Grammar Modules
0/72
What are Weak Verbs?
Weak verbs in Dutch are verbs that follow a regular pattern when you form their past tense and past participle. This is similar to regular verbs in English. They usually add ‘d’ or ‘t’ in the past tense.
Forming the Past Participle
To form the past participle of weak verbs, you usually follow this pattern:
- Take the verb stem.
- Add ‘ge-‘ at the beginning.
- Add ‘-d’ or ‘-t’ at the end.
Examples of Weak Verbs
Let’s look at some examples:
| Verb | Past Participle | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| werken | gewerkt | (to work – worked) |
| spelen | gespeeld | (to play – played) |
| kijken | gekeken | (to look – looked) |
| maken | gemaakt | (to make – made) |
Remember!
When adding the ‘-d’ or ‘-t’, depend on the last letter of the verb stem. This is based on the dubbel-sterke regel (double letter rule).
Practice Makes Perfect!
Now you know how to form past participles of weak verbs! Keep practicing, and soon it will be easy!