zijn
to be
Use zijn for identity, condition, location and the passive or perfect constructions that require it. Its present forms are fully irregular, so learn them as complete subject–verb chunks.
Open conjugation lesson →60 common Dutch verbs
Conjugate the verb, then finish a useful message
Choose one verb and retrieve verified present, past and participle forms inside original examples, chunks and recording drills. The goal is flexible spoken use, not an isolated table.
hebben
to have
Use hebben for possession, relationships, symptoms and many fixed expressions. It is also the auxiliary for most Dutch perfect-tense verbs.
Open conjugation lesson →gaan
to go
Use gaan for movement away from the current point and for intentions with an infinitive. A time phrase plus present tense can still be the simplest future form.
Open conjugation lesson →komen
to come
Use komen for movement toward a reference point, arrival and origin. It also appears in common combinations such as langskomen and terugkomen.
Open conjugation lesson →doen
to do
Use doen for activities, tasks and a wide range of fixed combinations. The context must make the action concrete because doen alone can remain vague.
Open conjugation lesson →kunnen
can / to be able to
Use kunnen for ability, possibility and many practical requests. The content verb normally stays as an infinitive near the end of the main clause.
Open conjugation lesson →moeten
must / to have to
Use moeten for necessity, rules and strong advice. State the source or reason when the obligation is not obvious to the listener.
Open conjugation lesson →willen
to want
Use willen for wishes, intentions and direct requests. In service contexts, a modal question with zou or kunnen may sound less abrupt than ik wil.
Open conjugation lesson →mogen
may / to be allowed to
Use mogen for permission and what is allowed. It also appears in polite or hopeful expressions, but the immediate context decides the tone.
Open conjugation lesson →zullen
shall / will
Use zullen for proposals, promises, expectations and conditional distance. Its past forms zou and zouden frequently express politeness, advice or an imagined condition.
Open conjugation lesson →maken
to make
Use maken when something is created, prepared, repaired or caused. Many everyday combinations describe decisions, appointments and mistakes rather than physical objects.
Open conjugation lesson →nemen
to take
Use nemen for transport, choices, medicine and actions in fixed combinations. The object normally tells the listener what kind of taking is meant.
Open conjugation lesson →geven
to give
Use geven for transferring something, providing information and producing an effect. The listener often needs both the thing and the recipient.
Open conjugation lesson →krijgen
to get / receive
Use krijgen when something is received, obtained or begins to affect someone. The source may be a person, organization or situation.
Open conjugation lesson →zeggen
to say
Use zeggen for spoken content and reported messages. Add the content, listener or clause so the verb does not leave the key information vague.
Open conjugation lesson →spreken
to speak
Use spreken for languages, formal conversations and the act of talking. Met marks the conversation partner; over introduces the topic.
Open conjugation lesson →weten
to know a fact
Use weten for facts, answers and information that can often follow a question word or dat clause. It is irregular in both present and past forms.
Open conjugation lesson →zien
to see
Use zien for visual perception, meeting someone and recognizing a situation. It also appears with an infinitive when you witness an action.
Open conjugation lesson →vinden
to find / think
Use vinden for locating something and for giving an opinion. The object or following dat clause tells the listener which meaning is intended.
Open conjugation lesson →blijven
to stay / keep
Use blijven for remaining in a place or state and for continuing an activity with an infinitive. Its perfect tense normally uses zijn.
Open conjugation lesson →annuleren
to cancel
Use annuleren when an appointment, order, booking or event will not continue. Name what is cancelled and, in a service exchange, add whether you want a replacement date or refund.
Open conjugation lesson →eten
to eat
Use eten for meals and food. A meal word can stand as the object, while the aan het eten construction presents the activity as being in progress.
Open conjugation lesson →sterven
to die
Use sterven for the end of a life. The verb is sensitive in conversation, so state only the detail the listener needs and choose a respectful tone.
Open conjugation lesson →staan
to stand / be located
Use staan for an upright position, written information and the location of many objects. Dutch often chooses staan, liggen or zitten where English simply uses be.
Open conjugation lesson →arriveren
to arrive
Use arriveren for reaching a destination. Add the place and, when relevant, the expected or actual time.
Open conjugation lesson →rusten
to rest
Use rusten for stopping activity to recover. It can describe a person taking rest or, more formally, something resting on a surface or principle.
Open conjugation lesson →koken
to cook / boil
Use koken for preparing food with heat and for a liquid reaching boiling point. The object clarifies whether someone is cooking a meal or boiling an ingredient.
Open conjugation lesson →terugkeren
to return
Use terugkeren for returning to a place, state or subject. It is common in written or formal language and takes zijn in the perfect for movement.
Open conjugation lesson →slapen
to sleep
Use slapen for being asleep and for spending the night somewhere. Add a duration or quality word when the listener needs to know how the sleep went.
Open conjugation lesson →voelen
to feel
Use voelen for physical sensation, emotion and touching to check something. A reflexive pronoun is common when describing a person's condition: ik voel me beter.
Open conjugation lesson →tekenen
to draw / sign
Use tekenen for making a drawing and, in many contexts, signing a document. The object tells the listener which meaning applies.
Open conjugation lesson →beantwoorden
to answer
Use beantwoorden with a direct object: een vraag beantwoorden, not aan een vraag beantwoorden. It is common for questions, messages and requests.
Open conjugation lesson →lezen
to read
Use lezen for written language, signs, numbers and reading aloud or silently. Add what is read and why it matters in a complete spoken answer.
Open conjugation lesson →lesgeven
to teach
Use lesgeven for teaching classes or lessons. State the subject, learner group or schedule when those details answer the listener's practical question.
Open conjugation lesson →vragen
to ask / request
Use vragen for asking a question, requesting an item and asking someone to do something. The construction changes with the function: iets vragen, om iets vragen, or iemand vragen te.
Open conjugation lesson →ontvangen
to receive / welcome
Use ontvangen for receiving messages, money, visitors or treatment. With people, it can also mean welcoming or hosting them.
Open conjugation lesson →plannen
to plan / schedule
Use plannen for deciding when an activity will happen or organizing its steps. State the event, date or dependency instead of leaving the plan vague.
Open conjugation lesson →uitleggen
to explain
Use uitleggen for making information or a process clear. In a main clause the separable element moves to the end: ik leg de regel uit.
Open conjugation lesson →dichtdoen
to close / shut
Use dichtdoen for physically closing a door, window, lid or similar object. In a main clause, dicht normally appears at the end.
Open conjugation lesson →kopen
to buy
Use kopen when money is exchanged for a product, ticket or service. Add where, for whom or under which condition when the purchase is part of a practical story.
Open conjugation lesson →rondreizen
to travel around
Use rondreizen for visiting several places during one journey. Add the region, duration and means of transport to make the itinerary clear.
Open conjugation lesson →zetten
to put / set
Use zetten for placing something upright or in a chosen position, and in many fixed combinations such as koffiezetten and een handtekening zetten.
Open conjugation lesson →gebruiken
to use
Use gebruiken for employing an object, method, word or resource for a purpose. State both the thing and purpose when the choice matters.
Open conjugation lesson →herinneren
to remember / remind
Use zich herinneren for remembering and iemand aan iets herinneren for reminding someone. The reflexive pronoun distinguishes the two common patterns.
Open conjugation lesson →rijden
to drive / ride
Use rijden for travelling in or controlling a wheeled vehicle. The vehicle or route normally makes the intended sense clear.
Open conjugation lesson →kijken
to look / watch
Use kijken for directing visual attention. It normally combines with naar for an object and can describe watching a screen, event or person.
Open conjugation lesson →baden
to bathe
Use baden for bathing a person or, more formally, being immersed in water or light. In ordinary Dutch, in bad gaan is often more natural for taking a bath.
Open conjugation lesson →douchen
to shower
Use douchen for washing under a shower. A reflexive pronoun is usually unnecessary in Dutch: ik douche, not automatically ik douche mezelf.
Open conjugation lesson →poetsen
to clean / brush / polish
Use poetsen for brushing teeth, cleaning certain objects and polishing surfaces. The object determines the exact English translation.
Open conjugation lesson →telefoneren
to telephone
Use telefoneren for communicating by telephone. It is correct but often more formal than bellen in everyday Dutch.
Open conjugation lesson →wassen
to wash
Use wassen for cleaning with water and for washing clothes, dishes in some contexts, or part of the body. Reflexive zich wassen refers to washing oneself.
Open conjugation lesson →aandoen
to put on / switch on
Use aandoen for putting on clothes or switching on some devices and lights. Context separates these meanings; the separable element appears at the end of a main clause.
Open conjugation lesson →horen
to hear / be supposed to
Use horen for sound reaching the listener and for learning information by listening. It also appears in horen te to express what is expected or proper.
Open conjugation lesson →zoeken
to search / look for
Use zoeken for trying to find a person, object, place or solution. A direct object normally follows without a preposition.
Open conjugation lesson →praten
to talk
Use praten for informal or neutral conversation. Met introduces the conversation partner and over introduces the subject.
Open conjugation lesson →beëindigen
to end / terminate
Use beëindigen when a person or organization actively ends a contract, conversation, process or relationship. It is formal and transitive.
Open conjugation lesson →openen
to open
Use openen for making a door, file, account, meeting or business accessible. The object determines whether the action is physical, digital or formal.
Open conjugation lesson →studeren
to study
Use studeren for higher education and focused study. State the subject, institution or goal when those details matter.
Open conjugation lesson →wachten
to wait
Use wachten for remaining until a person, event or result arrives. Use op before the thing or person being awaited.
Open conjugation lesson →lachen
to laugh / smile
Use lachen for laughing and, in some contexts, smiling. Om introduces the reason or joke; naar can describe smiling at someone.
Open conjugation lesson →Independent supplementary material.
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