Werkwoorden, tegenwoordige tijd
Dutch verbs are conjugated, that is, we use different forms of the verb depending on the person (I, you, he, etc.). Most verbs follow a regular pattern. As a rule of thumb, the forms for wij, jullie, and zij are the same as the infinitive form, the form for ik is the infinitive form minus the -en ending, and you have to add a -t ending to the ik form to get the forms for jij, u, hij, zij and het.
Take a look at the verb helpen (to help) as an example. The forms for wij, jullie and zij are the same: wij helpen (we help), zij helpen (they help). To get the form for ik, take of the -en at the end: ik help (I help). Finally, add a -t to get the form for jij, u, hij, zij and het: jij helpt (you help), zij helpt (she helps).
Note: Zij can mean she or they, and the form of the verb is different in both cases!
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| helpen | to help |
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| ik help | I help |
| jij helpt | you help (informal, singular) |
| u helpt | you help (formal, singular or plural) |
| hij helpt | he helps |
| zij helpt | she helps |
| het helpt | it helps |
| wij helpen | we help |
| jullie helpen | you help (informal, plural) |
| zij helpen | they help |
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| trouwen | to marry |
| ik trouw | I marry |
| jij trouwt | you marry (informal, singular) |
| u trouwt | you marry (formal, singular or plural) |
| hij trouwt | he marries |
| zij trouwt | she marries |
| het trouwt | it marries |
| wij trouwen | we marry |
| jullie trouwen | you marry (informal, plural) |
| zij trouwen | they marry |
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If a verb minus the -en ending ends with a single consonant preceded by a single vowel, the vowel will double in the conjugated forms. For example, take the verb leren (to learn). When we take off the ending, we have ler, which ends with a single consonant (r), preceded by a single vowel (e). In the forms for ik, jij, u, hij, zij and het, the single e is replaced by a double ee: ik leer, u leert.
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| leren | to learn |
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| ik leer | I learn |
| jij leert | you learn (informal, singular) |
| u leert | you learn (formal, singular or plural) |
| hij leert | he learns |
| zij leert | she learns |
| het leert | it learns |
| wij leren | we learn |
| jullie leren | you learn (informal, plural) |
| zij leren | they learn |
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| lopen | to walk |
| ik loop | I walk |
| jij loopt | you walk (informal, singular) |
| u loopt | you walk (formal, singular or plural) |
| hij loopt | he walks |
| zij loopt | she walks |
| het loopt | it walks |
| wij lopen | we walk |
| jullie lopen | you walk (informal, plural) |
| zij lopen | they walk |
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If a verb minus the -en ending ends with a double consonant (i.e. twice the same consonant), it will drop one consonant in the conjugated forms. The verb bakken (to bake), for instance, has only one k in the conjugated forms: ik bak, hij bakt.
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| bakken | to bake |
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| ik bak | I bake |
| jij bakt | you bake (informal, singular) |
| u bakt | you bake (formal, singular or plural) |
| hij bakt | he bakes |
| zij bakt | she bakes |
| het bakt | it bakes |
| wij bakken | we bake |
| jullie bakken | you bake (informal, plural) |
| zij bakken | they bake |
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If the ik-form of a verb ends with a -t, the other forms will not get an extra t. For example, the verb wachten (to wait). The ik-form is ik wacht, which ends with a t, so we don't add another -t for the other forms: u wacht (and not u wachtt).
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| wachten | to wait |
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| ik wacht | I wait |
| jij wacht | you wait (informal, singular) |
| u wacht | you wait (formal, singular or plural) |
| hij wacht | he waits |
| zij wacht | she waits |
| het wacht | it waits |
| wij wachten | we wait |
| jullie wachten | you wait (informal, plural) |
| zij wachten | they wait |
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f/v, s/z
If a verb minus the -en ending ends with a v, the v will be replaced with an f in the conjugated forms. If a verb minus the -en ending ends with a z, the z will be replaced with an s in the conjugated forms. For example, the verb geven (to give): ik geef (I give), jij geeft (you give).
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| geven | to give |
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| ik geef | I give |
| jij geeft | you give (informal, singular) |
| u geeft | you give (formal, singular or plural) |
| hij geeft | he gives |
| zij geeft | she gives |
| het geeft | it gives |
| wij geven | we give |
| jullie geven | you give (informal, plural) |
| zij geven | they give |
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| reizen | to travel |
| ik reis | I travel |
| jij reist | you travel (informal, singular) |
| u reist | you travel (formal, singular or plural) |
| hij reist | he travels |
| zij reist | she travels |
| het reist | it travels |
| wij reizen | we travel |
| jullie reizen | you travel (informal, plural) |
| zij reizen | they travel |
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Irregular verbs
A few verbs don't follow the patterns described above, you will just have to learn these by heart.
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| zijn | to be |
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| ik ben | I am |
| jij bent | you are (informal, singular) |
| u bent | you are (formal, singular or plural) |
| hij is | he is |
| zij is | she is |
| het is | it is |
| wij zijn | we are |
| jullie zijn | you are (informal, plural) |
| zij zijn | they are |
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| hebben | to have |
| ik heb | I have |
| jij hebt | you have (informal, singular) |
| u heeft | you have (formal, singular or plural) |
| hij heeft | he has |
| zij heeft | she has |
| het heeft | it has |
| wij hebben | we have |
| jullie hebben | you have (informal, plural) |
| zij hebben | they have |
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| doen | to do |
| ik doe | I do |
| jij doet | you do (informal, singular) |
| u doet | you do (formal, singular or plural) |
| hij doet | he does |
| zij doet | she does |
| het doet | it does |
| wij doen | we do |
| jullie doen | you do (informal, plural) |
| zij doen | they do |
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| willen | to want (to) |
| ik wil | I want |
| jij wil | you want (informal, singular) |
| u wil (also: u wilt) | you want (formal, singular or plural) |
| hij wil | he wants |
| zij wil | she wants |
| het wil | it wants |
| wij willen | we want |
| jullie willen | you want (informal, plural) |
| zij willen | they want |
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| zullen | to will |
| ik zal | I will |
| jij zult (also: jij zal) | you will (informal, singular) |
| u zult (also: u zal) | you will (formal, singular or plural) |
| hij zal | he will |
| zij zal | she will |
| het zal | it will |
| wij zullen | we will |
| jullie zullen | you will (informal, plural) |
| zij zullen | they will |
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| mogen | to may |
| ik mag | I may |
| jij mag | you may (informal, singular) |
| u mag | you may (formal, singular or plural) |
| hij mag | he may |
| zij mag | she may |
| het mag | it may |
| wij mogen | we may |
| jullie mogen | you may (informal, plural) |
| zij mogen | they may |
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| kunnen | to can |
| ik kan | I can |
| jij kunt (also: jij kan) | you can (informal, singular) |
| u kunt | you can (formal, singular or plural) |
| hij kan | he can |
| zij kan | she can |
| het kan | it can |
| wij kunnen | we can |
| jullie kunnen | you can (informal, plural) |
| zij kunnen | they can |
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