Grammer

Question 1

Grammer

Imperfectum

Answer 1

to form the imperfectum, you add either -te(n) or -de(n) to the stem of the verb.
ik werkte ik leerde
wij werkten wij leerden

Question 2

Grammer

The participle of the Perfectum

Answer 2

to form the participle of the perfectum you use either ge+stem+t or ge+stem+d.
ik heb gewerkt ik heb geleerd
wij hebben gewerkt wij hebben geleerd

A t or a d?
If the stem (the ik form) of a verb ends in a t, k, f, s, ch*, p we use a t. If not, we use a d. The consonants to which you add a t can be found together in the word:

’t kofschip (or Soft Ketchup)

*The ch counts as one letter here.
lachen to laugh
ik lachte I laughed

Question 3

Grammer

Perfectum vs Imperfectum

Answer 3

What are the differences between Perfectum and Imperfectum in Dutch.
We use the Perfect tense:
To name a single action in the past.
When the focus is on the result of an action or if the result is still perceptible.
Something has only happened once, never or a few times.
We use Imperfect Tense:
To describe the past, in stories, fairytales or emotions and character traits of people in the past.

Question 4

When do you use the imperfectum and when do you use the perfectum? (2)

Answer 4

in Dutch the perfectum is often used when in English you would use the simple past. However, when you are describing certain past habits (e.g. describing where you used to live when you were young, what you would eat, etc.) you use the imperfectum.

Vroeger* rookte ik veel. I used to smoke a lot.

Toen ik klein was, woonde ik in Utrecht. When I was little, I used to live in Utrecht.

Question 5

Word order in sentences with a past participle (voltooid deelwoord)

Answer 5

In English, the verbs stay together. In Dutch, the auxiliary (helping) verb (heb) and the past participle (gewerkt) are split up. The past participle usually goes at the end of the sentence.

This is an important feature of the Dutch language that sometimes makes listening to Dutch and reading it a bit difficult because the key information, i.e. the verb containing information about the action, is often placed at the end of the sentence. As Dutch uses the perfectum a lot, you have to get used to focusing on the end of the sentence to get the meaning of what is being said or written.
This rule regarding word order also applies to sentences with an auxiliary (helping) verb and an infinitive.