# à (in Dutch)



## Maxzi

Dag allemaal,

Reading a Dutch practice book (supposed to be intermediate/advanced level) I came across the use of the French word '*à*' to mean '*tot*' in some cases (apparently) as follow:

'*... maar de Belgen hebben aan 18 à 20 graden genoeg.*'

It is explained that one uses *à* in some cases in Dutch.

I had never heard it before and I'm wondering how common it is?

Thank you very much in advance. Dank u wel voor uw antwoord.

Max.


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## Lopes

I would say it's fairly common, especially in written text.


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## Maxzi

Thank you very much for your help Lopes!


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## Peterdg

I agree with Lopes it's fairly common, but not only in written text. If somone were to ask me, "Hoe lang heb je eraan gewerkt?", my natural answer would be "5 à 6 uren" ; I wouldn't say "5 tot 6 uren" (which, by the way, is also correct). It may be a difference between Belgian and Dutch from the Netherlands.


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## Suehil

Peterdg said:


> It may be a difference between Belgian and Dutch from the Netherlands.



Or maybe a generational difference - I (and my immediate circle) also use it and we are all definitely NL-based.


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## LeRenardReynaerde

I think _à_ mainly indicates uncertainty .
_Het wordt achtien à twintig graden. _( it will be eighteen, nineteen or twenty degrees)_
Ik deed er vijf à zes uur over__._ ( It took me five or six hours)_
saucijzenbroodjes à drie euro per stuk. _(sausage rolls for about thee euros each)

It's an ordinary word in my books and I think weather forecasters use it all the time.


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## Sol123

LeRenardReynaerde said:


> I think _à_ mainly indicates uncertainty .
> _Het wordt achtien à twintig graden. _( it will be eighteen, nineteen or twenty degrees)_
> Ik deed er vijf à zes uur over__._ ( It took me five or six hours)_
> saucijzenbroodjes à drie euro per stuk. _(sausage rolls for about thee euros each)
> 
> It's an ordinary word in my books and I think weather forecasters use it all the time.


I agree, though in the last sentence (_saucijzenbroodjes à drie euro per stuk_) in my opinion 'à' has another meaning. It indicates the exact value for one piece (so translated it would be something like 'voor, van een waarde'). Similar to for example: De supermarkt verkoopt dagelijks 500 broden à 2,-. (The supermarkt sells each day 500 loaves of bread for two euros each.)


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