Zodanig

Zodanig is a Dutch word that functions as a determiner and an adverb, meaning such or so. It is used to indicate a degree or quality, often before a noun or before an adjective, and it can also introduce a consequence with een adverbial clause such as zodanig dat.

As a determiner, zodanig precedes a noun to specify the kind or extent of what is being referred to. For example: zodanige fouten (such errors), zodanig beleid (such policy). It can also be followed by a noun phrase to emphasize the degree of a quality, as in zodanig goed or zodanig slecht. In informal speech, zo’n can be used, but zodanig is more common in formal or written Dutch.

Zodanig is also used in constructions with dat to express a result or consequence: Het weer was zodanig slecht dat de wedstrijd werd afgelast (The weather was so bad that the match was canceled). In this usage, zodanig combines with a clause to show the extent of a condition.

Etymologically, zodanig is a compound of zo and danig, and it is considered a native Dutch term. It is frequently found in formal and written Dutch, where it often replaces the more everyday dergelijke or zulk in emphasising degree rather than merely listing examples. In everyday language, dergelijk and zulken serve as close synonyms, with subtle differences in nuance and register.

See also: dergelijke, zulk, dergelijk, zo’n.