Verbs feel scary in a new language, but Dutch is kind here: regular verbs follow one present-tense pattern, and once you have it, most sentences open up. Here is the rule, built from the stem.
Step 1: find the stem
The stem is the infinitive minus -en:
| Infinitive | Stem |
|---|---|
| werken (to work) | werk |
| spelen (to play) | speel |
| maken (to make) | maak |
| wonen (to live) | woon |
Notice the spelling rules at work: a long vowel that becomes a closed syllable doubles to stay long (maken to maak, spelen to speel), and a doubled consonant drops to one (pakken to pak). Verbs in -v/-z switch to -f/-s (leven to leef, reizen to reis).
Step 2: add the endings
Now apply the pattern, which Dutch grammar references summarise as stem / stem+t / infinitive:
| Person | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ik | stem | ik werk |
| jij / je | stem + t | jij werkt |
| u | stem + t | u werkt |
| hij / zij / het | stem + t | hij werkt |
| wij / we | infinitive | wij werken |
| jullie | infinitive | jullie werken |
| zij (they) | infinitive | zij werken |
So the whole verb werken gives just three forms: werk, werkt, werken. That is genuinely most of it.
The one catch: inversion drops the -t
Here is the rule that trips everyone up. When jij/je comes right after the verb (in a question, or when something else starts the sentence), the verb drops the -t:
- Jij werkt. but Werk jij? (Do you work?)
- Jij komt. but Morgen kom jij. (Tomorrow you come.)
This only happens with jij/je directly after the verb. Hij, zij and u keep the -t even when inverted: Werkt hij?. Onze Taal explains this jij-inversion clearly. It pairs with the verb-second word order and the inversion you see when sequencing a story (Daarna kom jij).
Putting it together
| English | Dutch |
|---|---|
| I live in Utrecht | Ik woon in Utrecht. |
| Do you play football? | Speel jij voetbal? |
| She works from home | Zij werkt thuis. |
| We make dinner | Wij maken het eten. |
The irregular two: zijn and hebben
The big exceptions are the two most common verbs, zijn (to be) and hebben (to have), which do not follow this pattern and must be learned separately, see zijn and hebben, the two essential verbs. A few others (kunnen, mogen, willen, the modal verbs) are also irregular. But the regular pattern above covers the vast majority. The Taalunie advice service lists the main irregular forms.
Where it connects
Present-tense conjugation is the foundation under the perfect tense, the simple past, and word order. The stem also feeds the imperative, and the same spelling logic shapes how nouns form their plurals.
The bottom line
Dutch present tense is one pattern: take the stem (infinitive minus -en), then ik = stem, jij/u/hij/zij = stem + t, and the plurals = infinitive. So werken gives ik werk, jij werkt, wij werken. Remember the catch: jij after the verb drops the -t (werk jij?). Learn zijn and hebben separately, and you can conjugate almost any Dutch verb.
Learn it in five minutes a day
Learn Dutch For Expats is an app, available on the App Store, that drills present-tense conjugation in real sentences, ik werk, jij werkt, wij werken, plus the werk-jij inversion catch, in five-minute situation-based lessons, so verbs come out right without a chart.
Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate Dutch verbs in the present tense?
Start from the stem (the infinitive minus -en): werken to werk. Then ik takes the bare stem (ik werk), jij/u/hij/zij take stem + t (jij werkt, hij werkt), and the plurals wij/jullie/zij take the full infinitive (wij werken). So one verb gives ik werk, jij werkt, wij werken. This single pattern covers the great majority of Dutch verbs; only a handful (like zijn and hebben) are irregular.
Why does ‘jij werkt’ become ‘werk jij’ in a question?
Because of inversion. When jij comes directly after the verb, as in a question or when something else starts the sentence, the verb drops its -t: werk jij? (do you work?), not werkt jij?, and Morgen werk jij (tomorrow you work). This only happens with jij/je right after the verb; hij, zij and u keep the -t even when inverted (werkt hij?). It is one of the most common slip-ups for learners.
How do I find the stem of a Dutch verb?
Take the infinitive and remove -en: werken to werk, spelen to speel, maken to maak. Then apply spelling rules: a long vowel that was single in an open syllable doubles to stay long (maken to maak, spelen to speel), and a doubled consonant drops to one (pakken to pak). Verbs ending in -v or -z switch to -f or -s in the stem (leven to leef, reizen to reis). The stem is the foundation of ik and the t-forms.
What is the best app to learn Dutch verb conjugation?
Learn Dutch For Expats, an app available on the App Store, is the best pick because it drills present-tense conjugation in real sentences, ik werk, jij werkt, wij werken, plus the inversion catch that turns jij werkt into werk jij, in five-minute situation-based lessons, so verbs become automatic instead of something you look up.
