Irregular verbs
The sad thing for languages like Dutch and English is that most of the frequently used verbs are irregular. I’ll list the most important ones, but before I do that I have a few remarks.
- Note that most of them have vowel changes, both in past tense and past participle. In that case:
- there is practically never -t(e)(n) or-d(e)(n) at the end,
- the past participle practically always ends on-en.
- The list is far from complete. I listed the most current ones and I skipped derived forms that go the same way. I listed, for exemplekopen, trekken andstaan, but I skipped verkopen (sell),vertrekken(leave), bestaan(exist) and verstaan (understand).
- The translation is quite incomplete. Many words just can’t be translated properly without a few lines of explanation. So take your dictionary for details.
- With the past participles marked with * you use zijn, when they’re marked with (*) you should use zijn when a direction is indicated and for the ones marked(**) you can use zijn as well as hebben. For the other ones you use hebben, unless they are used in a passive mode.
| Infinitive (translation) | Past | Pastparticiple |
|---|---|---|
| bakken (bake) | bakte | gebakken |
| beginnen (begin) | begon | begonnen |
| *bewegen (move) | bewoog | bewogen |
| bieden (offer) | bood | geboden |
| binden (bind) | bond | gebonden |
| blijken (appear) | bleek | gebleken |
| breken (break) | brak | gebroken |
| brengen (bring) | bracht | gebracht |
| buigen (bend, bow) | boog | gebogen |
| denken (think) | dacht | gedacht |
| doen (do) | deed | gedaan |
| dragen (carry, wear) | droeg | gedragen |
| drinken (drink) | dronk | gedronken |
| dwingen (force) | dwong | gedwongen |
| eten (eat) | at | gegeten |
| gaan (go) | ging | gegaan |
| gelden (be valid) | gold | gegolden |
| genieten (enjoy) | genoot | genoten |
| geven (give) | gaf | gegeven |
| hangen (hang) | hing | gehangen |
| hebben (have) | had | gehad |
| helpen (help) | hielp | geholpen |
| heten (be called) | heette | geheten |
| hoeven (need (denying)) | hoefde | gehoeven |
| houden (hold) | hield | gehouden |
| kiezen (choose) | koos | gekozen |
| kijken (look, watch) | keek | gekeken |
| klinken (sound) | klonk | geklonken |
| komen (come) | kwam | gekomen |
| kopen (buy) | kocht | gekocht |
| kunnen (can, be able to) | kon | gekund |
| lachen (laugh) | lachte | gelachen |
| laten (let) | liet | gelaten |
| lezen (read) | las | gelezen |
| liggen (lay) | lag | gelegen |
| lijken (look like) | leek | geleken |
| lopen (walk) | liep | gelopen |
| moeten (have to, must) | moest | gemoeten |
| mogen (be allowed, may) | mocht | gemogen |
| nemen (take) | nam | genomen |
| roepen (call) | riep | geroepen |
| schenken (give, (poetic)) | schonk | geschonken |
| scheppen (create) | schiep | geschapen |
| schieten (shoot) | schoot | geschoten |
| schuiven (shift, push) | schoof | geschoven |
| slaan (beat) | sloeg | geslagen |
| slapen (sleep) | sliep | geslapen |
| sluiten (close, shut) | sloot | gesloten |
| spreken (speak) | sprak | gesproken |
| springen (jump) | sprong | gesprongen |
| staan (stand) | stond | gestaan |
| steken (sting, stab) | stak | gestoken |
| sterven (die) | stierf | gestorven |
| treffen (hit) | trof | getroffen |
| trekken (pull) | trok | getrokken |
| vallen (fall) | viel | gevallen |
| vangen (catch) | ving | gevangen |
| vergeten (forget) | vergat | vergeten |
| verliezen (loose) | verloor | verloren |
| vinden (find) | vond | gevonden |
| vliegen (fly) | vloog | gevlogen |
| voorkómen (prevent) | voorkwam | voorkomen |
| vóórkomen (happen) | kwam voor | voorgekomen |
| vragen (ask) | vroeg | gevraagd |
| weten (know (something)) | wist | geweten |
| wijzen (point) | wees | gewezen |
| winnen (win) | won | gewonnen |
| worden (become) | werd | geworden |
| zeggen (say) | zei | gezegd |
| zien (see) | zag | gezien |
| zijn (be) | was | geweest |
| zingen (sing) | zong | gezongen |
| zinken (sink) | zonk | gezonken |
| zitten (sit) | zat | gezeten |
| zoeken (look for) | zocht | gezocht |
| zullen (will, shall) | zou |