Learn how to express wishes and regrets in Dutch using the imperfect past tense. This lesson explains how to form sentences with expressions like 'Had ik maar' and 'Was het al maar' to discuss unreal or hypothetical situations. Understand grammar rules, typical sentence structures, and key vocabulary to communicate wishes and regrets naturally and correctly in Dutch.
- Use the onvoltooid verleden tijd to express regret or an unfulfilled wish.
- The situation is imaginary or unrealistic at this moment.
- It is often accompanied by maar.
| Situatie (Situation) | Voorbeelden (Examples) |
|---|---|
| Wens (Wish) | Was het al maar zomervakantie. (If only it were already summer holiday.) Had ik maar meer geld, dan kon ik mijn huur betalen. (If only I had more money, then I could pay my rent.) At ik maar wat gezonder, dan was ik slanker. (If only I ate a bit healthier, then I would be slimmer.) |
| Spijt (Regret) | Hadden we maar gewacht. (If only we had waited.) Had ik maar meer gespaard. (If only I had saved more.) Had ik maar beter geluisterd. (If only I had listened better.) |
Exercise 1: Wensen uitdrukken met de onvoltooid verleden tijd
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Had, moest, kocht, Kon, Wist, ging
1.
Kunnen:
... ik maar muntgeld wisselen bij de balie.
(I wish I could change coins at the counter.)
2.
Weten:
... ik dat maar eerder!
(If only I had known that earlier!)
3.
Kopen:
Was ik maar rijk, dan ... ik een groot huis.
(If only I were rich, I would buy a big house.)
4.
Hebben:
... ik maar meer geld om eten te kopen.
(If only I had more money to buy food.)
5.
Gaan:
Had ik maar meer gespaard, dan ... ik op wereldreis.
(If only I had saved more, I would go on a world trip.)
6.
Moeten:
Had ik maar mijn betaling op tijd gedaan, dan ... ik geen boetes betalen.
(If only I had made my payment on time, then I wouldn't have to pay fines.)
Exercise 2: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct sentence in which a wish or regret is expressed using the past tense and 'maar' ('if only').
1.
'But' placement is incorrect; it should come immediately after 'If I had' for a correct wish structure.
Infinitive used instead of past tense after 'maar' ('if only'). The correct form is 'to arrange'.
2.
The verb form 'Were' is incorrectly used here for expressing a wish with past tense in this context.
Incorrect use of present tense 'can' instead of past tense to express a wish.
3.
Incorrect word order; the correct order is 'could pay' and not 'pay could'.
Error: 'can' is present tense, but the wish requires past tense ('could').
4.
Wrong word order; 'earlier' should come before the past participle.
Incorrect infinitive 'check' instead of past participle 'checked' after 'If only we had'.
