Hoi! Welcome to one of the most important lessons in your Dutch learning adventure: verbs. Verbs are the engine of a sentence; they express actions, states of being, and occurrences. Mastering them, especially in the present tense, is your first major step toward building complete, meaningful sentences. In our previous lessons, we covered nouns and adjectives. Now, we'll connect them with actions.
The Dutch present tense is relatively straightforward, especially if you're an English speaker. The rules are consistent, and there are fewer irregular verbs to memorize than in many other languages. This guide will cover everything you need to know, from finding the verb stem to conjugating regular and irregular verbs, and even introduce you to the famous Dutch V2 word order. Let's get those sentences moving! 🏃♀️
Finding the Verb Stem (De Stam)
The foundation of Dutch verb conjugation is the stem (in Dutch: de stam). The stem is the base form of the verb to which you add endings. For most verbs, the stem is also the form used for the first person singular ('ik').
To find the stem of a regular verb, you simply take the infinitive (the full verb, e.g., 'werken') and remove the -en ending.
- Infinitief: werken (to work) → Stam: werk
- Infinitief: leren (to learn) → Stam: leer
- Infinitief: maken (to make) → Stam: maak
Just like with adjective endings, you must pay attention to spelling rules to maintain correct pronunciation.
- Long Vowel in Stem: If the infinitive has a long vowel sound followed by a single consonant, the stem keeps the long vowel sound by using a double vowel. But if the stem ends with the vowel, one is dropped.
- maken (long 'aa' sound) → Stem: maak (double 'a' to keep it long)
- lopen (long 'oo' sound) → Stem: loop (double 'o' to keep it long)
- Short Vowel in Stem: If the infinitive has a short vowel sound followed by a double consonant, the stem keeps only one consonant.
- zetten (to put) → Stem: zet
- bakken (to bake) → Stem: bak
- Stem ends in -v or -z: Some verbs have a 'v' or 'z' sound in the infinitive that becomes an 'f' or 's' in the stem.
- leven (to live) → Stem: leef
- reizen (to travel) → Stem: reis
Conjugating Regular Verbs in the Present Tense
Once you have the stem, conjugating a regular verb in the present tense is simple. There are only two endings you need to know: -t and -en.
The pattern is as follows:
| Pronoun | Ending | Example: werken (to work) |
|---|---|---|
| ik (I) | stam | ik werk |
| jij / je / u (you) | stam + t | jij werkt |
| hij / zij / het (he/she/it) | stam + t | hij werkt |
| wij / we (we) | infinitief (-en) | wij werken |
| jullie (you all) | infinitief (-en) | jullie werken |
| zij / ze (they) | infinitief (-en) | zij werken |
The 'Jij' Inversion Rule
There is one important exception to the 'stam + t' rule for 'jij'. When the verb comes before 'jij' or 'je' (usually in a question), the -t is dropped.
Jij werkt hard.
You work hard.
Werk je hard?
Do you work hard?
Note: This rule does not apply to 'u' (the formal 'you'). The -t is always kept with 'u'. Werkt u hard?
When the Stem Already Ends in -t
If the verb stem already ends in a -t (like from the verb 'zitten', stem 'zit'), you do not add an extra -t. You can't have 'zittt'!
- ik zit
- jij zit (not zitt)
- hij zit
Irregular Verbs: 'Hebben' and 'Zijn'
Like in almost every language, the most common verbs are often irregular. In Dutch, the two most important irregular verbs to memorize immediately are hebben (to have) and zijn (to be).
Conjugation of 'Hebben' (to have)
| Pronoun | Hebben |
|---|---|
| ik | heb |
| jij / u | hebt |
| hij / zij / het | heeft |
| wij | hebben |
| jullie | hebben |
| zij | hebben |
Conjugation of 'Zijn' (to be)
| Pronoun | Zijn |
|---|---|
| ik | ben |
| jij / u | bent |
| hij / zij / het | is |
| wij | zijn |
| jullie | zijn |
| zij | zijn |
Modal Verbs (Modalen)
Modal verbs express possibility, necessity, or ability. They are used with another verb (in its infinitive form). The main modal verbs are 'kunnen' (can), 'moeten' (must), 'willen' (want), 'mogen' (may), and 'zullen' (shall/will).
They have slightly irregular conjugations, especially in the singular forms.
| Pronoun | kunnen (can) | willen (want) | moeten (must) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ik | kan | wil | moet |
| jij / u | kunt | wilt | moet |
| hij / zij / het | kan | wil | moet |
| wij / jullie / zij | kunnen | willen | moeten |
When you use a modal verb, the second verb goes to the end of the sentence in its infinitive form.
Example: Ik kan Nederlands spreken. (I can speak Dutch.)
Introduction to V2 Word Order
One of the most fundamental rules of Dutch sentence structure is the Verb Second (V2) rule. In a main clause, the conjugated verb always comes in the second position.
This is easy to see in a simple sentence:
Ik werk vandaag. (I work today.)
Position 1: Ik (Subject)
Position 2: werk (Verb)
But what if you start the sentence with something else, like a time phrase? The verb still stays in the second position, forcing the subject to move after it. This is called inversion.
Vandaag werk ik. (Today I work.)
Position 1: Vandaag (Time phrase)
Position 2: werk (Verb)
Position 3: ik (Subject)
Getting used to the V2 rule is crucial for forming correct Dutch sentences. No matter what you put in the first position, the verb will stubbornly hold its place in the second slot!
🧠 Verb Conjugation Quiz
Fill in the correct present tense form of the verb in brackets.
1. Hij _____ in Amsterdam. (wonen - to live)
2. _____ jij koffie? (drinken - to drink)
3. Wij _____ Nederlands. (leren - to learn)
4. Ik _____ een auto. (hebben - to have)
Conclusion
Congratulations on tackling Dutch verbs! You've learned how to find the stem, conjugate regular verbs using the 'stam' and 'stam + t' pattern, and memorized the essential irregular verbs 'hebben' and 'zijn'. You also got your first look at the fundamental V2 word order rule. This knowledge forms the backbone of your ability to speak and write in Dutch. The next step is to practice, practice, practice! Try making your own simple sentences using the verbs you've learned today. You're well on your way to speaking Dutch! 🎉