zeerzelfde

Zeerelfde is a Dutch expression used to indicate that two things are the very same. It is formed by the adverb zeer, meaning “very,” and the determiner dezelfde, meaning “the same.” In standard Dutch, the expression is typically written as two separate words: zeer dezelfde [noun], rather than as a single fused form. The contracted variant zeerelfde is rare and generally regarded as nonstandard or stylistic, appearing mainly in informal writing or dialogue for emphasis.

Usage and register

Zeerelfde occurs primarily in informal speech and in rhetoric or fiction where a strong emphasis on identity is desired. In formal writing, speakers usually prefer alternatives such as precies dezelfde or exact dezelfde, which convey the same idea with a more conventional tone. The phrase is more likely to be found in Dutch spoken language than in formal prose.

Grammatical notes

The construction acts as an intensifying pre-modifier within a noun phrase: zeer modifies dezelfde, which in turn modifies the noun. This emphasizes that two instances are not just the same, but very much the same. The expression can be used to stress identity across time, examples, or contexts, depending on the surrounding discourse.

Etymology and related terms

zeer is a standard Dutch intensifier, and dezelfde derives from dezelfde/dezelfde, meaning “the same.” Related terms include precies dezelfde, exact dezelfde, and identiek, which serve similar functions with varying degrees of formality and nuance.

See also

dezelfde; precies dezelfde; exact dezelfde; identiek.