slaap jij? why not slaapt jij?

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Regular verbs, irregular verbs, auxiliary verbs, compound verbs... When do we use which tense? What about those strange constructions the Dutch use to make a continuous? "Staat" my book on the shelf or "ligt" it? Ask all about Dutch verbs here.
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KPHolland
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slaap jij? why not slaapt jij?

Post by KPHolland »

If the verb "slapen" is conjugated as ik slaap/jij slaapt, etc., why do we say "slaap jij?" when we ask? why do we use the verb that should belong to the first person singular? Thanks :)
ngonyama
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Re: slaap jij? why not slaapt jij?

Post by ngonyama »

KPHolland wrote: Mon Jun 19, 2017 8:58 pm If the verb "slapen" is conjugated as ik slaap/jij slaapt, etc., why do we say "slaap jij?" when we ask? why do we use the verb that should belong to the first person singular? Thanks :)

Yes, in inversion the ending -t disappears and I have no idea why. It happens only with jij/je not with the (older) gij/ge that is still in use in the south.

ge slaapt -> slaapt ge
je slaapt -> slaap je
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