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Verbs according to function 4
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Lecture1.1
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Lecture1.2
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Lecture1.3
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Lecture1.4
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Verbs according to meaning 7
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Lecture2.1
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Lecture2.2
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Lecture2.3
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Lecture2.4
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Lecture2.5
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Lecture2.6
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Lecture2.7
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Verbs according to form 3
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Lecture3.1
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Lecture3.2
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Lecture3.3
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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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Lecture4.1
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Lecture4.2
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Lecture4.3
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Lecture4.4
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Lecture4.5
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Lecture4.6
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Tenses 9
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Lecture5.1
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Lecture5.2
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Lecture5.3
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Lecture5.4
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Lecture5.5
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Lecture5.6
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Lecture5.7
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Lecture5.8
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Lecture5.9
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Revision exercises: verbs 1
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Lecture6.1
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Irregular verbs
Irregular verbs
The conjugation of irregular verbs does not follow a recognisable pattern and therefore their forms must be learnt by heart. Most auxiliary verbs and modal verbs are irregular. The most common irregular verbs are:
infinitive | imperfect (singular, plural) | past participle | meaning |
zijn | was, waren | geweest | to be |
hebben | had, hadden | gehad | to have |
kunnen | kon, konden | gekund | can |
mogen | mocht, mochten | gemogen | may |
moeten | moest, moesten | gemoeten | must |
kopen | bleef, bleven | gebleven | to stay |
gaan | ging, gingen | gegaan | to go |
doen | deed, deden | gedaan | to do |
komen | kwam, kwamen | gekomen | to come |
Mixed verbs
There are a few verbs that appear to be a mixture of weak and strong. They may have a weak past tense, but a strong past participle, e.g.:
infinitive | past tense (singular/plural) | past participle | translation |
lachen | lachte/lachten | gelachen | to laugh |
heten | heette/heetten | geheten | to be called |
or the other way around, e.g.:
infinitive | past tense (singular/plural) | past participle | translation |
vragen | vroeg/vroegen | gevraagd | to ask |
There are also a few verbs that are a mixture of regular and irregular which have a regular weak past participle, but an irregular past tense, e.g.:
infinitive | past tense (singular/plural) | past participle | translation |
zeggen | zei/zeiden | gezegd | to say |
Check the list with the most common strong and irregular verbs for more examples.