (every day) or “iedere persoon” (every person). This is distinct from the pronoun “iedereen,” which stands on its own as the subject or object of a sentence.

See also: niemand, elk, alle, alle mensen.