Fact corner

 Language: Dutch
 Alternate names: Nederlands, Hollands
 SIL-code: Ethnologue:nld
 Language family: Indo-European, Germanic, West, Low Saxon-Low Franconian, Low Franconian
 Number of speakers: 17,370,777
 Script: Latin script

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 Introduction
o Preposition or Noun
o Prefix
o Voiced of voiceless
o Stem
o Adapting the spelling
o Examples
o Conjugation of weak verbs (no vowel-change in past tense)
o Conjugation of strong verbs (vowel-change in past tense)
o Irregular verbs
o Verbs with a prefix
o Verbs with a noun or a preposition
o Imperative
o Subjunctive

Introduction
Three conjugation classes: Weak, strong and irregular.

Three persons: First, second and third.

Two numbers: Singular and plural.

Three moods: Indicative, subjunctive and imperative.

Two genera verbis: active and passive.

The conjugation of a Dutch verb is not easy at all. Sometimes it is not sufficient to know how the
infinitive is written, you should also know how it is pronounced, in particular where the emphasis
is.
Most infinitives end in -en, sometimes by -ën. The latter is always preceded by a vowel.

There are five exceptions are: 'staan', 'gaan', 'doen', 'zien', 'zijn'. More exceptions can be made by
prepending a prefix, preposition or noun to such a verb, for example: 'verstaan', 'doorgaan',
'ontdoen', 'bezien'.

An infinitive has always at least two syllables (except the five exceptions).
Preposition or Noun
Some verbs begin with a preposition (or noun). Possible prepositions and nouns are: 'door-', 'mee-
', 'onder-', 'uit-', 'aaneen-', 'televisie-' and many more. A preposition or noun is always emphasised.
There is no sure way to identify a preposition or noun.

Remember: When you think there is a preposition or noun, but it is not emphasised, it is not a
preposition or noun. Example: 'ondergaan' ('onder-' can be a preposition but the emphasis is
on gaan'). And when the remaining verb is too short to be a verb, it isn't a preposition or noun either. Example: 'uiten'
('uit can be a preposition, but the remaining '-en' is too short).

Remove the preposition or noun, if any. All further operations are done with the stripped infinitive,
that is, without the preposition or noun.
Prefix
Many verbs (without the preposition or noun, if any) begin with a prefix. Possible prefixes include:
'ge-', 'ver-', 'onder-', 'be-'.

Usually the conjugation of a verb is the same with and without the prefix. For example, 'bevriezen'
is conjugated just like 'vriezen' There is one exception: when a verb has a prefix, there is no 'ge-'
in the past participle.

Remember: A prefix is never emphasised. And when the remaining verb is too short to be a verb,
it isn't a prefix either. Example: 'vergen' ('ver-' can be a prefix, but the remaining '-gen' is too short).
Voiced of voiceless
If the third last letter of the infinitive is -t, -k, -f, -s, -sj, -ch, -p or -x, the verb is voiceless. If the third
last letter of the infinitive is any other letter, the verb is voiced.

Example: 'lezen' is voiced because of the 'z'.

Stem
The stem of a verb is formed by removing the final -en or -ën and adapting the spelling (see
below).

Five verbs do not end in '-en' or -ën. (These include 'zien' and 'doen', since 'ie' and 'oe' are units.)
The stems of 'gaan', 'staan', 'zien' and 'doen' are 'gaa', 'staa', 'zie' and 'doe' respectively. The verb
'zijn' does not end in '-en' either, but it is irregular.
Adapting the spelling
1. If, after removing the suffix -en, the word ends in 'v' or 'z', change it into 'f' or 's'
2. If, after removing the suffix -en, the word ends in two equal consonants, remove one of
them.
3. If, after removing the suffix -en, the word ends in a single vowel (a, e, o, u, or emphasised
e) and a single consonant (except 'uw'), double the vowel.

Examples
 werken -> werk
 meten -> meet (rule 3)
 leven -> leef (rules 1 and 3)
 duwen -> duw (exception in rule 3)
 zitten -> zit (rule 2)
 kantelen -> kantel (rule 3 does not apply, because -tel- is not emphasised)
 liften -> lift (no rule applies, there are two consonants)
 vieren -> vier (no rule applies, the vowel is written with two letters)

If the infinitive has three or more syllables, and the second last syllable contains the vowel -e-, it
may be hard to know whether the last syllable of the stem is emphasised. Sometimes two different
verbs have the same spelling. This problem exists in particular when the verb ends in '-eren' or '-
ëren':

 bedelen (bedélen) -> bedeel (rule 3)

 bedelen (bédelen) -> bedel
 programmeren (programméren) -> programmeer (rule 3)
 donderen (dónderen) -> donder

Conjugation of weak verbs (no vowel-change in

past tense)
person present past (voiced) past (voiceless)
First person sing. ('ik') stem (5) stem + -de stem + -te
Second person sing. (with 'jij' or 'je') stem + -t (1)(2)(4) stem + -de stem + -te
Second person sing. (with 'gij' or 'ge') stem + -t (2)(4) stem + -det stem + -tet
Third person sing. ('hij', 'zij', 'het', 'u') stem + -t (2)(4) stem + -de stem + -te
First person plural ('wij') infinitive stem + -den stem + -ten
Second person plural ('jullie') infinitive (3) stem + -den stem + -ten
Third person plural ('zij') infinitive stem + -den stem + -ten

 (1) No 't' is added when the personal pronoun 'jij' or 'je' comes after the verb. See also (5)
 (2) No additional 't' is added when the stem already ends in 't'
 (3) Obsolete: stem+t
 (4) The 'a' is doubled before 't' in the verbs 'gaan' and 'staan': 'gaat', 'staat'
 (5) When the word ends in '-aa', drop one a. This occurs in the verbs 'gaan' and 'staan': ik ga, jij
gaat, ga jij.
 All these forms should be followed by the prepostion or noun, if any. For example, the first
person singular of 'doorwerken' is 'ik werk door'.

Present participle: For all verbs, weak strong or irregular, the present participle is: infinitive + -d.
The only exception is 'wezen', its present participle is 'zijnd'. The preposition or noun is prepended,
so the present participle of 'doorwerken' is 'doorwerkend'.

Past participle of weak verbs:

 for voiced verbs: preposition/noun + ge- + stem + -d

 for voiceless verbs: preposition/noun + ge- + stem + -t.

Note: when the verb has a prefix, there is no 'ge-' in the past participle.
Conjugation of strong verbs (vowel-change in
past tense)
There is no simple rule for the past tense of strong verbs. There is no straight rule for the vowel-
change. One has to learn these verbs by heart to find the right conjugation.
person present past
Singular same as weak verbs past tense
Second person sing. (with 'gij' or 'ge') same as weak verbs past tense + -t (2)
Plural infinitive past tense + -en (1)

 (1) When the past tense ends in a single vowel and a single consonant the consonant is
doubled in the plural (for example 'begon', 'begonnen').
 (2) if the past tense ends in -t, add -et, for example 'kocht' 'kochtet'
 All these forms should be followed by the prepostion or noun, if any. For example, the first
person singular of 'doorgaan' is 'ik ging door'.

Exception, if the vowel is 'a', the consonant is not doubled ('mat', 'maten'), and if the consonant is
'f' or 's', it is changed into 'v' or 'z' ('las', 'lazen').

Exception to the exception: 'had', 'hadden'.

If the past tense ends in -e, the plural past tense adds only -n: 'zeide', 'zeiden'

The past plurals of 'kon', 'zou', 'zei', 'lei' are: 'konden', 'zouden' 'leiden' 'zeiden'
Irregular verbs
There is also a category of irregular verbs. These are strong. Some of them will show a
combination of characteristics from both categories, others have a conjugation which is strictly
their own. These verbs must also be learned by heart.

The tables below mention the irregularities only

present
infinitive past participle imperative
participle
zijn, wezen geweest zijnd wees!
person present past
First person sing. ben was
Second person sing. (with 'jij' or
bent (1) was
'je')
Second person sing. (with 'gij' or
zijt waart
'ge')
Third person sing. is was
First person plural zijn waren
Second person plural (with zijn (obs. waren (obs.
'jullie') bent) waart)
Third person plural zijn waren

infinitive past participle present participle imperative

hebben gehad hebbend heb!
person present past
First person sing. had
Second person sing. (with 'jij' or 'je')
Second person sing. (with 'gij' or 'ge') heeft hadt
Third person sing. heeft
First person plural hadden
Second person plural (with 'jullie')
Third person plural

infinitive past participle

 zullen (none)
person present past
First person sing. zal zou
Second person sing. (with 'jij' or 'je') zult (1) zou
Second person sing. (with 'gij' or 'ge') zult zoudt
Third person sing. zal zou
First person plural zouden
Second person plural (with 'jullie') (obs.zult) zouden, (obs. zoudt)
Third person plural zouden

infinitive past participle

kunnen gekund
person present past
First person sing. kan kon
Second person sing. (with 'jij' or 'je') kunt (1) kon
Second person sing. (with 'gij' or 'ge') kunt kondet
Third person sing. kan kon
First person plural konden
Second person plural (with 'jullie') (obs.kunt) konden
Third person plural konden

infinitive past participle

willen gewild
person present past
First person sing. wil wou, wilde
Second person sing. (with 'jij' or 'je') wilt (1) wou, wilde
Second person sing. (with 'gij' or 'ge') wilt wildet
Third person sing. wil wou, wilde
First person plural wouden, wilden
Second person plural (with 'jullie') (obs.wilt)
Third person plural

present
infinitive past participle
participle
 gemogen (also gemoogd,
mogen mogend
gemocht)
person present past
First person sing. mag mocht
Second person sing. (with 'jij' or
mag mocht
'je')
Second person sing. (with 'gij' or
moogt mochtet
'ge')
Third person sing. mag mocht
First person plural
Second person plural (with (obs.
'jullie') moogt)
Third person plural

past present
infinitive imperative
participle participle
komen gekomen komend kom!
person present past
First person sing. kom kwam
Second person sing. (with 'jij' or 'je') komt (1) kwam
Second person sing. (with 'gij' or
koomt kwaamt
'ge')
Third person sing. mag kwam
First person plural komen kwamen
(obs.
Second person plural (with 'jullie')
koomt)
Third person plural

 (1) the 't' is dropped when the personal pronoun 'jij' or 'je' comes after the verb.

Verbs with a prefix

Some verbs have a prefix without emphasis.

Common prefixes are: ver- be- ge- ont- onder- voor-

Examples are: ervaren, verspreken, ontstaan.

These verbs are conjugated in the same way as the one without prefix (if it exists), with one
exception: there is no prefix ge- in the past participle.
Infinitive past participle
staan gestaan
ontstaan ontstaan
verstaan verstaan
kopen gekocht
verkopen verkocht
bekopen bekocht

It is not always easy to see whether a verb has a prefix. For example, 'verbaliseren' is not prefixed
and its past participle is 'geverbaliseerd'.
Verbs with a noun or a preposition
Some verbs are preceded by a separate word, usually a noun or preposition. This separate word
has emphasis, unlike the prefix mentioned above. Things are complicated because that separate
word is not always separate, which makes it hard to recognise it.
Infinitive present indicative past participle
pianospelen speel piano pianogespeeld
doorlopen loop door doorgelopen
koffiedrinken drink koffie koffiegedronken

It is even possible that there is no spelling difference between a prefixed verb and a verb with a
preposition:
Infinitive present indicative past participle
vóórkomen kom voor voorgekomen
voorkómen voorkom voorkomen
óverwerken werk over overgewerkt
overwérken overwerk overwerkt

Imperative
The imperative mood has only one form in singular an one in plural. The singular form is the same
as the first person present singular, the plural form is the third person. The plural is not often used.
There is no object in the imperative.
Example: Loop! (walk! singular)
Loopt! (walk! plural)

The imperatives of 'zijn' and 'wezen' are: 'wees!', 'weest!'

Subjunctive
The verb does not change in the subjunctive mood, the conjugation is like the indicative. The word
order in the sentence does change.
Indicative: Object-Predicate-Subject
etc.
Subjunctive: Predicate-Object-Subject
etc.?