# I have to tell you something



## valdur

Hello,

What’s the best way to say this? The equivalent I’m imagining in German is “ich muss dir was sagen”

Thanks!


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## Peterdg

Ik moet je iets/wat zeggen.


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## valdur

Peterdg said:


> Ik moet je iets/wat zeggen.


That’s great, is there a big difference between the two? Is it a regional variation?


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## Peterdg

No big difference. 

I *think* the version with "iets" would be more common in Flanders while the version with "wat" would be more common in the Netherlands.


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## eno2

Both are of general use
Depending on context, other variants are possible 

"Ik moet je iets/wat vertellen"
Ik heb je wat mee te delen
Ik moet je wat meedelen (could be very unpleasant, don't shoot the messenger)


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## valdur

Thank you all ! I think a good handle on it now.


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## Alisson Pereira

eno2 said:


> Ik heb je wat mee te delen


That really called my attention, but I remember it's like:  ''wat/iets mee'' (something with me). Just an observation.


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## eno2




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## Alisson Pereira

I don't know, I'm new in learning Dutch, what I meant was,  ''I have to tell you something'' => ik moet je iets vertellen.
But when I saw ''ik heb je wat mee te delen'', the first thing that came in my mind was ''I have something to share with you''. 

Finally my point is, without the word ''mee'', can I still say that phrase?


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## Leritu

Alisson Pereira said:


> I don't know, I'm new in learning Dutch, what I meant was,  ''I have to tell you something'' => ik moet je iets vertellen.
> But when I saw ''ik heb je wat mee te delen'', the first thing that came in my mind was ''I have something to share with you''.
> 
> Finally my point is, without the word ''mee'', can I still say that phrase?



No, without ''mee'' the sentence would be incorrect. ''Meedelen'' / ''mededelen'' (to share a message) is the verb. You can say ''ik heb wat/iets [om] met je te delen'', but then I would expect you to share something concrete with me (like food), not a message.


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## Leritu

valdur said:


> That’s great, is there a big difference between the two? Is it a regional variation?



It is just like in German: ''Ich muss dir was (_wat_) sagen'' / ''Ich muss dir etwas (_iets_) sagen''


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## eno2

Alisson Pereira said:


> I don't know, I'm new in learning Dutch, what I meant was,  ''I have to tell you something'' => ik moet je iets vertellen.
> But when I saw ''ik heb je wat mee te delen'', the first thing that came in my mind was ''I have something to share with you''.
> 
> Finally my point is, without the word ''mee'', can I still say that phrase?


No
Delen = share
meedelen= to communicate.

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I thought I had posted that hours ago, but I hadn't hit the save button.  I  see Lerito answered that more extensively a few minutes ago.


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## Alisson Pereira

Oh?! My bad, I didn't know about the verb ''meedelen", but today I learnt a new verb, at least.


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