Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn the most common irregular Dutch verbs: zijn, hebben, gaan, and zullen. This lesson teaches you their present tense conjugations, usage as auxiliary verbs, and how they express future actions, promises, and states. Improve your comprehension with practical examples and exercises tailored for A1 learners.
  1. 'Zijn' and 'hebben' are the most commonly used auxiliary verbs.
  2. 'Gaan' is used for future actions with an infinitive.
  3. 'Zullen' expresses a promise, proposal or future.
Werkwoord (Verb)Ik (I)Jij/u (You)Hij/zij/het (He/she/it)Wij/jullie/zij (We/you/they)
Zijn (To be)benbentiszijn
Hebben (to have)hebhebtheefthebben
Gaan (to go)gagaatgaatgaan
Zullen (shall)zalzalzalzullen

Exercise 1: Veel gebruikte onregelmatige werkwoorden

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

gaat, zullen, heeft, is, ga, ben, heb

1. Gaan:
Hij ... op blote voeten door het zand.
(He walks barefoot through the sand.)
2. Hebben:
Zij ... een armband om haar arm.
(She has a bracelet on her arm.)
3. Zullen:
Morgen ... we naar het strand gaan.
(Tomorrow we will go to the beach.)
4. Hebben:
Ik ... pijn in mijn buik na het eten.
(I have pain in my stomach after eating.)
5. Zijn:
Hij ... moe en legt zijn hoofd op het kussen.
(He is tired and lays his head on the pillow.)
6. Gaan:
Het ... goed met mijn gezondheid.
(My health is doing well.)
7. Zijn:
Ik ... blij met mijn lange haar.
(I am happy with my long hair.)
8. Gaan:
Ik ... naar de dokter omdat mijn vinger pijn doet.
(I am going to the doctor because my finger hurts.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Ik ___ moe vandaag, omdat ik vanmorgen vroeg ben opgestaan.

(I ___ tired today because I got up early this morning.)

2. Jij ___ naar de dokter omdat je hoofdpijn hebt.

(You ___ going to the doctor because you have a headache.)

3. Hij ___ last van zijn knie na het sporten.

(He ___ pain in his knee after exercising.)

4. Wij ___ morgen naar het ziekenhuis gaan voor controle.

(We ___ go to the hospital tomorrow for a check-up.)

5. ___ jij vandaag naar de fysiotherapeut geweest?

(___ you been to the physiotherapist today?)

6. ___ we een afspraak maken om je rug te laten onderzoeken?

(___ we make an appointment to have your back examined?)

Common Irregular Verbs in Dutch

In this lesson, you will explore some of the most frequently used irregular verbs in Dutch: 'zijn' (to be), 'hebben' (to have), 'gaan' (to go), and 'zullen' (shall/will). These verbs are essential for building basic conversations and forming correct sentences in everyday Dutch. The lesson includes a clear conjugation table showing how these verbs change depending on the subject pronoun.

Key Verbs and Their Uses

  • Zijn and hebben are the most common auxiliary verbs. They are used to form various tenses and describe states or possession.
  • Gaan is often used to indicate future actions followed by an infinitive verb.
  • Zullen expresses promises, proposals, or future intentions.

Understanding Conjugations

You will see how the verbs change in the present tense for different subjects such as ik (I), jij/u (you), hij/zij/het (he/she/it), and wij/jullie/zij (we/you all/they). For instance, ik ben (I am), jij bent (you are), hij is (he is), and wij zijn (we are).

Practice and Context

The lesson also offers exercises with sentences that help you practice these verbs in context, such as Ik ben moe vandaag or Zullen we een afspraak maken? This helps you understand how these verbs appear naturally in everyday speech.

Language Notes

Unlike English, Dutch verb conjugation for these irregular verbs changes with the subject, not only in third person. For example, jij bent corresponds to English "you are," but the verb form is distinct. The verb zullen does not have a direct one-to-one English equivalent, as it conveys a nuance of promise or obligation alongside future intention.

Some useful phrases include Ben jij klaar? (Are you ready?), Hij heeft tijd (He has time), and Wij gaan morgen (We are going tomorrow). Recognizing these patterns will greatly enhance your ability to form accurate sentences and understand native speakers.

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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, 29/05/2025 16:34