Dutch infinitive (verbs with and without 'te')
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Lesson outline
Hide- 1.What is the infinitive in Dutch?
- 2.Infinitive verbs with ‘te’
- 3.Infinitive verbs without ‘te’
- 4.Other categories of infinitives without 'te'
- 4.1.Transitive verbs and the bare infinitive
- 4.2.'Zijn' + 'aan het' + infinitive
- 5.Other uses of the Dutch infinitive
- 6.Exercises
- 6.1.Exercise to practice Dutch infinitive (with 'te')
- 6.2.Exercise to practice Dutch infinitive (without 'te')
What is the infinitive in Dutch?
The infinitive in Dutch is the not conjugated verb in the present. Most Dutch infinitives end in '-en', such as 'lopen' (to walk), 'werken' (to work), 'eten' (to eat). There are some exceptions that end in '-n', for example:
- Slaan (to hit)
- Gaan (to go)
- Staan (to stand)
- Zijn (to be)
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Infinitive verbs with ‘te’
The table below shows you the situations where 'te + infinitive' is used.
| Situation | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The verbs 'lopen', 'staan', 'zitten','liggen' and 'hangen' are used to describe another action in combination with the 'te' + infinitive construction. |
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| 2. When the adjective indirectly says something about the infinitive 'te + infinitive' is used. |
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| 3. The construction 'te' + infinitive is used to say that something is possible. |
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| 4. 'Te' in combination with an infinitive is used in subclauses. |
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| 5. The infinitive with 'te' is used after prepositions. |
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Infinitive verbs without ‘te’
The table below shows the situations in which infinitive verbs without 'te' are used.
| Situation | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 1. You want to describe how an action (infinitive) is carried out. |
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| 2. The infinitive without 'te' is used when there is a transitive verb in the sentence. |
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| 3. You want to describe a continuous action with 'zijn' + 'aan het' + infinitive. |
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| 4. The modal verb is used to describe the action (infinitive) that is being carried out. The action is in this case the infinitive. |
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Other categories of infinitives without 'te'
1) Transitive verbs and the bare infinitive
The transitive verbs describe the recognition of someone else performing an action (infinitive).
Example:
- Zij hoort hem praten.
- Hij zag haar rennen.
2) 'Zijn' + 'aan het' + infinitive
This rule is used to describe a continuous action (infinitive). The verb 'zijn' has to be conjugated, followed by 'aan het'. The infinitive is normally at the end of the sentence.
Example:
- Jullie zijn de borden aan het afwassen.
- Ik ben aan het lezen.
Other uses of the Dutch infinitive
The Dutch infinitive is sometimes used as a noun. The articles 'de/het' (the) and 'een' (a) can be added to this noun.
Example:
- Het roken van sigaretten is niet goed voor je.
- Het eten van te veel eieren kan ongezond zijn.
Train your skills with the exercises about the infinitive below!
Exercises
- Exercise to practice Dutch infinitive (with 'te')
- Exercise to practice Dutch infinitive (without 'te')
Exercise to practice Dutch infinitive (with 'te')
Exercise to practice Dutch infinitive (without 'te')
Exercises
- Exercise to practice Dutch infinitive (with 'te')
- Exercise to practice Dutch infinitive (without 'te')
Exercise to practice Dutch infinitive (with 'te')
Exercise to practice Dutch infinitive (without 'te')
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Hi there
My name is Lieneke Jansen and I am 56 years old.
I am from a small country in Europe called the Netherlands
I am a TEFL certified English language coach with experience in teaching both children and adults.
Although I am a non-native speaker, I have learned English since high school, and practicing it on a daily basis from then on.
I have over 30 years of working experience in several international companies on a high professional work and think level.
I am specialised in business conversation and practicing speaking skills on every possible level
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Hi there
My name is Lieneke Jansen and I am 56 years old.
I am from a small country in Europe called the Netherlands
I am a TEFL certified English language coach with experience in teaching both children and adults.
Although I am a non-native speaker, I have learned English since high school, and practicing it on a daily basis from then on.
I have over 30 years of working experience in several international companies on a high professional work and think level.
I am specialised in business conversation and practicing speaking skills on every possible level
Looking forward to meet you as my student.
Y. K.
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