Classification of verbs
There are two different ways in which Dutch verbs can be grouped: by conjugational class and by derivation. These two categorizations describe different aspects of a verb's conjugation and therefore are complementary to each other.By conjugational class
Dutch verbs can be grouped by their conjugational class, as follows: * Weak verbs: past tense and past participle formed with a dental suffix ** Weak verbs with past in ''-de'' ** Weak verbs with past in ''-te'' * Strong verbs: past tense formed by changing the vowel of the stem, past participle in ''-en'' ** Class 1: pattern ''ij-ee-ee'' ** Class 2: pattern ''ie-oo-oo'' or ''ui-oo-oo'' ** Class 3: pattern ''i-o-o'' or ''e-o-o'' ** Class 4: pattern ''ee-a/aa-oo'' ** Class 5: pattern ''ee-a/aa-ee'' or ''i-a/aa-ee'' ** Class 6: pattern ''aa-oe-aa'' ** Class 7: pattern ''X-ie-X'' (specifically, ''oo-ie-oo'', ''a-ie-a'', ''a-i-a'', ''ou-iel-ou'', ''aa-ie-aa'' or ''oe-ie-oe'') ** Other strong verbs, which don't follow any of the above patterns * Mixed verbs ** Weak past tense (''-de'' or ''-te''), but strong past participle (''-en'') ** Strong past tense (vowel change), but weak past participle (''-d'' or ''-t'') * Irregular verbs: verbs that do not clearly conjugate as any of the above ** Preterite-present verbs: verbs that originally had present tense forms identical to the past of a strong verb ** Weak verbs with past in ''-cht'' ** Other irregular verbsBy derivation
Another way to group verbs is by the type of derivation. The following can be distinguished: * Basic: underived, compounded, or derived without prefixation * Prefixed: with an unstressed prefix * Separable: with a stressed adverbial (or rarely object-like) prefix Most of this article shows the conjugation of basic verbs. The differences in prefixed and separable verbs are described here, and can be applied to any verb regardless of conjugation.Prefixed verbs
Prefixed verbs are verbs whose stem begins with an unstressed prefix. The prefix is usually one of ''be-'', ''ge-'', ''her-'', ''ont-'', ''ver-'', but others are also possible, often derived from adverbs or prepositions. Prefixed verbs are conjugated like basic verbs, except in the past participle. In the past participle, the inflectional prefix ''ge-'' is replaced by the verb's own prefix, and it is not added on. The past participle of ''her-openen'' ("to reopen") is ''her-opend'' (not *''ge-her-opend''), and for ''be-talen'' ("to pay") it is ''be-taald'' (not *''ge-be-taald''). In some cases, two verbs exist that are spelled identically, but with one treating an adverb as a prefix, while the other treats it as separable. Such pairs are stressed and thus pronounced differently, and accent marks are sometimes written when there is a chance of confusion: ''voorkómen'' ("to prevent", prefixed) versus ''vóórkomen'' ("to occur", separable), or ''onder-gáán'' ("to undergo", prefixed) versus ''ónder-gaan'' ("to go under, to set", separable). Prefixed verbs can be derived from basic verbs or from another prefixed verb. With the prefix ''her-'' ("again, re-"), it is also possible to derive prefixed verbs from separable verbs, but such verbs are often defective, with the separated ( V2-affected) forms often being avoided by speakers. For example, the verb ''her-in-richten'' ("to rearrange, to redecorate") is a combination of the prefix ''her-'' and the separable verb ''in-richten''. According to the syntactical rules, this must become ''Ik richt de kamer herin.'' ("I redecorate the room"), but using ''herin'' as a separable particle is often avoided as it is not an independent word (unlike the separable particles of most other verbs). Many speakers choose to rephrase it using the adverb ''opnieuw'' ("again, anew"): ''Ik richt de kamer opnieuw in.'' In subordinate clauses or with a non-finite verb, there is less objection: ''Mijn vriend keek toe, terwijl ik de kamer herinrichtte.'' ("My friend looked on, while I redecorated the room.") or ''Ik heb de kamer heringericht.'' ("I have redecorated the room.").Separable verbs
Separable verbs are combinations of a main verb (which can be basic or prefixed) and a particle. This particle is usually an adverb, but sometimes it can be a direct object or adjective instead. The particle is stressed more strongly than the main verb, which distinguishes separable verbs from prefixed verbs in pronunciation. The main verb of a separable verb is conjugated like it otherwise would, and can be basic (with ''ge-'' in the past participle) or prefixed (without ''ge-''). The particle is treated syntactically as a separate verb, and is placed before or after the main verb as syntax dictates: * When the V2 rule is in effect (in main clauses with a finite verb), the particle is placed after the main verb and separated from it with a space. It can also be separated from it by other words, just like in a sentence with multiple distinct verbs. * When the V2 rule is not applied (in subordinate clauses or with a non-finite verb), the particle is placed directly before the main verb and is attached to it without a space. The following table shows some examples of this in practice:Forms and endings
Dutch verbs conjugate for tense in present and past, and forPresent tense
As noted above, the present tense of all regular verbs is formed the same, and follows the same rules. The following table shows the conjugation of two verbs in the present tense: If the stem ends in ''-v'' or ''-z'', then these are spelled ''-f'' and ''-s'' at the end of a syllable. If the stem ends in ''-t'', then no additional ''-t'' ending is added when this would otherwise be required, as a word cannot end in a double consonant (''-tt'' in this case) in Dutch spelling. This makes all present singular forms identical.Past tense
The past tense is formed differently depending on whether the verb is weak, strong or mixed.Weak verbs
Weak verbs are the most common type of verb in Dutch, and the only productive type (all newly created verbs are weak). They form their past tense with an ending containing a dental consonant, ''-d-'' or ''-t-''. Whether ''-d-'' or ''-t-'' is used depends on the final consonant of the verb stem. If the stem ends in aStrong verbs
Strong verbs form their past tenses by changing the vowel of the stem, a process known asClass 1
Class 1 follows the vowel pattern ij-ee-ee: * ''schijnen'', ''scheen'', ''geschenen'' ("to shine"). * ''blijven'', ''bleef'', ''gebleven'' ("to stay, to remain").Class 2
Class 2 is divided into two subclasses. Class 2a follows the vowel pattern ie-oo-oo: * ''bieden'', ''bood'', ''geboden'' ("to offer"). * ''schieten'', ''schoot'', ''geschoten'' ("to shoot"). Class 2b follows the vowel pattern ui-oo-oo: * ''sluiten'', ''sloot'', ''gesloten'' ("to close"). * ''buigen'', ''boog'', ''gebogen'' ("to bend"). The verbs ''vriezen'' and ''verliezen'' showClass 3
Class 3 is divided into two subclasses. Class 3a follows the vowel pattern i-o-o: * ''drinken'', ''dronk'', ''gedronken'' ("to drink"). * ''binden'', ''bond'', ''gebonden'' ("to bind"). The vowel is usually followed by ''m'' or ''n'' and another consonant. Class 3b follows e-o-o: * ''smelten'', ''smolt'', ''gesmolten'' ("to melt"). * ''vechten'', ''vocht'', ''gevochten'' ("to fight"). The vowel is usually followed by ''l'' or ''r'' and another consonant.Class 4
Class 4 follows the vowel pattern ee-a/aa-oo: * ''stelen'', ''stal''/''stalen'', ''gestolen'' ("to steal"). * ''nemen'', ''nam''/''namen'', ''genomen'' ("to take"). The vowel in these verbs is usually followed by ''l'', ''r'', ''m'' or ''n'' and no other consonant. The verb ''komen'' has an irregular pattern with short ''o'' in the present singular, long ''oo'' in the remaining present tense, and an additional ''w'' in the past: * ''kom''/''komen'', ''kwam''/''kwamen'', ''gekomen'' ("to come").Class 5
Class 5 follows the vowel pattern ee-a/aa-ee, with the same change in length as in class 4: * ''geven'', ''gaf''/''gaven'', ''gegeven'' ("to give"). * ''lezen'', ''las''/''lazen'', ''gelezen'' ("to read"). The vowel is usually followed by anClass 6
Class 6 follows the vowel pattern aa-oe-aa. It is the smallest of the strong verb classes, with only a few verbs. * ''graven'', ''groef'', ''gegraven'' ("to dig"). * ''dragen'', ''droeg'', ''gedragen'' ("to carry").Class 7
Class 7 follows the vowel pattern X-ie-X, where the two X's are identical. There were originally five subgroups depending on the vowel of the present tense. Class 7a (with ''ee'' or ''ei'' in the present) has disappeared in Dutch, so only four subgroups remain. Class 7b has oo in the present tense: * ''lopen'', ''liep'', ''gelopen'' ("to walk, to run"). Class 7c has a in the present tense: * ''vallen'', ''viel'', ''gevallen'' ("to fall"). Two verbs have shortened the past tense vowel to ''i'': * ''hangen'', ''hing'', ''gehangen'' ("to hang"). * ''vangen'', ''ving'', ''gevangen'' ("to catch"). In present tense of the verb ''houden'', the original combination ''-ald-'' underwentOther strong verbs
Several strong verbs have vowel patterns that don't fit with any of the above types. A number of class 3b strong verbs have replaced their original past tense vowel with the ''-ie-'' of class 7, creating a "hybrid" class. The past participle vowel ''o'' of class 3 remains. * ''helpen'', ''hielp'', ''geholpen'' ("to help") * ''sterven'', ''stierf'', ''gestorven'' ("to die") * ''werpen'', ''wierp'', ''geworpen'' ("to throw") * ''werven'', ''wierf'', ''geworven'' ("to recruit") * ''zwerven'', ''zwierf'', ''gezworven'' ("to wander, to roam") The verb ''worden'' also belonged to class 3b, but the past and present vowels appear to have been swapped: * ''worden'', ''werd'', ''geworden'' ("to become"). Contrast this with German ''werden'', which kept the older vowel. Class 6 originally had three ''j-present'' verbs, like ''liggen'' of class 5. These verbs originally followed the pattern e-oe-aa. All three have changed this in one way or another in modern Dutch: * ''heffen, hief, geheven'' ("to lift, to raise"). This now has a class 7 past, and its past participle vowel was changed to ''ee''. * ''scheppen, schiep, geschapen'' ("to create"). This now has a class 7 past. * ''zweren, zwoer, gezworen'' ("to swear, (an oath)"). This kept its class 6 past, but replaced the past participle vowel with the ''oo'' of class 4. Three verbs appear to follow a class 3b pattern, but have a long vowel instead of a short one: * ''wegen, woog, gewogen'' ("to weigh"). Originally class 5. * ''scheren, schoor, geschoren'' ("to shave, to shear"). Originally class 4. * ''zweren, zwoor, gezworen'' ("to fester"). Originally class 4. The verb ''uitscheiden'' is the only remaining class 7a verb, but it now has a class 1 past (note that ''ei'' and ''ij'' are pronounced the same): * ''uitscheiden, scheed uit, uitgescheiden'' ("to excrete"; this is a separable verb). Even the form ''scheed uit'' is falling out of use, and is being replaced with a weak past ''scheidde uit'', making it a mixed verb.Mixed verbs
Some verbs have a mixture of strong and weak forms. These are called "mixed verbs" and are relatively common in Dutch. Most mixed verbs are originally strong verbs that have replaced some strong forms with weak forms. However, a few were originally weak but have become strong by analogy. The most common type of mixed verb has a weak past tense, but a strong past participle in ''-en''. Most mixed verbs of this type have the same vowel in the present and in the past participle, and therefore appear to be original class 6 and 7 verbs. A few still have the older strong past as an archaic form. Mixed verbs that originally had class 6 pasts: * ("to bake"). * ("to laugh"). The strong past still exists, but is archaic. * ("to load"). * ("to grind"). * ("to fare"). The sense "to travel by boat" has a class 6 past ''voer''. Mixed verbs that originally had class 7 pasts: * ''bannen, bande, gebannen'' ("to ban"). * ''brouwen, brouwde, gebrouwen'' ("to brew"). * ''houwen, houwde, gehouwen'' ("to hew"). The strong past ''hieuw'' still exists, but is archaic. * ''raden, raadde, geraden'' ("to guess"). The strong past ''ried'' still exists. * ''scheiden, scheidde, gescheiden'' ("to separate"). But note ''uitscheiden'' has the alternative past ''scheed uit''. * ''spannen, spande, gespannen'' ("to span, to stretch"). * ''stoten, stootte, gestoten'' ("to bump, to knock"). The strong past ''stiet'' still exists, but is archaic. * ''vouwen, vouwde, gevouwen'' ("to fold"). From older ''vouden'' with loss of ''-d-'' as is common in Dutch; the past originally had like ''houden''. * ''wassen, waste, gewassen'' ("to wash"). The strong past ''wies'' still exists, but is archaic. * ''zouten, zoutte, gezouten'' ("to salt"). The past originally had ''-ielt-'', like ''houden''. Mixed verbs from other classes: * ''barsten, barstte, gebarsten'' ("to burst, to crack"). Originally class 3; the older vowels ''e'' and ''o'' changed to ''a'' in standard Dutch, but are still found in some dialects. * ''wreken, wreekte, gewroken'' ("to take revenge"). Originally class 4, like ''breken''. * ''weven, weefde, geweven'' ("to weave"). Originally class 5, like ''geven''. A smaller group of verbs, all belonging to class 6, has the reverse situation. The past tense is strong, but the past participle is weak. * ''jagen, joeg, gejaagd'' ("to hunt"). The weak past ''jaagde'' also occurs. * ''vragen, vroeg, gevraagd'' ("to ask"). The weak past ''vraagde'' also occurs, rarely. * ''waaien, woei, gewaaid'' ("to blow (of the wind)"). The weak past ''waaide'' also occurs.Irregular verbs
The following verbs are very irregular, and may not fit neatly into the strong-weak split. An important subset of these verbs are the preterite-present verbs, which are shared by all Germanic languages. In the present tense, they originally conjugated like the past tense of a strong verb. In Dutch, this means that they lack the ''-t'' in the third-person singular present indicative, much like their English equivalents which lack the ''-s''. Their past tense forms are weak, but irregularly so. Most of these verbs have become''zijn''
The verb ''zijn'' "to be" is''hebben''
The verb ''hebben'' "to have" is weak in origin, but has many other irregularities.''weten''
The verb ''weten'' is regular in the present. The past ends in ''-st''.''moeten''
The verb ''moeten'' is very similar to ''weten''.''mogen''
The verb ''mogen'' is relatively regular. It has a vowel change in the present between singular and plural, reflecting the original vowel change between the singular and plural strong past. The past ends in ''-cht''.''kunnen''
The verb ''kunnen'' also has a vowel change in the present, and a variety of alternative forms. In the past tense, it has both a vowel change and, in the plural, the weak dental suffix. With 'u' and 'jij' both 'kunt' and 'kan' are possible. While 'kan' is usually used in speech, in writing 'kunt' is preferred in the Netherlands. 'Kan' is considered to be more informal.''zullen''
The verb ''zullen'' is the most irregular of the preterite-presents. In the present, the forms strongly resemble those of ''kunnen''. The past is different, and has changed earlier ''-old-'' to ''-oud-'', and then dropped the ''-d-'' in many forms. Like its English equivalent ''would'', the past tense ''zou'' does not literally indicate past time. Instead, the distinction is one of certainty: the present indicates certain future time, while the past indicates a conditional event. Compare: * ''Zonder eten zal ik niet kunnen slapen.'' "Without food, I will not be able to sleep." (The speaker knows this for sure.) * ''Zonder eten zou ik niet kunnen slapen.'' "Without food, I would not be able to sleep." (The speaker expects this, hypothetically.)''willen''
The verb is not a preterite-present verb in origin, but nowadays it inflects much the same. There are two different past tense forms. The original form has a change of ''-old-'' to ''-oud-'', like in , but this form is now considered colloquial or dialectal. The newer, regular form is considered more standard.Contracted vowel stems
A handful of common verbs have a stem ending in a vowel in the present tense. The endings contract with the stem, losing any ''-e-'' in the ending. The following table shows an example. The verbs have a variety of past tense forms, reflecting their differing origins: * ''zien'', ''zag''/''zagen'', ''gezien'' ("to see"). This is a class 5 strong verb that originally had ''-h-'' in the stem, which disappeared.Weak verbs with past in ''-cht''
A few verbs form their past with irregularly because of an early Germanic development called the "Germanic spirant law". Both the vowel and the consonant change, sometimes in rather unexpected ways. However, these verbs are still weak even though the vowel changes, because the past tense and participle have a dental suffix (''-t-''). The vowel change is not caused by''zeggen''
The verb ''zeggen'' ("to say") is weak, but is often conjugated irregularly in the past. There is also a regular conjugation, which is more common in the south. In some dialects, a similar conjugation is followed for ''leggen'' ("to lay"). * Irregular: , /, . The irregular form of the past is . * Regular: , /, . The regular form of the past is .References
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