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Irregular verbs - Perfectum

HET PERFECTUM

 - Perfect tense -

In course A1.2, you learn how to conjugate verbs in perfect tense. Now you can to talk about the past!

Regular verbs

When we talk about the past (with the present perfect tense / perfectum), we use a version of hebben or zijn + participle.

The rule for regular verbs is:

​hebben + ge+stam+t/d

    • Is the final letter of the stam in SoFT KeTCHuP? -> +t
    • Is the final letter of the stam not in SoFT KeTCHuP? -> +d

Follow these rules, and you'll already sound pretty fluent. 

Exercises

Irregular verbs

In addition to the regular verbs, there are quite some irregular verbs. As the word 'onregelmatig' already says, these verbs don't follow the rule, so you have to study them. For example with Quizlet:

  Onregelmatige Verba Perfectum | Quizlet

However, I found a trick for you. With the following Quizlet lists, you can study all irregular perfectum of the book Taaltalent 1 per category.

  • ge + infinitief (21 verbs)
  • ij > ee (8 verbs)
  • i > o (4 verbs)
  • e > o (4 verbs)
  • e > o (lang) (3 verbs --> it has a long sound, but we write a single vowel)
  • -cht (4 verbs)
  • regelmatig (4 verbs -> these have an irregular imperfectum but regular perfectum)
  • overig (5 verbs)
  • ie > o (1 verb -> for now it's placed in 'overig')
  • i > e (1 verbs -> for now it's placed in 'overig')
  • ui > o (0 verbs -> you'll meet this category in Taaltalent 2)


​Perfectum: hebben / zijn​

Usually, we use the verb hebben as an auxiliar in the perfect tense. Although, some verbs go together with a conjugation of the verb zijn. While some say that the verbs that go with zijn have something to do with a movement, it's not a clear rule. You better study them by heart. For example,  

  • Mijn zus is vorige week naar Madrid geweest​. 
    (My sister 'has gone' to Madrid last week.)
  • Ze is daar vier dagen gebleven.
    (Ze 'has stayed' there for four days.)

The irregular verbs from Taaltalent 1 that always go with zijn are:

  • ik ben ... begonnen
  • ik ben ... gebleven
  • ik ben ... gegaan
  • ik ben ... gekomen
  • ik ben ... gevallen
  • ik ben ... vertrokken
  • ik ben ... geworden
  • ik ben ... geweest

(Some can either go with hebben or zijn - depending on the meaning. This includes: gelopen, gereden, gezwommen)

Exercises