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Verbs according to function 4
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Main verbs 10 minLecture1.1
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Auxiliary verbs 45 minLecture1.2
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Copular verbs 20 minLecture1.3
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Verb exercises: verbs according to function 10 minLecture1.4
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Verbs according to meaning 7
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Transitive and intransitive verbs 10 minLecture2.1
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Reflexive verbs 30 minLecture2.2
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Modal verbs 45 minLecture2.3
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Modal verbs: zou 30 minLecture2.4
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Modal verbs: hoeven te 30 minLecture2.5
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Position verbs 30 minLecture2.6
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Verb exercises: verbs according to meaning 45 minLecture2.7
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Verbs according to form 3
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Separable verbs 30 minLecture3.1
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Phrasal verbs 15 minLecture3.2
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Verb exercises: verbs according to form 30 minLecture3.3
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Verbs according to conjugation 6
For purposes of conjugation Dutch verbs can be divided into regular and irregular verbs. Regular verbs follow a certain pattern in the way they are conjugated, whereas irregular verbs do not follow a pattern at all. The group of regular verbs is the largest, and this group can be divided further into weak verbs and strong verbs. The conjugation of a new verb (e.g. a verb borrowed from English) normally follows the rules of weak verbs.
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Weak verbs 30 minLecture4.1
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Strong verbs 20 minLecture4.2
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Irregular verbs 30 minLecture4.3
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Conjugation of new verbs 20 minLecture4.4
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List of strong and irregular verbs 40 minLecture4.5
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Verb exercises: verbs according to conjugation 30 minLecture4.6
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Tenses 9
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Infinitives and finite verbs 15 minLecture5.1
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Present tense 01 hourLecture5.2
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Past tense (imperfect) 30 minLecture5.3
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Perfect tense 01 hourLecture5.4
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Perfect or imperfect? 30 minLecture5.5
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Pluperfect 10 minLecture5.6
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Durative aspect 45 minLecture5.7
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Future aspect 50 minLecture5.8
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Verb exercises: tensesLecture5.9
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Revision exercises: verbs 1
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Revision exercisesLecture6.1
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Future aspect
In Dutch, there is no separate tense which expresses future events. However, it is possible to express that things are going to happen in the future. This can be done in three different ways:
- by simply using the present tense accompanied by an indication of a future time;
- by using the present tense of the verb gaan (‘to go’), normally accompanied by an indication of a future time;
- by using the auxiliary verb zullen.
Future with present tense
It is possible to express the future using the present tense of any lexical verb with a compulsory indication of the future (e.g. an adverb of time). The temporal element is underlined in the examples below. Note how these sentences are rendered in different ways in English:
| Morgen vliegen we naar Zweden. | Tomorrow we fly/we’re flying to Sweden. |
| Bel je me dinsdag terug? | Will you call/Are you calling me back on Tuesday? |
| Volgende week vertel ik je meer! | I’ll tell you more next week. |
Future with present tense of gaan
The present tense of the verb gaan indicates that something will definitely happen in the future. Usually an indication of time (e.g. an adverb of time) is also added, but this is not compulsory. Here, gaan is an auxiliary verb and therefore requires the infinitive of another verb (also in bold in the examples below; the temporal element is underlined):
| present tense | future aspect |
| Kenny maakt een Indonesische rijsttafel. Kenny is cooking a an Indonesian rice table. |
Kenny gaat vanavond een Indonesische rijsttafel maken. Kenny is going to cook an Indonesian rice table tonight. |
| Alan zoekt een baantje. Alan is looking for a job. |
Alan gaat een baanje zoeken. Alan is going to look for a job. |
| Wij kamperen in Schotland. We camp in Scotland. |
Wij gaan in de zomer in Schotland kamperen. In the summer we are going camping in Scotland. |
| Ik ga naar de dierentuin. I go to the zoo. |
Morgen ga ik naar de dierentuin. Tomorrow I’m going to the zoo. |
Note that where the main verb is also gaan, as in the last example, the auxiliary gaan is not added again to express future, although it can occur in some regional varieties of Dutch. So you would not normally hear, for example: “Morgen ga ik naar de dierentuin gaan“.
Future with present tense of zullen
The use of zullen to talk about the future is mostly (but not exclusively) limited to the first person (singular or plural). Note that in a declarative sentence this implies a promise, prediction or intention, rather than being simply a future. In interrogatives it carries the meaning of a suggestion. A temporal element (e.g. an adverb of time) is optional here. Note that zullen is a modal verb, so there is also an infinitive in the sentence (underlined):
| Ik zal op de boekwinkel passen. | I will look after the bookshop. |
| Zal ik morgen een taart meebrengen? | Shall I bring a cake tomorrow? |
| Zullen wij ook naar de fitness gaan? | Shall we also go to the gym? |
| Ik denk dat ze beroemd zullen worden. | I think they will become famous. |
| Zullen we daar op drinken? | Shall we drink to that? |
Note that zullen is an irregular verb:
| ik | zal | I will / shall |
| jij | zal | you (informal) will |
| u | zal / zult | you (formal) will |
| hij/zij | zal | he/she will |
| wij | zullen | we will /shall |
| jullie | zullen | you (informal) will |
| u | zal / zult | you (formal) will |
| zij | zullen | they will |