If you're trying to learn Dutch Verbs which is also called Nederlands, check our courses about Verbs in the present past and future tense... to help you with your Dutch grammar. Try to concentrate on the lesson and notice the pattern that occurs each time the word changes its place. Also don't forget to check the rest of our other lessons listed on Learn Dutch. Enjoy the rest of the lesson!
Learning the Dutch Verbs is very important because its structure is used in every day conversation. The more you master it the more you get closer to mastering the Dutch language. But first we need to know what the role of Verbs is in the structure of the grammar in Dutch.
Dutch verbs are words that convey action (bring, read, walk, run), or a state of being (exist, stand). In most languages a verb may agree with the person, gender, and/or number of some of its arguments, such as its subject, or object.
- Present Tense
In Dutch, verbs take the following endings to form the present tense:
Infinitive lopen (to run)
Ik – stem loop
Jij – stem –t loopt
Hij/Zij/Het – stem –t loopt
Wij – stem –en [= the infinitive] lopen
Jullie – stem –en [= the infinitive] lopen
Zij – stem –en [= the infinitive] lopen
Note that a double “oo” in a single syllable word, is reduced to a single “o” when a suffix is added. For example : ik loop à wij lopen
The same goes for “aa”, “ee” and “uu”.
This applies for both nouns, adjectives, verbs, …
Like in English, these simple endings can help you a lot, because with them you can conjugate all verbs into the present tense, you only need the stem of the verb, for example the stem of (lopen: to run) is loop.
Another example: zingen (to sing) – the stem is : zing
Like in most languages hebben (to have) and zijn (to be) are irregular. Memorize them !
ik heb ik ben
jij hebt hij bent
hij/zij/het heeft hij/zij/het is
wij hebben wij zijn
jullie hebben jullie zijn
zij hebben zij zijn
- Past Tense
In Dutch as well as in English the simple past tense (imperfect) is used to describe past events. For most verbs the endings for the past tense are:
For the singular –te
For the plural –ten
For example :
werken (to work) ik werkte (I worked) wij werkten (we worked)
uiten (to express) ik uitte (I expressed) wij uitten (we expressed)
Some verbs get -de / -den
For example :
Plannen (to plan) ik plande (I planned) wij planden (we planned)
Some verbs get a different vowel in the stem.
For example :
lopen (to run) ik liep (I ran) wij liepen (we ran)
sterven (to die) ik stierf (I died) wij stierven (we died)
liegen (to lie) ik loog (I lied) wij logen (we lied)
worden (to become) ik werd (I became) wij werden (we became)
rijden (to drive) ik reed (I drove) wij reden (we drove)
You’ll have to memorize these irregular verbs.
- Future Tense
To form the future in Dutch it’s very easy, just use infinitive verb preceded by
zal for singular
zullen for plural
ik zal lopen (I’ll run)
jij zal lopen (you’ll run)
hij zal lopen (he’ll run)
wij zullen lopen (we’ll run)
jullie zullen lopen (you’ll run – plural)
zij zullen lopen (they’ll run)
Here are some examples:
| English Verbs | Dutch Verbs |
|---|---|
| Verbs | Werkwoorden |
| Past | verleden tijd |
| I spoke | ik sprak |
| I wrote | ik schreef |
| I drove | ik reed |
| I loved | ik hield van |
| I gave | ik gaf |
| I smiled | ik glimlachte |
| I took | ik nam |
| he spoke | hij sprak |
| he wrote | hij schreef |
| he drove | hij reed |
| he loved | hij hield van |
| he gave | hij gaf |
| he smiled | hij glimlachte |
| he took | hij nam |
| we spoke | we spraken |
| we wrote | we schreven |
| we drove | we reden |
| we loved | we hielden van |
| we gave | we gaven |
| we smiled | we glimlachten |
| we took | we namen |
| Future | toekomende tijd |
| I will speak | ik zal spreken |
| I will write | ik zal schrijven |
| I will drive | ik zal rijden |
| I will love | ik zal houden van |
| I will give | ik zal geven |
| I will smile | ik zal glimlachen |
| I will take | ik zal nemen |
| he will speak | hij zal spreken |
| he will write | hij zal schrijven |
| he will drive | hij zal rijden |
| he will love | hij zal houden van |
| he will give | hij zal geven |
| he will smile | hij zal glimlachen |
| he will take | hij zal nemen |
| we will speak | we zullen spreken |
| we will write | we zullen schrijven |
| we will drive | we zullen rijden |
| we will love | we zullen houden van |
| we will give | we zullen geven |
| we will smile | we zullen glimlachen |
| we will take | we zullen nemen |
| Present | Tegenwoordige tijd |
| I speak | ik spreek |
| I write | ik schrijf |
| I drive | ik rijd |
| I love | ik houd van |
| I give | ik geef |
| I smile | ik glimlach |
| I take | ik neem |
| he speaks | hij spreekt |
| he writes | hij schrijft |
| he drives | hij rijdt |
| he loves | hij houdt van |
| he gives | hij geeft |
| he smiles | hij glimlacht |
| he takes | hij neemt |
| we speak | we spreken |
| we write | we schrijven |
| we drive | we rijden |
| we love | we houden van |
| we give | we geven |
| we smile | we glimlachen |
| we take | we nemen |
In Dutch verbs are divided in strong and weak verbs. A weak verb changes internally like lopen --> liepen to walk, schrijven schreven to write. Striong vebs however do not change internally but get de suffix –te or –de at the end, like spelen, speelden to play, wassen wasten to wash.
Now the past participles end in d or t depending on the past tense of the verb. For example waken (to wake)- waak -waakte -gewaakt. K is in ‘’t kofschip and so the past participle ends on a t. But schrobben (to scrub), schrob -schrobde -geschrobd, since b is not in the ‘’t kofschip. In looking at the last letter of the stem, that is the verb mines –en one should look at the consonant before it is made voiceless, like in leven – en is lev which will become leev since a long vowel in a closed syllable should be written twice, no v is changed to f making leef, no f is in the ‘’t kofschip so one would expect to have to write geleeft, but you have to look at v which is not in the ‘’t kofschip so you have to write geleefd! (note: in schrobben, subtracting en will give schrobb, but unlike in German, we never write double consonants at the end so it becomes schrob pronounced schrop).
Some verbs end on a d or a t, like the verb heten to be called, the past tense is formed by subtracting –en to get the stem, heet and then put te after it so as to get heette. The verb luiden in the second en third person will get a t at the end making jij, hij luidt. These rules are very bewildering even for the Dutch. I always have to check if I have made no mistakes in these areas. Also since the Dutch keep changing the rules of spelling, that makes Dutch a difficult language for foreigners to learn, it is for that reason the Dutch is called the Chinese of the west (Although I think Chinese is a lot easier).
Notice the structure of the Verbs in Dutch.
Below is a list of the conjugated Verbs in the present past and future in Dutch placed in a table. Memorizing this table will help you add very useful and important words to your Dutch vocabulary.
| English Verbs | Dutch Verbs |
|---|---|
| I can accept that | Ik kan aanvaarden dat |
| she added it | ze voegde het eraan toe |
| we admit it | we geven het toe |
| they advised him | ze adviseerden hem |
| I can agree with that | ik kan daarmee instemmen |
| she allows it | ze laat het toe |
| we announce it | we kondigen het aan |
| I can apologize | ik kan mijn excuses aanbieden |
| she appears today | Ze verschijnt vandaag |
| they arranged that | ze spraken af dat |
| I can arrive tomorrow | ik kan morgen aankomen |
| she can ask him | ze kan hem vragen |
| she attaches that | ze hecht het vast |
| we attack them | we vallen ze aan |
| they avoid her | ze vermijden haar |
| I can bake it | ik kan het bakken |
| she is like him | ze lijkt op hem |
| we beat it | we slaan het/we hebben het verslagen |
| they became happy | ze werden gelukkig |
| I can begin that | ik kan daarmee beginnen |
| we borrowed money | We leenden geld |
| they breathe air | ze ademen lucht |
| I can bring it | ik kan het brengen |
| I can build that | ik kan dat bouwen |
| she buys food | ze koopt eten |
| we calculate it | we berekenen het |
| they carry it | ze dragen het |
| they don't cheat | ze spelen niet vals |
| she chooses him | ze kiest hem/ze kiest voor hem |
| we close it | we sluiten het |
| he comes here | Hij komt hier |
| I can compare that | Ik kan dat vergelijken |
| she competes with me | Ze concurreert met mij |
| we complain about it | we klagen erover |
| they continued reading | ze bleven lezen |
| he cried about that | hij huilde erover |
| I can decide now | Ik kan nu beslissen |
| she described it to me | Ze beschreef het aan mij |
| we disagree about it | we zijn het er niet over eens |
| they disappeared quickly | ze verdwenen snel |
| I discovered that | Ik ontdekte dat |
| she dislikes that | ze houdt daar niet van |
| we do it | we doen het |
| they dream about it | ze dromen erover |
| I earned | ik verdiende |
| he eats a lot | hij eet veel |
| we enjoyed that | we hebben ervan genoten |
| they entered here | ze zijn hier binnengekomen |
| he escaped that | hij is eraan ontsnapt |
| I can explain that | Dat kan ik uitleggen |
| she feels that too | ze voelt dat ook |
| we fled from there | We zijn daar vandaan gevlucht |
| they will fly tomorrow | zij vliegen morgen |
| I can follow you | Ik kan u volgen |
| she forgot me | ze vergat mij |
| we forgive him | we vergeven hem |
| I can give her that | ik kan haar dat geven |
| she goes there | ze gaat daar naartoe |
| we greeted them | we begroetten hen |
| I hate that | Ik haat dat |
| I can hear it | ik kan het horen |
| she imagine that | ze stelt zich voor dat |
| we invited them | we nodigden hen uit |
| I know him | Ik ken hem |
| she learned it | ze heeft het geleerd |
| we leave now | we gaan nu weg |
| they lied about him | ze hebben over hem gelogen |
| I can listen to that | ik kan daar naar luisteren |
| she lost that | ze is dat verloren |
| we made it yesterday | we hebben het gisteren gemaakt |
| they met him | ze hebben hem ontmoet |
| I misspell that | ik spel dat fout |
| I always pray | ik bid altijd |
| she prefers that | ze geeft daar de voorkeur aan |
| we protected them | we beschermden hen |
| they will punish her | ze zullen haar straffen |
| I can put it there | ik kan het daar neerzetten |
| she will read it | ze zal het lezen |
| we received that | we ontvingen dat |
| they refuse to talk | zij weigeren te praten |
| I remember that | Ik herinner me dat |
| she repeats that | ze herhaalt dat |
| we see it | We zien het |
| they sell it | ze verkopen het |
| I sent that yesterday | ik heb dat gisteren gestuurd |
| he shaved his beard | hij heeft zijn baard geschoren |
| it shrunk quickly | het kromp snel |
| we will sing it | we zullen het zingen |
| they sat there | zij zaten daar |
| I can speak it | ik kan dat spreken |
| she spends money | Ze besteedt geld |
| we suffered from that | we leden daaronder |
| they suggest that | ze suggereren dat |
| I surprised him | Ik verraste hem |
| she took that | ze nam dat |
| we teach it | we onderwijzen het |
| they told us | Ze vertelden ons |
| she thanked him | ze bedankte hem |
| I can think about it | ik kan erover nadenken |
| she threw it | Ze gooide het |
| we understand that | Wij begrijpen dat |
| they want that | ze willen dat |
| I can wear it | Ik kan het dragen |
| she writes that | Zij schrijft dat |
| we talk about it | We praten erover |
| they have it | ze hebben het |
| I watched it | ik heb het gekeken |
| I will talk about it | Ik zal erover praten |
| he bought that yesterday | hij heeft dat gisteren gekocht |
| we finished it | we hebben het afgemaakt |
Verbs in the present past and future tense have a very important role in Dutch. Once you're done with the Nederlands Verbs, you might want to check the rest of our Dutch lessons here: Learn Dutch. Don't forget to bookmark this page.
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