The exact lemma appears at position 1,734 in the cited OpenSubtitles-derived Dutch 50k token list. That is a corpus signal, not search volume or a claim that every sense is equally common. Forms, glosses, pronunciation and cited examples are adapted from English Wiktionary via Kaikki under CC BY-SA 4.0. See sources and modifications.
How verslaan is pronounced
IPA: /vərˈslaːn/ · Syllables: ver·slaan
Pronunciation can vary by region and speaking context. Treat the transcription as a compact reference, then compare it with current native audio and practise the verb inside a phrase rather than as an isolated sound.
What verslaan means
to defeat
to report on, cover
The English gloss identifies a sense, not a one-word substitution that works in every sentence. Check the object, preposition, reflexive pronoun or separable element in the Dutch example before transferring the verb to a new situation.
Verslaan conjugation table
| Tense | Subject | Dutch form |
|---|---|---|
| Present | ik | versla |
| Present | jij (subject first) | verslaat |
| Present | hij/zij/het | verslaat |
| Present | wij/jullie/zij | verslaan |
| Simple past | singular | versloeg |
| Simple past | plural | versloegen |
| Past participle | — | verslagen |
The table shows the standard subject-first jij anchor. Inversion after jij and formal u can require a different surface form. For separable verbs, the cited forms may already show the element in its natural main-clause position. In perfect constructions, choose the auxiliary required by the actual meaning and construction; do not attach hebben or zijn mechanically.
Translated verslaan examples
Het team wist hun tegenstanders te verslaan in de finale.
The team managed to defeat their opponents in the final.
Zijn broer Hasdrubal trok met een leger naar Italië om Hannibal versterking te bieden, maar faalde, en in 207 v. Chr. versloeg een Romeins leger hem bij de rivier de Metaurus.
His brother Hasdrubal moved with an army to Italy to offer reinforcements to Hannibal, but failed, and in 207 BC a Roman army defeated him at the river Metaurus.
De journalist ging ter plaatse om live te verslaan wat er gebeurde.
The journalist went to the scene to report on what was happening live.
Hij verslaat alle belangrijke gebeurtenissen in zijn dagboek.
He reports on all the important events in his diary.
De verslaggever zal de wedstrijd vanavond op televisie verslaan
The reporter will cover the match on television tonight.
Dit was precies het soort verhaal dat hij in Seoel wilde verslaan. Het was een relatief nieuw fenomeen om het nieuws áchter de sport te verslaan en dat was ontstaan door het besef dat sport niet alleen een kwestie was van plezier en spelen.
This was exactly the kind of story that he wanted to report in Seoul. It was a relatively new phenomenon to report on the news behind sports and that had arisen by the realisation that sports was not just a matter of entertainment and playing.
These examples are citation-backed language data. Use them to notice the verb's partners and sentence position. Then change only one detail at a time—subject, time, place or object—so that your next sentence stays grammatical and remains connected to a real communicative purpose.
Turn the reference into speaking practice
- Read the first example once and identify the finite verb, subject and any required particle or preposition.
- Build a new present-tense message with versla or verslaat and add a concrete time or place.
- Move the same event into the past with versloeg; keep the meaning stable while changing the timeline.
- Use verslagen in a complete result message after checking the correct auxiliary for that construction.
Record all four messages without restarting. Listen once for meaning and sentence order, then once for the target form. Correct only the first error that changes meaning or blocks the listener, and repeat the sentence with one new detail. This creates retrieval practice rather than table recitation.
Self-check
- The chosen sense matches the situation.
- The finite form agrees with the subject.
- The time marker and verb tense tell the same timeline.
- Any separable element, reflexive pronoun, object or fixed preposition is present.
- The sentence contains enough detail for another person to respond.
Questions about verslaan
What does verslaan mean?
to defeat; to report on, cover.
What is the past tense of verslaan?
The cited standard singular anchor is versloeg and the plural anchor is versloegen.
What is the past participle of verslaan?
The cited past participle is verslagen. Verify the auxiliary in the sentence you actually want to say.
Use verslaan in a recorded answer
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