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Introduction to Dutch Verbs 2

The Passive Voice - de lijdende vorm

In the Passive Voice - (de) lijdende vorm 'suffering mode' - the object of a 'regular, active' sentence becomes the subject, and is subjected to some activity.

'Regular, active:'  Hij schopt de bal He kicks the ball 'Passive:'  De bal wordt geschopt The ball is kicked You can add the subject of the 'active' sentence, now the'agent' of the 'passive' sentence with 'by' in English, Dutch door ‑>>
Ik word geschopt door Jan I am kicked by Jan

active: Ik verf het huis I'm painting the house passive: Het huis wordt geverfd The house is being painted (right now, at the moment of speaking) passive: Het huis wordt door mij geverfd The house is painted by me
English 'by,' Dutch door identify the agent of the passive voice

Dutch and English both use a past participle in the passive voice, but Dutch uses the auxiliary verb worden 2 — while English uses the auxiliary verb 'to be,' which may be a bit confusing - more below

The Auxiliary Verb Worden  (~'to be')

worden ~to be

-

werd ~was

-

geworden ~been

2

The Simple Present Tense
(worden)		to be - for the passive voice
ik word		I am
jij wordt		you are (singular, informal you)
hij wordt		he is
wij worden		we are
jullie worden		you are (plural, informal you)
zij worden		they are
U wordt		you are (polite you)

In Dutch, a D at the end of a word is pronounced as T, double vowels are pronounced the same as single vowels, and DT is pronounced as T.
'Word' and 'wordt' sound exactly the same:
ik word 2 / hij wordt 2
Dutchmen often make spelling mistakes with 'word' and 'wordt,' writing 'ik wordt' or 'hij word.'

Simple Present Question Mode
(worden)		to be - for the passive voice
word ik?		am I?
word jij?		are you? (singular, informal)
wordt hij?		is he?
worden wij?		are we?
worden jullie?		are y'all?
worden zij?		are they?
wordt U?		are you? (polite)

The Simple Past Tense
(worden)		to be - for the passive voice
ik werd		I was
jij werd		you were
hij werd		he was
wij werden		we were
jullie werden		y'all were
zij werden		they were
U werd		you were

Dutch 'worden 2 can also mean 'to become' - a development, turning into - more below

Simple Tenses Examples

Ik word gevraagd 2 I am asked Ik werd gevraagd 2 I was asked

Ik werd afgeleid 2 I was distracted

Er wordt gebeld 2 [There is ringing] - 'The bell is rung' - There is someone at the door

An often-heard complaint:
"Ik word geleefd." [I am lived] ~ 'I have no life of my own,' I'm not in control

Hij wordt vermist 2 3 He is missing Hij werd gemarteld 2 He was tortured

Werd dat verwacht? 2 3 Was that expected? Dat werd verwacht That was expected Wordt er regen verwacht? 2 Is rain expected? Ik werd verrast door onweer 2 I was (unpleasantly) surprised by, 'caught in a thunderstorm'

Ik word er elke dag aan herinnerd 2 3 I'm reminded of it every day

Het kan niet ontkend worden 2 It cannot be denied

Er worden fouten gemaakt 2 Mistakes are made

Velen worden geroepen, maar weinigen worden uitgekozen Many are called, but only a few are chosen

wordt vervolgd to be continued

The Perfect Tenses of the Passive Voice

• In English, 'to be' is the auxiliary verb of the passive voice, while Dutch has worden 2 as the auxiliary verb of the passive voice
• 'Worden'  is one of a small number of Dutch verbs that use zijn (otherwise translated as 'to be') as the auxiliary verb for the perfect tenses ‑>>
• Dutch drops the past participle 'geworden'  in the perfect tenses (German doesn't drop its past participle worden) 

the simple present tense:
Het huis wordt geverfd The house is being painted (right this moment) Het huis wordt wit geverfd [The house is being painted white] ~ They are painting the house white

the perfect present tense:
Het huis is geverfd geworden The house [has been] was painted Het huis is wit geverfd geworden The house [has been] was painted white

Hij wordt door een wesp gestoken! 'He is being stung by a wasp!' - right this moment Hij is door een wesp gestoken geworden 'He has been stung by a wasp' - some time ago

geboren worden 2 to be born
Hij werd geboren in Rotterdam 2 3 He was born in Rotterdam Ze is op Kerstdag geboren geworden 2 She [has been] was born on Christmas Day Ik ben in Nederland geboren geworden I [have been] was born in Holland

Er wordt al zoveel gezegd 2 So much is being said already Er is al zoveel gezegd geworden 2 So much has been said already

Mijn fiets is gestolen geworden My bike [has been] was stolen

't Brood is gebakken geworden 'The bread [has been] was baked'

De aardappels zijn gekookt geworden 'The potatoes [have been] were boiled'

Ik ben gevraagd geworden 2 'I [has been] was asked' - to perform a task, or fill a position or job Not to be confused with:
Ik heb gevraagd 2 'I have asked' - I have put a question

Ik ben geschopt geworden I [have been] was kicked Ik ben geslagen geworden 2 3 I [have been] was slapped, hit ik heb geslagen 2 I have hit, slapped

Ik ben geholpen geworden 2 I was helped, I have been helped, I was attended to Ik heb geholpen 2 I have helped, assisted

Bent U gebeten geworden door Uw hond? 2 3 Were you bitten by your dog?

'Worden'  as 'to Become'

'geworden' 2

Laat je thee niet koud worden 2 3 Don't let your tea get cold Wat wil je later worden? What do you want to be when you grow up? (asked of children) Mannen die lui worden 2 3 Men becoming lazy

Opeens werd 't stil Suddenly it became quiet

Hij is leraar geworden 2 3 4 He's become a teacher Wat is er van hem geworden? [What] Whatever became of him? Ik had schrijver willen worden, maar ik ben spreker geworden I wanted to be a writer, but I've become a speaker

Ik word oud 2 I'm getting old Hij is oud geworden 2 3 He's gotten old - this usually means he's come to look old or his mental ability has diminished, or it could be said of a person who passed away at a respectable age Door schade en schande wijs geworden 2 3 (4) (saying) ['Having become wise' - Educated by damage and shame] - The school of hard knocks

wakker worden 2 3 ['to become awake'] - 'to wake up' Ik werd midden in de nacht wakker 2 'I woke up in the middle of the night'
more Sleep

't Wordt laat 2 It's getting late 't Wordt donker It's getting dark 't Wordt zo vroeg donker 2 3 It's getting dark so early We gingen naar huis toen 't donker werd 2 We went home when it got dark

Op den duur wordt 't makkelijker In the long run, after a while it will be easier

Further reading, many more examples:
The Passive Voice - de Lijdende vorm
'Worden'  - 'to be' for the passive voice // to become
Beginning Dutch Verbs
from the Lessons

De Toekomende Tijd - The Future Tense

zullen

Ik zal 't uitleggen	I'll explain [it]
Ik zal opschieten 2	I'll hurry
Wie zal dat betalen? 2	Who will pay for that?

In Dutch, 'secondary verbs' like infinitives and past participles are usually put at the end of the line >>

The Conjugation of Zullen

overview
zullen		will, shall
ik zal		I will/shall
wij zullen		we will/shall
ik zou		I would
wij zouden		we would
2 3

Zullen  simple present tense
(zullen )		shall/will
ik zal		I will/shall
jij zult		you will (singular, informal you)
hij zal		he will
wij zullen		we will/shall
jullie zullen		you will (plural, informal you)
zij zullen		they will
U zult		you will (polite you)

Zullen  simple present - question mode
zal ik?		will/shall I?
zul jij?		will you?
zal hij?		will he?
zullen wij?		will/shall we?
zullen jullie?		will y'all?
zullen zij?		will they?
zult U?		will you?

'Simple past tense' of Zullen  below

Future Tense Examples

Ik zal schrijven 2	I will write (letters, 'keep in touch')
Ik zal 't hun geven	I'll give it to them
Hoe zal 't aflopen?	How will it end?

Ik zal U doorverbinden 2 I'll [connect you through] transfer your call

Ik zal 't niet vergeten 2 3 4 I [will not] won't forget it

Ik zal Jan morgen in Amsterdam geld geven Tomorrow in Amsterdam I'll give Jan money

De tijd zal 't leren 2 [The] Time will [teach] tell

Iemand zal een oplosing moeten vinden Someone will have to find a solution

Morgen zal 't wel beter zijn 2 3 (I think) it will be better tomorrow

't Zal niet de eerste keer zijn 2 3 It [will not] won't be the first time

't Zal niet gemakkelijk zijn 2 It won't be easy

't Zal wel meevallen 2 3 It won't be that bad

't Zal wel niet 2 3 It's not going to happen, It won't turn out to be that way

't Zal niet meer gebeuren 2 3 4 It won't happen again (promising better behavior)

't Lachen zal je vergaan 2 3 4 5 [~Your laughter will fade] - You will not be laughing then

Je zult er geen spijt van krijgen 2 [You will not feel remorse over it] You won't be sorry

We zullen wel zien 2 We'll see

Eerlijk zullen we alles delen 2 We'll share everything fairly

We zullen 't wel overleven 2 3 "Somehow, we will survive [it]" (ironic, a very small problem)

Zal ik je een kopje thee inschenken? Shall I pour you a cup of tea?

Hoe laat zal ik je wakker maken? 2 What time shall I wake you up?

Hoe zal ik het doen? 2 3 How shall I do it? Hoe zal ik het zeggen? 2 3 How shall I say it?

Zul je voorzichtig zijn? 2 Will you be careful?

Eens zul je begrijpen ... 2 There'll come a day that you'll understand ... Ooit zul je begrijpen ... 2 Someday you'll understand ...

Hoe lang zal 't duren? 2 3 How long will it last?

Zullen we gaan zwemmen? 2 [Shall we go swimming?] - Let's go for a swim

Zullen we naar de film gaan? 2 3 [Shall we go to a movie?] - Let's go see a movie

Zullen we ergens gaan eten? [Shall we go eat somewhere?] - Let's go out for meal

Zullen we zo gaan? 2 3 Shall we go (leave) in a moment?

more Future Tense examples

Informal Future Tense

Ik ga naar huis I'm going home
Ik ga een dutje doen 2 3 I'm going to take a nap
Hij gaat naar Rotterdam 2 He's going to Rotterdam
Hij vertrekt morgen naar Afrika he's leaving for Africa tomorrow Als de dagen lengen, gaan de nachten strengen As the days get longer, the nights will get more severe (i.e. colder) morgen gaan we lijnen tomorrow we'll start dieting
Dat gaat me niet nog een keer gebeuren 2 3 That's not going to happen to me again, I'm not going to let that happen to me again more gaan

See also: hopen 2 3 'to hope'
- verwachten 2 'to expect'
- vrezen 2 3 'to fear'
van plan zijn 2 'to plan, to intend, to have in mind'

Using zou  and zouden,  the Simple Past Tense of Zullen
- Hypothetical Situations, Unconfirmed News, Rhetorical and Polite Questions Etc

'simple past tense'
ik zou		I would
jij zou		you would
hij zou		he would
wij zouden		we would
jullie zouden		y'all would
zij zouden		they would
U zou		you would

Combining the simple 'past' tense of 'zullen' with verb infinitives usually indicates a hypothetical situation, something that didn't happen, a question of uncertain outcome, a question that can't be answered or to which no answer is expected, or a polite request or statement

hypothetical, speculating

Wat zou er gebeuren? 2 What would happen?

Als ik jou was zou ik niet gaan If I were you I wouldn't go

Wat zou daar het voordeel van zijn? 2 3 4 What would be the advantage of that?

it could be

't Zou kunnen zijn dat ... 2 It could be that ...

unconfirmed news, allegedly, it was said

Er zou veel schade zijn It was said there was great damage

it didn't happen

We zouden gaan fietsen maar 't begon te regenen We were going to make a bike ride but it started to rain
Ben je Nederlands? 2 3 Are you Dutch?

wishing

Ik zou wel eens willen weten ... 2 I would like to know [sometime] ...

Ik zou zo graag ... 2 3 I would really like to ... (a great wish of mine is ...)

polite questions or statements

Wat zou U aanraden? 2 3 What would you recommend? (in a restaurant or shop)

Zou U dat nog eens willen zeggen? 2 Could you please say that again (polite 'you')

The past tense of 'zullen' is also used for rhetorical questions where you don't expect a good answer.

Zou 't gaan regenen? Is it going to rain? - no idea

Gaat 't regenen? 2 Is it going to rain? - checking the forecast, asking a knowledgeable person

Zou 't kunnen zijn dat ...? 2 Could it be that ...?

Hoe zou 't met Kees zijn? 2 3 How would it be with Kees? How would Kees be? (You're completely out of touch)

Occasionally, the present tense of 'zullen,' usually in combination with pragmatic markers like 'maar,' 'toch' or 'wel' ‑>> is used to indicate hypothetical, potential situations.

Dat zal toch wel niet ... 2 [That will not be] - I don't think that's how it is

't Zal je kind maar wezen 'Imagine it would be your child,' 'To have a child like that ...' (wezen is mild slang for zijn, 'to be')

more zou  and zouden  examples

More words and phrases about the Future:
'Time' Thesaurus - Talking about Time

Reflexive Verbs

Wikipedia says that (loosely defined) with reflexive verbs the subject — (het) onderwerp — is the same as the object — (het) lijdend voorwerp 2 — for example: Ik was mezelf 2 3 I wash myself.
Wederkerende werkwoorden 2 3 'reflexive verbs' - 'wederkeren' is an old-fashioned word meaning 'to return' and here it has the sense of 'doubling back.' The modern word for 'to return' is 'terugkeren' 2 - (de) terugkeer '(the) return' ‑>>

The Dutch reflexive pronouns come in 'short' and 'long' forms ('long forms' add -zelf,  'self') — the short form is more common.
In the infinitve of reflexive verbs Dutch uses the reflexive pronoun zich 'yourself, oneself' - or occasionally zichzelf 2
zich wassen 2 'to wash yourself, oneself, to wash up'
Ik was me 2
Ik was mezelf 2 3 I wash myself, I'm washing up We hadden ons goed gewassen 2 We had washed ourselves well

The Reflexive Pronouns

Nominative English / Dutch		Reflexive
I	ik	me mezelf
singular you	jij / je	je jezelf
he	hij	zich zichzelf
she	zij / ze	zich zichzelf
we	wij / we	ons onszelf
plural you	jullie	je jezelf
they	zij / ze	zich zichzelf
polite you	U	zich zichzelf Uzelf 2

Reflexive Verbs that Can Take other 'Objects'

zien	to see
zichzelf zien 2 3	'to see oneself'

zichzelf zien		to see oneself
ik zie mezelf		I see myself
jij ziet jezelf		you see yourself
hij ziet zichzelf		he sees himself
zij ziet zichzelf		she sees herself
wij zien onszelf		we see ourselves
jullie zien jezelf		y'all see yourselves
zij zien zichzelf		they see themselves
U ziet Uzelf U ziet zichzelf		you see youself

Ik zie mezelf 2 3 I see myself, I'm seeing myself Ik heb mezelf gezien 2 I have seen myself Ik heb mezelf op TV gezien 2 3 I have seen myself on television Zie je jezelf dat doen? 2 [Do you see yourself doing that?] Can you imagine doing that? Ik zie 't I see it Ik zie de sterren 2 I see the stars, I'm seeing the stars Ik zag de sterren I saw the stars Zie je het verschil? 2 3 Do you see the difference? Heb je haar gezicht gezien? 2 Have you seen her face?

zich verdedigen 2 3 to defend oneself

zich verdedigen		to defend oneself
ik verdedig me		I defend myself
jij verdedigt je		you defend yourself (singular, informal you)
hij verdedigt zich		he defends himself
zij verdedigt zich		she defends herself
wij verdedigen ons		we defend ourselves
jullie verdedigen je		you defend yourselves (plural, informal you)
zij verdedigen zich		they defend themselves
U verdedigt zich		you defend yourself (polite you)

Hij heeft zich goed verdedigd He [has] defended himself well But verdedigen 'to defend' is also found with 'regular' objects, for instance:
Ze verdedigde haar proefschrift She defended her PhD thesis Ik verdedig mijn standpunt 2 I'm defending my viewpoint Hij verdedigde zijn land He was defending his country Wij verdedigen ons land 2 We're defending our country

English 'to feel' can (among other things) refer both to 'inner' feelings and to the sense of touch, sensations felt on the skin. For the 'internal feelings' Dutch uses the reflexive verb zich voelen and for what's felt on the skin Dutch uses the 'regular' verb voelen 2

voelen to feel ik voel I feel ik voelde I felt ik heb gevoeld I have felt 2

zich voelen to feel ('inside') ik voel me I feel ik voelde me I felt ik heb me gevoeld I have felt 2

Ik voelde de regen op m'n gezicht 2 I felt the rain on my face Voel hoe zacht de stof is! 2 3 Feel how soft the fabric is! Hoe voel je je? 2 How are you feeling? - more Ik voel me zo vol 2 [I feel so full] I've eaten too much. Ik voel me niet lekker I don't feel well - Medical Voel je je beter? 2 Are you feeling better? Ik had me nog nooit zo ziek gevoeld 2 3 I had never before felt that sick "je je" may look funny, but it's really what Dutch people say

Some reflexive verbs have a different meaning with a 'regular' object, for instance:

zich herinneren		to remember
ik herinner me		I remember
jij herinnert je		you remember
hij herinnert zich		he remembers
zij herinnert zich		she remembers
wij herinneren ons		we remember
jullie herinneren je		y'all remember
zij herinneren zich		they remember
U herinnert zich		you remember

'Zich herinneren' means 'to remember,' bring up memories in your mind, but herinneren aan 2 3 means 'to remind,' bring something to someone else's attention, trying to make sure they don't forget

Herinner jij je ...? 2 Do you remember ...? Ik herinner me 't niet. 2 I don't remember [it.] Ik kan me 't niet herinneren. 2
(Ik kan 't me niet herinneren. ) I [can't] don't remember [it.] Nou herinner ik 't me weer. 2 Now I remember [it] [again.] ‑>> Ik herinnerde hem aan z'n belofte 2 I reminded him [of his promise] that he'd made a promise Ik herinnerde hem aan de afspraak I reminded him of the agreement, that there was an agreement Herinner me eraan 2 3 Remind me about it, remind me to ... ‑>>

A few refexive verbs have a rather different meaning without a refelxive pronoun, for instance:

zich overgeven 2	to surrender
Ik moest me overgeven 2 3	I had to surrender
overgeven 2	to throw up, to vomit
Ik moest overgeven	I had to throw up

Some of the Dutch reflexive verbs are translated in the passive voice in English, for instance zich vervelen 2 'to be bored'
Only occasionally is it used without a reflexive pronoun.

zich vervelen		to be bored
ik verveel me		I'm bored
jij verveelt je		you're bored
hij verveelt zich		he's bored
zij verveelt zich		she' bored
wij vervelen ons		we're bored
jullie vervelen je		youse are bored
zij vervelen zich		they're bored
U verveelt zich		you're bored

Verveel je je? Are you bored? (singular informal) But: Verveel ik je? 2 3 Am I boring you? Do I bore you? Verveelt U zich? Are you bored? (polite) Ik verveel me nooit 2 'I'm never bored' Ik verveel me te pletter 2 3 'I'm bored stiff' ['crushed by boredom'] - more zich vervelen and also: vervelend 'annoying, ~unpleasant' and saai 'boring'

omdraaien 2 3 to turn around
zich omdraaien 2 3 4 to turn around (when standing up) // to turn over (when lying down, like in bed) Hij draaide zich om en liep weg 2 3 He turned around and walked away Draai je nou niet nog een keer om 2 3 [Now don't turn over (in bed) another time] - Get up!

beheersen 2 to control, rule, govern
zich beheersen 2 3 'to control yourself, have a grip on your emotions' Beheers je! 2 Get a grip on yourself, behave!
- Flemish has the to Dutchmen funny phrase:
'Herpak U!' 2 Ik kan me niet beheersen 2 I can't control myself (I'm doing stupid things) Hij wist zich te beheersen 2 3 4 He was able to control himself, he kept his temper (he didn't become emotional, he did not react in anger) - more beheersen  etc.

bewegen 2 to move
zich bewegen 2 to move (your body)
Beweeg je niet! Don't move! Freeze! De minuutwijzer beweegt bijna niet meer slow The minute hand is barely moving anymore. - more bewegen

voorstellen 2 to propose, submit a plan
zich voorstellen 2 1. to introduce oneself
2. to imagine Mag ik me even voorstellen? 2 Allow me to introduce myself Ik stelde me voor 2 1. I introduced myself
2. I imagined ... Stel je voor ... 2 Imagine ... (with another intonation it could also mean: "Introduce yourself!") Stel je voor dat er geen auto's zouden zijn! 2 Imagine that there would be no cars! Stel je voor dat er geen auto's waren! 2 Imagine that there were no cars! Ik kan me voorstellen dat ... 2 3 4 I can imagine that ..., it's possible that ...

aanstellen  to appoint (to a position)
zich aanstellen 2 to behave in an exaggerated manner, usually childish, out of touch with reality Stel je niet aan! 2 Don't exaggerate, don't be childish (patronizing) Hij stelt zich aan 2 He's exaggerating, behaving like a child

branden to burn
"Je zult branden in de hel" 'You'll burn in hell' Ik heb water zien branden 2 I've seen water burn (I've seen something that's impossible) zich branden 2 3 'to burn oneself,' to get burned Ik heb me gebrand 2 3 'I burned myself,' I got burned Heb je je gebrand? 2 3 Did you burn yourself? Did you get burned? Brand je niet! 2 3 Dont get burned! (Be careful) 'To brand,' burn a mark in the skin of an animal is brandmerken 2 ('burn a mark')

Reflexive Verbs that Always Come with a Reflexive Pronoun

zich vergissen 2 3 to be mistaken

zich vergissen		to be mistaken
ik vergis me		I am mistaken
jij vergist je		you are mistaken
hij vergist zich		he is mistaken
zij vergist zich		she is mistaken
wij vergissen ons		we are mistaken
jullie vergissen je		y'all are mistaken
U vergist zich		you are mistaken

Ik kan me vergissen 2 3 4 'I [can] may be mistaken' We hebben ons vergist 2 'We were mistaken' Jullie hebben je in hem vergist 2 'You guys were mistaken about him' (de) vergissing 'honest mistake'
Alles was een vergissing [Everything was a mistake] - It was one big mistake

zich zorgen maken 2 to worry
Maak je geen zorgen over mij. Don't worry about me. Ik begon me zorgen te maken 2 3 I was starting to worry - more zorgen 2 'worries'

zich afvragen to wonder
Ik vraag me wel eens af ... 2 'Sometimes I wonder ...' Ik vraag me af of ... 2 'I wonder if ...' Ik vraag me af hoe 't komt 2 I wonder [how it comes] why it is, what causes it - more vragen 2 'to ask'

zich haasten to hurry
Haast je als je de tijd hebt,
dan heb je de tijd als je haast hebt. 'Hurry when you have time,
then you'll have time when you're in a hurry.' ‑>>

zich ontspannen 2 3 to relax
Ontspan je! 2 'Relax!'
Je moet je ontspannen 2 3 'You should relax!'

zich verbazen 2 to be surprised, amazed
't Verbaast me 2 3 I'm surprised 't Verbaast me niet 2 3 I'm not surprised 't Verbaast me niks 2 I am [zero] not surprised Ik verbaas me over het zelfvertrouwen 2 I'm surprised at the self-confidence Het zou me niet verbazen 2 'I would not be surprised' verbazingwekkend 2 3 surprising, amazing also:  Ik sta nergens meer van te kijken 2 'Nothing surprises me anymore' - Thank you, Johan!

zich ergeren 2 to be annoyed
Ik erger me dood 2 3 I'm deeply annoyed ['to death'] zich ergeren aan 2 3 4 to be annoyed by (at, with) Ik erger me aan z'n houding 2 3 4 I'm annoyed by his attitude Ik erger me aan de buren 2 3 4 I'm annoyed by the neighbors

zich vermaken 2 to be entertained, to enjoy yourself We hebben ons prima vermaakt 2 3 We [very well] really enjoyed ourselves

zich omkleden to change (clothes)
Ga je je omkleden? 2 Are you going to change? (clothes)

zich bemoeien met to meddle with, getting involved with something where you're not wanted Je moet je d'r niet mee bemoeien 2 You shouldn't meddle, stay away from it Bemoei je d'r niet mee Don't get involved with it, go away!

zich verslapen to oversleep (not get up in time) Ik had me verslapen I had overslept

Van zich laten horen 2 3 ['to let hear of yourself'] - to communicate, to be in touch - usually in the negative with:
'niet' 2 (not) or
'niks' / 'niets' ('nothing') Hij laat niks van zich horen 2 He is not in touch ('We are not hearing from him') Hij heeft niks van zich laten horen 2 He has not been in touch ('We have not heard from him') Ze laten niet van zich horen 2 They are not in touch ('We are not hearing from them') We hadden iets van ons moeten laten horen 2 3 We should have been in touch, we should have contacted

zich schamen 2 3 to be ashamed Je moest je schamen 2 You ought to, should be ashamed of yourself (de) schaamte shame ‑>>
There is no simple Dutch verb for English 'to shame, make someone feel ashamed'

zich gedragen 2 3 'to behave'
a strong verb:
gedragen to behave	-	gedroeg behaved	-	gedragen behaved

zich gedragen		to behave
ik gedraag me		I'm behaving
ik gedroeg me		I behaved
ik heb me gedragen		I have behaved
2

Maak 't jezelf gemakkelijk 2 3 [Make it easy for yourself] - Do it in an easy way, don't make it too complicated Maak 't je gemakkelijk 2 3 Make yourself comfortable (relax etc.)

Reflexive Pronouns by Themselves

Ik heb geen moment voor mezelf 2 I [have no moment] don't have a moment to myself Hoe weinig tijd er is voor mezelf 2 How little time there is to myself Heb Uw naaste lief als Uzelf 2 Love your neighbor like yourself Jij denkt alleen aan jezelf 2 3 You're only thinking of yourself (an egotist) tricky:  Ik was niet mezelf 2 3 I was not my usual self ('was'  is also the singular simple past tense of zijn 'to be' — and 'I don't wash myself' would be Ik was mezelf niet)
zeker van mezelf 2 3 [certain of myself] - self-confident, self-assured zeker van jezelf 2 [certain of yourself] - self-confident, self-assured Hou je jezelf voor de gek? 2 3 4 Are you fooling, deceiving yourself?

More about 'zelf,'  'zichzelf,'  and 'yourself, oneself' ‑>>

De Duurvorm - A Dutch Continuous/Progressive

"Lord I'm walking these ties with tears in my eyes
I'm trying to read a letter from my home"
'500 Miles' - written by Hedy West, and performed by many notable bluegrass bands like the Country Gentlemen and the Seldom Scene

To indicate ongoing activities, action in progress, English has the Continuous, also called the Progressive, 'to be' with a present participle (verb infinitive + ing.) The English continuous is often translated into Dutch just as a simple present, for instance:
It is raining 't Regent 2 3 4 The sun is shining De zon schijnt I'm looking for a room (to rent) Ik zoek een kamer 2 "I'm walking in the forest" Ik loop in het bos 2 3

(De) duurvorm 2 - also called:  (het) duratief 2 - or:  (het) intensief 2
Dutch does have two ways to express ongoing activities, but they're not as common as the English Continuous, and more limited in use, only used for people, and not for all verbs.

To describe an action in progress, Dutch can use the verbs:
'zitten' (to sit, to be seated),
'liggen' 2 (to lie, be lying down),
'staan' (to stand, to be standing) or
'lopen' 2 (to walk)
with te and a verb infinitive. (This is one of the few places where Dutch uses 'te' with a verb infinitive in the sense of English 'to.')
As a joke you can say "Ik lig te liggen"  or "Ik zit te zitten,"  but it's not good Dutch.

ik lig te lezen I'm reading

We zitten te eten We're eating, we're having [food] dinner (or lunch) We staan te wachten op een taxi 2 3 We're waiting for a taxi. Er loopt een dronken man te schreeuwen 2 There's a drunk guy shouting

There is not always an activity involved like the zitten etc. verbs usually indicate. For instance, I don't have to be sitting down when I say:
Ik zat te wachten op een telefoontje I was waiting for a phone call, I was expecting a phone call Or also:  Ze zit erop te wachten 2 3 She's waiting for it - she expects or needs it soon Hij zit te zwammen. He's talking nonsense. Hij zit te zeuren. 2 He is nagging, talking about irrelevant things in a very annoying way. Zit niet zo te zeuren! 2 Now stop that nagging! Hij ligt te etteren. 2 He's engaging in provocative, useless talk or actions, making a nuisance of himself - obnoxious, being a pest (probably not lying down while doing that)

Duurvorm  verbs overview:

liggen to lie down ik lig I'm lying down wij liggen we lie down ik lag I lay down wij lagen we lay down ik heb gelegen I have lain down - the liggen page

zitten to sit, be sitting, be seated ik zit I sit wij zitten we sit ik zat I sat wij zaten we sat ik heb gezeten I have sat - the zitten page

staan to stand, be standing ik sta I stand wij staan we stand ik stond I stood wij stonden we stood ik heb gestaan I have stood 2 - the staan page

lopen to walk ik loop I walk wij lopen we walk ik liep I walked wij liepen we walked ik ben gelopen ik heb gelopen I have walked 2 - the lopen page

Simple Tenses Examples

Ik zat te wachten op ... I was waiting for ... Ik zat te wachten op een telefoontje I was waiting for a phone call We zitten te luisteren 2 3 We are listening We zaten gezellig te praten 2 We were having a pleasant conversation, a nice chat

Jocularly, you can use the continuous for animals:
D'r zit een hond te blaffen 2 3 4 A dog is barking Wat zit die vogel te piepen! 2 3 How that bird is tweeting!

Hij ligt te lezen. He's reading. (Probably lying down doing that.) Lekker lui liggen lezen Enjoying a lazy read

Ze lagen te slapen They were sleeping

Hij stond te praten met Piet He was talking to Piet

Ik sta te trillen op m'n benen 2 ['I'm shaking on my legs'] - 'I'm trembling with fear or from exhaustion'

Ik sta nergens meer van te kijken 2 Nothing [is surprising] surprises me anymore

Hij loopt te schelden He is swearing, cursing out

We liepen naar de vogels te luisteren 2 We were listening to the birds

We liepen te wandelen 2 3 We were strolling/walking/hiking

- More Examples

The Perfect Tense

ik heb liggen ... 2 3		I was, I have been ...
ik heb zitten ... 2 3		I was, I have been ...
ik heb staan ... 2 3		I was, I have been ...
ik heb lopen ... 2 3		I was, I have been ...

Hij heeft de hele middag zitten typen. 2
(Hij heeft de hele middag zitten te typen. 2 He has been typing all afternoon.)

Hij heeft er een uur over zitten nadenken 2 3
Hij heeft er een uur over zitten na te denken r 2 He's been thinking about it for an hour

Hij heeft de hele week lopen klagen. 2 He's been complaining all week. (Hij heeft de hele dag lopen te klagen. He's been complaining all day.)

More Examples

Another Continuous

'zijn'

"aan 't" 2

Ik ben aan 't koken. I'm preparing dinner (or other hot food)

Wat ben je aan 't doen? What are you doing, what are you working on, busy with? Wat ik aan 't doen ben 2 3 What I'm doing, what I'm busy with, what I'm working on

Ik ben aan 't winkelen 2 'I am shopping' Ik was aan 't winkelen 'I was shopping'

More Examples

More Verb Combinations

'hebben'

'zijn'

simple past tense: Ik hoorde de vogels 2 3 I heard the birds

present perfect tense Ik heb de vogels gehoord 2 3 I've heard the birds

In the passive voice the auxiliary verb 'worden' 2 also combines with a past participle, but other verb combinations already mentioned above like the future tense and 'de duurvorm' combine the auxiliary verbs 'zullen' and 'liggen' 2 / 'zitten' / 'staan' / 'lopen' 2 as working verb with the infinitive of another verb.

future tense: Ik zal het uitleggen I'll explain [it]

'de duurvorm,' a Dutch continuous/progressive Ze lagen te slapen They were sleeping

Other verb can also combine as working vertbs with a second verb that will be in the infinitive, but there is some variation in the use of te ('to') — but more importantly in the use of the infinitive instead of the past participle for the first 'main' verb in the perfect tenses.
Study and listen to the examples:

Ik hoorde de vogels fluiten 2 3 I heard the birds [whistle] sing

Ik kon de vogels horen 2 3 I [could hear] was able to hear the birds

Ik hoop de vogels te horen 2 3 I hope to hear the birds

Ik heb de vogels horen fluiten 2 3 I've heard the birds sing

Ik had gehoopt de vogels te horen 2 I had hoped to hear the birds

't Hoeft niet grappig te zijn 2 3 4 It doesn't have to be funny 't Moet wel interessant zijn 2 But it has to be interesting Wat hoop je ermee te bereiken? 2 3 4 What do you hope to achieve with it? What's the result you hope for? Wat wil je ermee bereiken? 2 3 What do you want to achieve with it? What's the result you want?

Ik heb geprobeerd te helpen 2 I have tried to help Ik had kunnen weten dat ... 2 I could have known that ...
Most verbs, the 'regular verbs,' use the past participle of the first main verb in verb combinations in the perfect tenses, but about twenty common verbs use the infinitive in verb combinations in the perfect tenses, and most of those verbs also don't add 'te'  to the infinitive in verb combinations in the simple or perfect tenses. I call them 'special verbs.' They may be somewhat like the English 'modal verbs.'
'I can dance' — 'I tried to dance'
'I have heard the birds sing' — 'I have tried to whistle'

The 'Special Verbs'

Some 'senses'verbs:
zien 'to see'
horen 2 'to hear'
voelen 2 'to feel'

The Duurvorm  verbs are in the infinitive in perfect-tenses combinations with other verbs, but use te with verb infinitives in the simple tenses, and can, but don't have to  use te  in the perfect tenses.
zitten 'to sit, to be seated'
liggen 2 'to lie, be lying down'
staan 'to stand, to be standing'
lopen 2 'to walk'

Examples of Verb Combinations in the Simple Tenses

hebben

- zijn

worden 2

te

't Is moeilijk te vinden 2 3 It's hard to find Wat heb je daarop te zeggen? 2 What do you have to say about that? (What is your comment?) Ik probeer Nederlands te leren I'm trying to learn Dutch Ik begin 't te begrijpen 2 I'm beginning to understand Je hoeft niet weg te gaan 2 3 You don't have to [go away] leave (you can stay, like for dinner) Durf te kiezen 2 3 Dare to choose (commit, don't stay on the sidelines) Hij dacht 't te weten 2 he thought he knew [it] Vergeet niet de hond uit te laten 2 Don't forget to walk the dog Er blijkt genoeg geld te zijn 2 3 [There turns out to be ...] It turns out that there is enough money

Eerlijk zullen we alles delen 2 We'll share everything fairly Dat kun je niet veranderen 2 You can't change that Ik wil Nederlands leren 2 3 I want to learn Dutch Als het licht groen is mag je doorrijden 2 When the light is green you may drive [through] on Als 't licht rood is moet je stoppen 2 3 4 When the light is red you have to stop Laat ik dat eerst even doen 2 Let me do that first Gaat 't morgen regenen? 2 Is it going to rain tomorrow? De druppel die de emmer deed overlopen 2 3 (saying) '[The drop that caused the bucket to spill over] The straw that broke the camel's back' Ik blijf 't proberen 2 3 4 I keep trying [it] Kom je thee drinken? 2 [Are you coming for drinking tea?] - Please come for a cup of tea Ik help jullie begrijpen ... 2 3 I'm helping you guys understand ... Ik zag je voorbijkomen 2 3 4 I saw you pass by Ik hoorde de glazen rinkelen 2 3 I heard the (drinking) glasses tinkle Ik voelde de aarde beven 2 3 I felt the earth [tremble] shake

In the simple tenses, the duurvorm 2 verbs put te before the infinitive of the second verb.
We zitten te eten [We're eating] - We're having [food] dinner (or lunch) Ik lig te lezen I'm reading Dat staat ons ook te wachten 2 That is waiting for us too, we can expect that too Hij loopt te schelden He is swearing, cursing out

Examples of Verb Combinations in the Perfect Tenses

te

zullen 'shall/will' (for the future tense)
ik had zullen ... 2 3 I was going to ... The only example I can think of:
Ik had zullen wachten 2 3 4 5 I was going to wait, the plan was that I would wait (but it didn't happen)

kunnen 'can, being able to'
ik heb kunnen ... I was able to ... Ik heb kunnen voorkomen ... 2 3 I was able to prevent ... (voorKOmen ‑>>) 't Had erger kunnen zijn 2 3 4 It could have been worse

willen 2 'to want to, desire'
Ik had willen ... 2 3 I had wanted to ..., I wanted to but was prevented to do so Ik had willen doorgaan 2 3 4 I [had] wanted to go on, continue Wat hebben we al niet willen opknappen! 2 We had big plans to fix things. - Nescio

mogen 2 'may, be allowed to' Ik heb mogen ... 2 3 I was allowed to ... Ik heb even de eeuwigheid mogen aanschouwen 2 3 [I have been allowed for a moment to view eternity] - I was allowed a brief glimpse of eternity

moeten 2 'must, have to'
Ik heb moeten ... 2 I've had to ..., I should have ... Ik heb moeten leren improviseren 2 I've had to learn to improvise, improvisation Dat had ik niet moeten doen 2 3 I shouldn't have done that
laten 'to let, allow'
Ik heb laten ... 2 I have let/made ... Ik heb de eieren laten schrikken [I have scared the eggs] (Put just-boiled eggs in cold water for easier peeling) Ik heb laten komen ... 2 3 I have ordered delivery ... Ik heb laten zien 2 ['I have let see'] 'I have shown'

gaan 'to go, going to'
ik ben gaan ... 2 3 "I have gone ..., I have come" De wind is gaan liggen The wind has ['gone to lay down'] died down Ik ben gaan wandelen I have gone for a stroll, I went hiking Ik ben gaan vissen 2 3 (I have) gone fishing!

doen 2 3 'to do, make'
Ik heb doen ... 2 3 I have made ... 't Heeft me doen nadenken 2 3 It has made me think (about ...) Ik heb de mensen doen inzien ... 2 3 I have made the people see, understand ...
blijven 2 'to remain, stay, continue'
Ik ben blijven ... 2 I remained, stayed to ... Ik ben blijven kijken 2 3 I stayed to look (at it) - I kept watching Ik ben in de vierde klas blijven zitten 2 3 [I have remained in, I have repeated 4th grade] - I had to repeat 4th grade, I failed to pass to 5th grade (the first time)

komen 'to come'
Ik ben komen ... 2 I havew come (to, by) ... Ik ben komen fietsen 2 3 [I've come biking] - I've come by bike

helpen 2 'to help, assist'
Ik heb helpen ... 2 3 I have helped (to) ... Ik heb helpen betalen 2 3 I have helped pay
Some 'senses'verbs:
zien 'to see'
horen 2 'to hear'
voelen 2 'to feel'
Ik heb water zien branden 2 I've seen water burn (I've seen something that's impossible) Ik heb al wat huizen zien vallen! I have already seen many [houses fall] (trading) companies fail! - Multatuli Ik heb 'm nooit horen lachen 2 3 4 I've never heard him laugh Ik heb je horen vloeken 2 I [have] heard you cursing Ik heb de aarde voelen beven 2 3 4 5 I have felt the earth tremble

Duurvorm Exception
When the duurvorm  verbs in the perfect tenses are combined with other verbs, they come in the infinitive and can but don't have to  use te before the other verb's infinitive.
zitten '(to sit, to be seated'
liggen 2 'to lie, be lying down'
staan 'to stand, to be standing'
lopen 2 'to walk'

We hadden zitten kaarten 2 3
We hadden zitten te kaarten 2 We had been playing cards Hij heeft de hele week lopen klagen. 2 He's been complaining all week. Hij heeft de hele dag lopen te klagen. He's been complaining all day.

Leren
leren 'to learn' and 'to teach' is an exception that combining with other verbs in the perfect tenses can use the infinitive:
ik heb leren ... 2 3 I have learned, I've been taught ... or also the past participle:
ik heb geleerd ... 2 I have learned, I've been taught ... with te before the infinitive of the other verb.
In principle a slight difference of meaning: with the past participle it looks more 'serious,' refers to matters 'of the mind' or things learned from unpleasant experiences, while ik heb leren  is more for everyday, physical things - but they can actually be used almost interchangebly.
Ik heb leren zwemmen 2 3 I've learned to swim It's not really good Dutch to say:
'Ik heb geleerd te zwemmen'
but you can say:
Ik heb geleerd tegen de stroom in te zwemmen 2 3
or also:  Ik heb tegen de stroom in leren zwemmen 2 3 4 I've learned [to swim against the current] - to go my own way, rebel, not follow current trends, fashion or popular thinking, go against the majority Ik heb geleerd te zwijgen 2 3 I've learned to keep silent, keep my mouth shut You can as well say:
Ik heb leren zwijgen 2 3

Hoeven
In the simple tenses you need to put a 'te'  in front of verbs that hoeven is combined with, but in the perfect tenses 'te'  is optional after 'hoeven' - and ... 'hoeven'  does not have a past participle
Je hoeft 't niet te doen 2 You don't have to do it Ik hoefde niet te wachten 2 I didn't have to wait Ik heb niet hoeven wachten 2
Ik heb niet hoeven te wachten 2 I didn't have to wait

A few examples of 'regular' verbs perfect-tenses combinations
I cannot think up many examples of the 'regular' verbs in perfect-tenses combinations. There are not many of the 'special' verbs, but they are more common in combinations, especially in the perfect tenses.

Ik heb geprobeerd te fluiten 2 3 I have tried to whistle Ik heb geprobeerd te helpen 2 I have tried to help Ik heb geprobeerd te zwijgen I have tried to stay silent, not to speak up Ik heb geprobeerd Nederlands te leren 2 3 I have tried to learn Dutch Ik had gehoopt de vogels te horen 2 I had hoped to hear the birds Ik ben vergeten de huur te betalen 2 3 I [have forgotten] forgot to pay the rent

An Earlier Version, Another Approach with many more examples
A much Shorter Version







Page in Progress

Verbs Odds and Ends

Activities phrases: verbs with nouns or adverbs

Dutch and English both have phrases consisting of a verb with a noun or an adverb that describe common, specific activities like brushing teeth, washing hands etc. In English the verb comes first, and it's often a present participle - in Dutch the verb comes last, and Dutch uses the verb infinitive. Maybe the English phrase figure is derived from the continuous ('I was brushing teeth, I am writing a letter.') The Dutch present participle is not often usedl.

A few examples:

handen wassen washing hands haar wassen washing hair haar knippen cutting hair tanden poetsen brushing teeth schoenen poetsen 2 3 shining shoes voeten vegen 2 3 4 wiping feet woordjes leren learning words 'n brief schrijven writing a letter (mail) haring eten eating herring ‑>>

brood snijden slicing bread kaas schaven 2 slicing cheese brood smeren 2 preparing sandwiches aardappels schillen 2 peeling potatoes snijbonen snijden cutting Italian beans paprika's bakken sautéing bell peppers water opzetten 2 to put on the kettle, to put water on water koken 2 3 boiling water, to boil water thee zetten 2 to make, brew tea koffie zetten 2 brewing coffee ‑>>

Also in Resolutions:

Aardig zijn Be kind Minder vloeken Curse less Nederlands leren Learn Dutch

Gezond eten Eat [healthily] wholesome food Veel fietsen Bike often Rustig rijden Drive calmly

Commands, Orders, Instructions and Suggestions (The Imperative)

(De) gebiedende wijs 2 3 ('imperative')
In commands, orders, instructions and suggestions (the imperative mode), very much like in English, there is no subject, and as sentences they usually start with the verb.
The verb stem is the imperative - and it is only rarely used in the plural.
the verb stem

Zwijg! 2	Be silent! (Don't speak! Shut up!)
Vertel!	Tell us! (or: me)
Luister! 2	Listen!
Hoor!	Hear!
Beken! 2 3	Confess!
Kom terug! 2	Come back!
Haal diep adem. 2	Take deep breaths.
Verroer je niet!	Don't move ('yourself')! Freeze!
Zorg dat je op tijd bent.	Take care [that you are] to be in time
Schrijf je naam op een papiertje.	Write down your name on a piece of paper.
Vergeet je telefoonnummer niet.	Don't forget (to write down) your phone number.
Kook de aardappels zeventien minuten.	Boil the potatoes for 17 minutes.
Neem de tweede weg rechts.	Take the second road to the right.
Ga meteen je huiswerk maken.	Do your homework right away.
Moet kunnen! 2	It should be possible, it ought to be allowed.
Hou er onmiddelijk mee op! 2	Stop that right away!
Ga direct naar huis! 2	Go home immediately!
Doe alsjeblieft de deur dicht! 2	Please close the door!
Geef 't goede voorbeeld.	[Give] Set the right example
Let maar niet op mij. 2	Now don't pay attention to me.
Zeg nooit nooit 2 3	Never say never
Zeg het voort 2	[Say it forth] - Pass it on (a message)
Zegt het voort 2	Pass it on (a message) - addressing a crowd
Gaat heen en vermenigvuldigt U 2	Go forth and multiply

Further Study

Advanced
Complications in Sub-Sentences
Splitting Verbs Complications

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Gij zult niet stelen 'Thou shalt not steal'