Dutch Simple Past Tense of Verbs

Learn how to conjugate Dutch verbs in the simple past tense

   

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Dutch Simple Past Tense

 

The simple past tense in Dutch corresponds to the simple past tense in English.  It is not a compound tense like the perfect tense, and some verbs have vowel changes, as in English.  Generally, the simple past tense is indicated in English by adding -ed to the verb (for regular verbs, at least.)  This tense is used for actions that happened in the past and that are completely done.  To form the past tense, add -te (or -de) to the stem for the singular persons and -ten (or -den) to the stem for the plural persons.  If the verb stem ends in p, t, k, f, s, or ch, add -te or -ten; for all other endings, add -de or -den.  Verbs that have either v or z as the final consonant of the stem change them to f or s first and then add -de and -den.
 

	ik, jij, u, hij, zij	wij, jullie, zij
wonen - to live	woonde	woonden
geloven - to believe	geloofde	geloofden
praten - to talk	praatte	praatten
spelen - to play	speelde	speelden
trouwen - to marry	trouwde	trouwden
werken - to work	werkte	werkten
fietsen - to cycle	fietste	fietsten

Irregular Stems in Simple Past Tense

 

For some verbs, the internal vowel of the stem changes in the past tense.  The stem with the changed vowel then acts as the past tense for all persons of the singular, while the plural adds -en to the changed stem.  In addition, there are some irregular verbs that change more than the vowel, but still add nothing for the singular and -en for the plural.
 

	ik, jij, u, hij, zij	wij, jullie, zij
zijn - to be	was	waren
hebben - to have	had	hadden
gaan - to go	ging	gingen
weten - to know	wist	wisten
denken - to think	dacht	dachten
blijven - to stay	bleef	bleven
drinken - to drink	dronk	dronken
eten - to eat	at	aten
breken - to break	brak	braken
bijten - to bite	beet	beten
gieten - to pour	goot	goten

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