Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn how to express the near future in Dutch using 'gaan' plus an infinitive, with examples like 'Ik ga koken' (I am going to cook) and 'Hij gaat werken' (He is going to work). This lesson covers conjugations of 'gaan' for different persons and practical verbs such as koken (to cook), studeren (to study), and zwemmen (to swim).
  1. Form: gaan + infinitive
  2. Use: For planned or imminent future.
Persoon (Person)Gaan  (to go)Voorbeeld (Example)
IkgaIk ga koken. (I am going to cook.)
Jij/ugaatJij gaat studeren. (You are going to study.)
Hij/zij/hetgaatHij gaat werken. (He is going to work.)
WijgaanWij gaan sporten. (We are going to do sports.)
JulliegaanJullie gaan zwemmen. (You are going to swim.)
ZijgaanZij gaan winkelen. (They are going shopping.)

Exercise 1: Toekomende tijd met 'gaan'

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

gaat, Ga, gaan, ga

1.
In september ... ik in Spanje studeren.
(In September, I am going to study in Spain.)
2.
Wij ... een nieuwe fiets kopen.
(We are going to buy a new bike.)
3.
... jij na de zomer verhuizen?
(Are you going to move after the summer?)
4.
Ik ... je helpen met je huiswerk.
(I am going to help you with your homework.)
5.
Volgend jaar ... we samen reizen.
(Next year we are going to travel together.)
6.
Morgen ... hij zwemmen in de zee.
(Tomorrow he is going to swim in the sea.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Ik ___ in augustus naar het strand omdat het zomer is.

(I ___ to the beach in August because it is summer.)

2. Wij ___ in de lente bloemen planten in de tuin.

(We ___ to plant flowers in the garden in the spring.)

3. Hij ___ in december warme kleren dragen omdat het winter is.

(He ___ to wear warm clothes in December because it is winter.)

4. Jij ___ in maart wandelen als het weer beter wordt.

(You ___ to walk in March when the weather gets better.)

5. Zij ___ in mei vaak fietsen omdat ze de lente verkiezen.

(They ___ often go cycling in May because they prefer spring.)

6. Ik ___ in oktober een warme jas kopen voor de herfst.

(I ___ to buy a warm jacket in October for the fall.)

Future Tense with gaan

This lesson explains how to use the verb gaan to express actions that will happen in the near future in Dutch. You will learn to form sentences about planned or imminent activities by combining gaan with an infinitive verb.

What You Will Learn

  • How to conjugate gaan according to the subject (person)
  • How to combine gaan with an infinitive verb to talk about future actions
  • Common examples that illustrate the use of the future tense

Conjugation Table

Here is the conjugation of gaan with examples:

PersonGaanExample
Ik (I)gaIk ga koken.
Jij/u (You formal/informal)gaatJij gaat studeren.
Hij/zij/het (He/she/it)gaatHij gaat werken.
Wij (We)gaanWij gaan sporten.
Jullie (You plural)gaanJullie gaan zwemmen.
Zij (They)gaanZij gaan winkelen.

How to Use This Construction

Use gaan + infinitief to describe something that will happen in the near or planned future. For example:
Ik ga koken. (I am going to cook.)
Hij gaat studeren. (He is going to study.)

Key Points

  • Gaan changes form depending on the subject.
  • The main verb stays in the infinitive form and comes after the verb gaan.
  • This construction is commonly used for speaking about plans or actions that will soon take place.

Differences Between English and Dutch Future Tense

In English, the future tense is often formed with "will" or "going to" plus the infinitive. The Dutch equivalent here uses the verb gaan, meaning "to go," combined with the infinitive verb to show future actions. However, the Dutch gaan + infinitive is more directly used to express near or planned future, similar to "going to" in English.

Useful Phrases:

  • Ik ga slapen. — I am going to sleep.
  • Jij gaat lezen. — You are going to read.
  • Wij gaan reizen. — We are going to travel.

Note that Dutch verbs do not use auxiliary words like "will" but rely on gaan + infinitive for the near future. The infinitive verb in Dutch ends usually with -en, for example, koken (to cook), studeren (to study), werken (to work).

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Kato De Paepe

Business and languages

KdG University of Applied Sciences and Arts Antwerp

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Last Updated:

Thursday, 17/07/2025 06:08