Dutch Grammar :: verbs :: irregular verbs

how you can help

You are here: grammar > verbs > irregular verbs

Irregular verbs

English version by Bieneke Berendsen :: other languages

Although the list of irregular verbs is rather long, the good news is that by far most Dutch irregular verbs have a perfectly regular present tense. Therefore, we will refer to them as

partly irregular verbs, as opposed to the 11

completely irregular verbs.

Partly irregular verbs

If you look at the

list of irregular verbs, you can discern a few patterns, which enables you to learn many verbs by memorizing only a few general patterns.

Completely irregular verbs

Each completely irregular verb will be discussed on a separate page. Here, the conjugation of the present, past and perfect of the verb will be outlined.

Willen

Willen (to want) is a perfectly regular verb, with one tiny little extravagancy:

In the third person singular of the present tense, we do not add -t to the stem.

As you read on the page about the

regular present tense conjugation, the third person singular is "stem + t". But instead of hij wilt (stem + t), we write hij wil.

This is such a tiny irregularity, that willen is really regarded as a regular verb. However, it has to be mentioned, so why not mention it here.

Questions?
Visit our forum!