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Learn how to form the voltooid deelwoord for sterke and zwakke werkwoorden like werken (gewerkt), maken (gemaakt), vinden (gevonden), and brengen (gebracht). Master the use of -d, -t endings, and vowel changes in Dutch past participles.
  1. For weak verbs: ge- + stem + -d/-t.
  2. 't kofschip determines whether you write -t or -d with weak verbs.
  3. Strong verbs do not have a fixed stem and undergo a vowel change.
Categorie (Category)Infinitief (Infinitive)Voltooid deelwoord (Past participle)
Zwak (-t)

werken (to work)

maken (make)

gewerkt (worked)

gemaakt (made)

Zwak (-d)

reizen (to travel)

plannen (to plan)

gereisd (travelled)

gepland (planned)

Sterk: -en 

komen (come)

kijken (to watch)

gekomen (come)

gekeken (looked)

Sterk: klinkerverandering

vinden (find)

helpen (help)

gevonden (found)

geholpen (helped)

Sterk: medeklinkerverandering

brengen (bring)

denken (to think)

gebracht (brought)

gedacht (thought)

Onregelmatig

zijn (to be)

hebben (have)

doen (do)

geweest (been)

gehad (had)

gedaan (done)

Exercise 1: Voltooid deelwoord: sterke en zwakke werkwoorden

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

geraadpleegd, gegaan, gebruikt, gepland, gebracht, gereisd, genomen, kerk, gemaakt

1. Brengen:
Het openbaar vervoer heeft ons naar de stad ....
(The public transport has brought us to the city.)
2. Maken:
Ik heb een foto van de ... ....
(I have taken a photo of the church.)
3. Nemen:
We hebben een taxi ... naar het centrum.
(We took a taxi to the city centre.)
4. Gaan:
We zijn met de taxi snel naar het hotel ....
(We took a taxi quickly to the hotel.)
5. Raadplegen:
Hij heeft de kaart ... voor info.
(He consulted the map for information.)
6. Gebruiken:
Ze hebben het openbaar vervoer ... om naar de stad te gaan..
(They have used public transport to go to the city.)
7. Plannen:
Ze hebben hun reis goed ... met de plattegrond.
(They planned their trip well with the map.)
8. Reizen:
We zijn ... naar een drukke stad.
(We have travelled to a busy city.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct sentence in each block with the past participle according to the rules for strong and weak verbs.

1.
An extra d is wrong; the past participle of 'werken' ends with -t.
The double t is wrong; the past participle of weak verbs ends with a single -t.
2.
A double aa does not occur in the past participle of 'gaan'.
'gedaan' is the past participle of 'doen', not of 'gaan'.
3.
'gemaaktt' contains an incorrect double t.
The interstitial letter 'e' is missing; this is incomplete and incorrect.
4.
'gevonden' is missing an 'e' and is therefore misspelled.
An extra t after 'gevonden' is wrong.

Past Participles: Strong and Weak Verbs

This lesson covers the formation and use of the Dutch voltooid deelwoord, or past participle, which is essential for expressing perfect tenses. You'll learn how to distinguish and form past participles of both weak and strong verbs in Dutch.

Understanding Weak Verbs

Weak verbs follow a regular pattern for forming their past participles. They typically end with -d or -t, depending on the stem's final consonant. The prefix ge- is added to the stem, followed by -d or -t. A useful mnemonic to know whether to use -d or -t is 't kofschip, which helps decide the correct ending based on the verb's final consonant.

  • Examples of weak verbs ending with -t: werken (gewerkt), maken (gemaakt).
  • Examples of weak verbs ending with -d: reizen (gereisd), plannen (gepland).

Understanding Strong Verbs

Strong verbs do not have a fixed stem and typically undergo vowel or consonant changes when forming the past participle. They always end with -en, and their past participles include these sound changes.

  • Strong verbs with -en: komen (gekomen), kijken (gekeken).
  • Strong verbs with vowel changes: vinden (gevonden), helpen (geholpen).
  • Strong verbs with consonant changes: brengen (gebracht), denken (gedacht).

Irregular Verbs

Some common verbs are irregular and do not fit neatly into the strong or weak categories. Their past participles must be memorized as they vary significantly.

  • Examples include: zijn (geweest), hebben (gehad), doen (gedaan).

Key Points Summary

  • The past participle of weak verbs consists of ge- + stem + -d/-t, with 't kofschip guiding the choice of ending.
  • Strong verbs have vowel or consonant changes and end in -en.
  • Irregular verbs have unique past participle forms to learn.

Differences between English and Dutch Past Participles

Unlike English, which often uses a simple -ed ending for regular past participles, Dutch distinguishes more sharply between weak and strong verbs. Dutch adds a ge- prefix for past participles (e.g., gemaakt for "made"), which English does not. Moreover, vowel changes in strong verbs are common in Dutch and must be memorized, whereas English irregular verbs have different patterns.

Useful Expressions and Vocabulary

  • werken – to work – gewerkt (worked)
  • maken – to make – gemaakt (made)
  • komen – to come – gekomen (come)
  • vinden – to find – gevonden (found)
  • brengen – to bring – gebracht (brought)
  • zijn – to be – geweest (been)
  • hebben – to have – gehad (had)

These examples illustrate how the past participle relates to both regular and irregular verbs, helping you recognize patterns and exceptions as you advance your Dutch skills.

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Kato De Paepe

Business and languages

KdG University of Applied Sciences and Arts Antwerp

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Last Updated:

Monday, 01/09/2025 02:00