[The Face of Dutch]
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The Grammar Pages

I am not a grammarian and do not plan nor hope to become one. My grammar pages are just meant to provide some basic rules you'll need to speak Dutch. I have tried to use as little jargon as possible, just the unavoidable basic words like 'verbs,' 'nouns' and 'adjectives' etc.
Find some Dutch grammar words ('terms') on my Conversation Subjects Page.

The Lessons often have newer versions of the material in my older grammar pages - lessons overview.

Personal Pronouns and Verbs

The personal pronouns are explained in Lesson 7 - the older version has a section on reflexive pronouns and verbs. Also: 125 Sample Sentences.

[bicyclist (I ride a bike)]
ik fiets click to hear
fietsen
ik fiets
jij fietst
hij fietst
wij fietsen
jullie fietsen
zij fietsen
U fietst
click to hear 2 		(to ride a bike)
(I ride a bike)
(you ride a bike)
(he rides a bike)
(we ride bikes)
(you ride bikes)
(they ride bikes)
(you ride a bike)
ik fietste
jij fietste
hij fietste
wij fietsten
jullie fietsten
zij fietsten
U fietste
click to hear
(I rode a bike)
(you rode a bike)
(he rode a bike)
(we rode bikes)
(you rode bikes)
(they rode bikes)
(you rode a bike)

(you - singular, informal)


(you - plural, informal)

(you - polite)
Most verbs of motion perfect with 'zijn' when it's about the destination, and take 'hebben' when the motion itself is the thing:
Ik ben naar Veenendaal gefietst click to hear 2 (I rode a bike to Veenendaal)
Ik heb een uur gefietst click to hear 2 (I rode a bike for an hour)
The verbs page shows the rules for the conjugation of verbs in the different tenses (present, past, perfect etc.) - most of it also in new versions in the lessons: Find the basic forms of the most common verbs on: Basic Dutch page 15, Basic Dutch page 16 and Lesson 12.
A more complete conjugation of about 50 common verbs can be found on the 'Verbs Library' Page.

The Personal Pronouns page has a section on the reflexive pronouns and verbs.

Verbs as Nouns and Adjectives and the irregular verbs mogen and kunnen ('to be allowed - may' and 'to be able to - can') are only on the Vetbs page, not yet in the Lessons.

Word Order

subject working verb (object) (complement) other verbs

The Word Order Page shows the right place for the various elements in Dutch lines. Some of it is in newer form in the lessons:

Plurals

The various forms of Dutch Plurals explained, with about 350 examples.

Adjectives and Adverbs

Adjectives in most positions add an -E to the root word. You may already have seen this in the 'Word Order' chapter.
Adjectives (Lesson 11)

Spelling and Pronunciation

The spelling Dutch is fairly phonetical - the rules for writing 'long' and 'short' vowels are quite logical and can be considered part of grammar.
The long and short vowels are explained in Lesson 3 - and with many more examples in the Adjectives page (Lesson 11.) An old version.
You can also see and hear many examples on the Plurals page.

Exceptions and irregularities are in Lesson 10 and an older version.

It is said that Bieneke Berendsen's dutchgrammar.com is a good Dutch grammar website.

email - Copyright © Marco Schuffelen 2011. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, redistributed, or hotlinked to.
Don't be a dief (thief) / dievegge (female thief) - diefstal (theft) - stelen (to steal) - heler (dealer in stolen goods) - hear Dutch - 2