Verbs according to function 4
- Lecture1.1
  
  Main verbs 10 min
- Lecture1.2
  
  Auxiliary verbs 45 min
- Lecture1.3
  
  Copular verbs 20 min
- Lecture1.4
  
  Verb exercises: verbs according to function 10 min
Verbs according to meaning 7
- Lecture2.1
  
  Transitive and intransitive verbs 10 min
- Lecture2.2
  
  Reflexive verbs 30 min
- Lecture2.3
  
  Modal verbs 45 min
- Lecture2.4
  
  Modal verbs: zou 30 min
- Lecture2.5
  
  Modal verbs: hoeven te 30 min
- Lecture2.6
  
  Position verbs 30 min
- Lecture2.7
  
  Verb exercises: verbs according to meaning 45 min
Verbs according to form 3
- Lecture3.1
  
  Separable verbs 30 min
- Lecture3.2
  
  Phrasal verbs 15 min
- Lecture3.3
  
  Verb exercises: verbs according to form 30 min
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.
- Lecture4.1
  
  Weak verbs 30 min
- Lecture4.2
  
  Strong verbs 20 min
- Lecture4.3
  
  Irregular verbs 30 min
- Lecture4.4
  
  Conjugation of new verbs 20 min
- Lecture4.5
  
  List of strong and irregular verbs 40 min
- Lecture4.6
  
  Verb exercises: verbs according to conjugation 30 min
Tenses 9
- Lecture5.1
  
  Infinitives and finite verbs 15 min
- Lecture5.2
  
  Present tense 01 hour
- Lecture5.3
  
  Past tense (imperfect) 30 min
- Lecture5.4
  
  Perfect tense 01 hour
- Lecture5.5
  
  Perfect or imperfect? 30 min
- Lecture5.6
  
  Pluperfect 10 min
- Lecture5.7
  
  Durative aspect 45 min
- Lecture5.8
  
  Future aspect 50 min
- Lecture5.9
  
  Verb exercises: tenses
Revision exercises: verbs 1
- Lecture6.1
  
  Revision exercises

Present tense

Introduction

The present tense of the verb is used to indicate that the activity or event described in the sentence is taking place in the present time, or at least not in the past (see how the present tense can be used in the formation of future aspect). The stem of the verb (stam) is the main building block when forming the present tense. In regular verbs it is easy to find, but, the tenses of irregular verbs you will have to learn by heart. This lesson covers the present tense of regular and irregular verbs, and the special rules for the second person singular (familiar, i.e. je/jij).

Present tense of regular verbs

To be able to form the present tense of regular verbs, it is important that you are able to determine the stem of the verb. The stem of the verb is the basic form from which all others derive, and therefore an important building block.

In order to find the stem of a verb, you take the infinitive and take off the ending –en. You then have to follow the rules of spelling to arrive at the first person singular, because the length of the vowel in the stem will have to mirror the length of the vowel in the infinitive. Also remember that Dutch words never end in a double consonant. In some cases you will not have to change anything.

infinitive	infinitive without -en	stem (after application of spelling rules)	English infinitive
fietsen	fiets	fiets	to cycle
vinden	vind	vind	to find
ontmoeten	ontmoet	ontmoet	to meet
bellen	*bell	bel	ro ring
studeren	*studer	studeer	to study
wonen	*won	woon	to live

Once you have the stem of the verb, forming the present tense is easy. For singular forms, the stem is used for the first person (ik) and stem +t is used for the second and third persons (jij/u, hij/zij). In the plural all forms (wij, jullie, zij), are identical to the infinitive, except the formal form of the second person (u) which is identical to the second person in the singular (see Personal pronouns).

These are the conjugations in the present tense of the above verbs:

	fietsen	vinden	ontmoeten	bellen	studeren	wonen
ik	fiets	vind	ontmoet	bel	studeer	woon
jij	fietst	vindt	ontmoet	belt	studeert	woont
u	fietst	vindt	ontmoet	belt	studeert	woont
hij/zij	fietst	vindt	ontmoet	belt	studeert	woont
wij	fietsen	vinden	ontmoeten	bellen	studeren	wonen
jullie	fietsen	vinden	ontmoeten	bellen	studeren	wonen
u	fietst	vindt	ontmoet	belt	studeert	woont
zij	fietsen	vinden	ontmoeten	bellen	studeren	wonen

Notes on spelling and pronunciation of verbs whose stem end in -d or -t

In the second and third person singular of verbs whose stem ends in –d, the –t of the conjugation does not alter the pronunciation of the word. So, for example, (ik) vind is sounds the same as (hij) vindt.
Dutch spelling does not allow double consonants at the ends of words, so in the second and third person singular of verbs whose stem ends in –t (for example ontmoeten), the -t is not repeated in (ik ontmoet, jij ontmoet, hij ontmoet).

Present tense of irregular verbs

There are no rules for the formation of the present tense of irregular verbs, and you will have to learn the conjugation of the most commonly used irregular verbs by heart. Below you will find the conjugation of the present tense of hebben (to have) and zijn (to be). These are widely used, and crucial for the formation of other tenses, so make sure you master them!

	*hebben*	*zijn*
ik	heb	ben
jij	hebt	bent
u	hebt/heeft	bent/is
hij/zij	heeft	is
wij	hebben	zijn
jullie	hebben	zijn
u	hebt/heeft	bent/is
zij	hebben	zijn

Verb form of the second person singular infomal (jij/je)

A very important thing to remember is that the verb form of the second person singular informal (jij/je) consists of stem +t when the pronoun precedes the verb, but the –t is dropped when the pronoun follows the verb. More schematically:

jij/je – stem +t

stem – jij/je

This happens in questions (see Interrogative sentences) and other cases where jij follows the verb (see Inversion).

Questions

jij/je – stem +t	Zo, jij studeert bedrijfskunde. So, you study business studies.
stem – jij/je	Wat studeer je in Rotterdam? What do you study in Rotterdam?

Other cases of inversion

jij/je – stem +t	Oh, jij bent ook twintig jaar oud. Oh, you are also twenty years old.
stem – jij/je	Zo oud ben jij ook. You are also that age.

Prev Infinitives and finite verbs

Next Past tense (imperfect)

Verbs according to function 4

Verbs according to meaning 7

Verbs according to form 3

Verbs according to conjugation 6

Tenses 9

Revision exercises: verbs 1