The Dutch verb worden can be confusing because it does not have one fixed English translation.
Compare:
Ik word moe.
I am getting tired.
Zij wordt arts.
She is becoming a doctor.
De brief wordt verstuurd.
The letter is being sent.
Morgen wordt het koud.
It will be cold tomorrow.
In the first, second and fourth examples, worden describes a change. In the third example, it helps form the passive voice.
These are the two central uses of worden:
- worden + adjective or noun: to become, get or turn
- worden + past participle: to form the passive voice
Worden at a Glance
| Use | Pattern | Dutch example | English translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Change of state | worden + adjective | Ik word moe. | I am getting tired. |
| New role or identity | worden + noun | Zij wordt arts. | She is becoming a doctor. |
| Passive action | worden + past participle | De brief wordt verstuurd. | The letter is being sent. |
| Completed change | zijn + geworden | Zij is arts geworden. | She became a doctor. |
| Completed passive action | zijn + past participle; geworden is normally omitted | De brief is verstuurd. | The letter has been sent. |
The final example may seem surprising because worden is no longer visible.
In the perfect passive, Dutch normally uses zijn + past participle and leaves out geworden:
De brief wordt verstuurd.
The letter is being sent.
De brief is verstuurd.
The letter has been sent.
By contrast, when worden genuinely means to become, geworden remains:
Zij is arts geworden.
She became a doctor.
We will return to this important distinction later in the article.
1. The Conjugation of Worden
Worden is an irregular verb.
| Subject | Present tense | Past tense |
|---|---|---|
| ik | word | werd |
| jij/je | wordt | werd |
| u | wordt | werd |
| hij/zij/het | wordt | werd |
| wij/jullie/zij | worden | werden |
The infinitive is worden and the past participle is geworden.
Ik word snel moe.
I get tired quickly.
Hij wordt volgend jaar vader.
He is going to become a father next year.
Het werd plotseling stil.
It suddenly became quiet.
We werden steeds zenuwachtiger.
We became increasingly nervous.
Zij is arts geworden.
She became a doctor.
2. Word or Wordt?
The forms word and wordt sound the same, so learners often confuse them in writing.
Use word without -t with ik:
Ik word morgen veertig.
I will turn forty tomorrow.
Morgen word ik veertig.
Tomorrow, I will turn forty.
Use wordt with jij, u, hij, zij and het when the subject comes before the verb:
Jij wordt steeds beter.
You are getting better and better.
Het wordt donker.
It is getting dark.
When jij or je comes after the finite verb, the -t disappears:
Word jij daar niet moe van?
Does that not make you tired?
Wanneer word je dertig?
When will you turn thirty?
Volgend jaar word je dertig.
Next year, you will turn thirty.
The form word je is without -t only when je is the subject and means you.
Compare:
Word je snel moe?
Do you get tired quickly?
Here, je is the subject.
Wordt je bestelling morgen bezorgd?
Will your order be delivered tomorrow?
Here, je means your. The subject is the complete phrase je bestelling, so the verb is wordt.
3. Worden Means Become, Get or Turn
The basic meaning of worden is:
to begin to be something that was not the case before
The most natural English translation depends on the context. It may be become, get, turn or another expression indicating change.
Worden with an Adjective
Ik word moe.
I am getting tired.
Het wordt koud.
It is getting cold.
De situatie wordt ingewikkeld.
The situation is becoming complicated.
Mijn Nederlands wordt steeds beter.
My Dutch is getting better and better.
De kinderen werden ongeduldig.
The children became impatient.
The adjective describes the subject’s new or developing condition.
Worden with a Noun
Zij wordt arts.
She is becoming a doctor.
Hij wordt volgend jaar voorzitter.
He will become chairperson next year.
Mijn zus wordt moeder.
My sister is going to become a mother.
Lucas wil leraar worden.
Lucas wants to become a teacher.
When a noun simply names a profession, role or position, Dutch usually uses no article:
Zij wordt arts.
She is becoming a doctor.
An article is natural when the noun phrase contains a more detailed description:
Zij wordt een uitstekende arts.
She will become an excellent doctor.
Dat wordt een groot probleem.
That is going to become a major problem.
4. Zijn Describes a State; Worden Describes a Change
The difference between zijn and worden is essential.
Zijn: the situation already exists
Hij is moe.
He is tired.
De kamer is stil.
The room is quiet.
Zij is directeur.
She is a director.
Worden: the situation is developing
Hij wordt moe.
He is getting tired.
De kamer wordt stil.
The room is becoming quiet.
Zij wordt directeur.
She is becoming a director.
Compare:
Het water is koud.
The water is cold.
Het water wordt koud.
The water is getting cold.
In the first sentence, the water is already cold. In the second, its temperature is changing.
5. The Perfect Tense: Zijn + Geworden
When worden means to become, its perfect tense is formed with zijn:
zijn + geworden
Ik ben moe geworden.
I got tired.
Zij is arts geworden.
She became a doctor.
Het is plotseling koud geworden.
It suddenly got cold.
De situatie is moeilijker geworden.
The situation has become more difficult.
Do not use hebben:
*Hij heeft boos geworden. (incorrect)
Hij is boos geworden. (correct)
He became angry.
In this construction, geworden expresses the change and cannot be omitted without changing the meaning:
Hij is vader.
He is a father.
Hij is vader geworden.
He became a father.
The first sentence describes his present state. The second focuses on the change that led to it.
6. Worden with Age, Time and Weather
Dutch uses worden in several common expressions where English does not necessarily use become.
Age
Ik word volgende maand 42.
I will turn 42 next month.
Hoe oud word je dit jaar?
How old will you turn this year?
Toen mijn vader zeventig werd, gaf hij een groot feest.
When my father turned seventy, he had a large party.
Time
Het wordt laat.
It is getting late.
Het werd tijd om naar huis te gaan.
It was time to go home.
Het wordt tijd dat we vertrekken.
It is time for us to leave.
Weather and General Conditions
Het wordt warmer.
It is getting warmer.
Morgen wordt het zonnig.
It will be sunny tomorrow.
Vanavond wordt het koud.
It will get cold tonight.
The English translations may contain will, but worden is not acting as a general future auxiliary. It still describes an expected change or result.
7. Worden Is Not a General Future Tense
You cannot use worden simply to place any verb in the future.
*Ik word morgen werken. (incorrect)
Use the present tense when a time expression already makes the future meaning clear:
Ik werk morgen.
I am working tomorrow.
You can also use zullen for a promise, prediction or more explicit future statement:
Ik zal morgen werken.
I will work tomorrow.
The following sentence is correct:
Morgen wordt het warm.
It will be warm tomorrow.
This is possible because worden describes the weather changing or developing into a warmer condition.
8. Worden Forms the Passive Voice
The second major use of worden is to form a passive sentence.
In an active sentence, the subject performs the action:
De monteur repareert de fiets.
The mechanic is repairing the bicycle.
In a passive sentence, the subject undergoes the action:
De fiets wordt door de monteur gerepareerd.
The bicycle is being repaired by the mechanic.
The basic passive pattern is:
subject + worden + past participle
Het eten wordt bereid.
The food is being prepared.
De ramen worden gewassen.
The windows are being cleaned.
De bestelling wordt morgen bezorgd.
The order will be delivered tomorrow.
Het probleem werd snel opgelost.
The problem was solved quickly.
In this construction, worden does not mean to become. It functions as an auxiliary together with a passive participle.
9. What Does the Present Passive Mean?
A present passive sentence can describe different kinds of situations.
An Action Happening Now
De fiets wordt gerepareerd.
The bicycle is being repaired.
A Habit or General Procedure
De post wordt elke ochtend om negen uur bezorgd.
The mail is delivered every morning at nine.
De lessen worden online gegeven.
The lessons are taught online.
A Scheduled Future Event
De bestelling wordt morgen bezorgd.
The order will be delivered tomorrow.
De resultaten worden volgende week bekendgemaakt.
The results will be announced next week.
The Dutch verb is in the present tense in all these examples. The context and time expressions determine whether English uses is being, is usually or will be.
10. The Person Performing the Action Is Often Omitted
Compare:
De medewerker verstuurt de brief.
The employee sends the letter.
De brief wordt door de medewerker verstuurd.
The letter is sent by the employee.
De brief wordt verstuurd.
The letter is sent.
The phrase beginning with door identifies the person or organization performing the action. It is often omitted when that information is unknown, unimportant or already clear from the context.
11. How to Recognize the Two Uses of Worden
A practical first test is to look at what follows worden.
Worden + Adjective or Noun: Change
De lucht wordt donker.
The sky is getting dark.
Zij wordt manager.
She is becoming a manager.
De koffie wordt koud.
The coffee is getting cold.
Worden + Past Participle: Passive Voice
De kamer wordt geschilderd.
The room is being painted.
Zij wordt gebeld.
She is being called.
De koffie wordt geserveerd.
The coffee is being served.
Compare:
De deur wordt rood.
The door is turning red.
De deur wordt rood geschilderd.
The door is being painted red.
In the first sentence, rood describes the door’s new colour. In the second, geschilderd describes an action performed on the door.
This is a useful learner test, but it is not completely mechanical. Past participles can sometimes function as adjectives, so context may determine whether a sentence describes an action or a resulting state.
12. Present, Past and Future Passive Forms
Present Passive
De fiets wordt gerepareerd.
The bicycle is being repaired.
De lessen worden online gegeven.
The lessons are taught online.
Past Passive
De fiets werd gisteren gerepareerd.
The bicycle was repaired yesterday.
De lessen werden tijdelijk online gegeven.
The lessons were temporarily taught online.
Passive with Zullen
De fiets zal morgen worden gerepareerd.
The bicycle will be repaired tomorrow.
De resultaten zullen volgende week worden bekendgemaakt.
The results will be announced next week.
Passive with a Modal Verb
De fiets moet worden gerepareerd.
The bicycle must be repaired.
Het formulier kan online worden ingevuld.
The form can be completed online.
Deze deur mag niet worden gebruikt.
This door may not be used.
In these longer verb groups, worden remains an infinitive.
13. The Impersonal Passive with Er Wordt
Dutch can use a passive construction without naming a person or thing that undergoes the action.
Er wordt hier veel Nederlands gesproken.
Dutch is spoken here a lot.
Er wordt buiten gedanst.
People are dancing outside.
Er werd hard gewerkt.
People worked hard.
Er wordt aan de weg gewerkt.
Roadworks are taking place.
In a genuinely impersonal passive, there is no grammatical subject. The verb is therefore singular:
Er wordt veel gelachen.
People laugh a lot.
*Er worden veel gelachen. (incorrect)
Do not confuse this with a sentence containing a plural subject after er:
Er worden veel boeken verkocht.
Many books are sold.
Here, veel boeken is the plural subject, so the verb is worden, not wordt.
14. Worden or Zijn in Passive Sentences?
A passive sentence with worden normally presents an action, event or process:
De deur wordt gesloten.
The door is being closed.
Someone is closing it, or the sentence presents the closing as an event.
A construction with zijn normally presents a completed result or an existing state:
De deur is gesloten.
The door is closed / The door has been closed.
Compare:
Het formulier wordt ingevuld.
The form is being completed.
Het formulier is ingevuld.
The form has been completed.
Het huis wordt verkocht.
The house is being sold.
Het huis is verkocht.
The house has been sold.
The exact English translation depends on the context. De deur is gesloten, for example, can describe the present condition of the door or the result of an earlier action.
15. Why Worden Disappears in the Perfect Passive
This is one of the most important differences between the two uses of worden.
When worden means to become, its perfect tense contains geworden:
Hij is arts geworden.
He became a doctor.
Here, geworden expresses the change and must remain.
In the perfect passive, however, Dutch normally uses:
zijn + past participle
De brief is verstuurd.
The letter has been sent.
Het huis is verkocht.
The house has been sold.
De ramen zijn gewassen.
The windows have been cleaned.
Although the corresponding present passive contains worden, it is no longer visible in the completed passive:
De brief wordt verstuurd.
The letter is being sent.
De brief is verstuurd.
The letter has been sent.
For learners, it is useful to remember the following contrast:
Completed Change
zijn + geworden
Het huis is duurder geworden.
The house has become more expensive.
Completed Passive Action
zijn + past participle
Het huis is verkocht.
The house has been sold.
Avoid adding geworden to an ordinary perfect passive:
*De brief is verstuurd geworden. (incorrect)
De brief is verstuurd. (correct)
Constructions with geworden can occasionally be encountered in passive sentences, particularly in regional usage, but they are not the neutral general pattern for learners.
16. Geboren Worden and Geboren Zijn
The word geboren (born) illustrates the difference between an event and an established fact.
Use geboren zijn when giving a person’s birthplace or birth date:
Ik ben in Brussel geboren.
I was born in Brussels.
Zij is in 1990 geboren.
She was born in 1990.
Use geboren worden when the birth is presented as an event:
Toen ik geboren werd, woonden mijn ouders in Brussel.
When I was born, my parents lived in Brussels.
Het kind werd om drie uur geboren.
The child was born at three o’clock.
Geboren zijn is particularly common when birth is presented as a biographical fact, while geboren worden presents it as an event in a sequence of events.
17. Word Order with Worden
In a Main Clause
The finite form of worden occupies the second sentence position:
Ik word snel moe.
I get tired quickly.
Morgen wordt het koud.
It will be cold tomorrow.
De brief wordt morgen verstuurd.
The letter will be sent tomorrow.
When something other than the subject comes first, inversion occurs:
Volgend jaar wordt zij directeur.
Next year, she will become a director.
Morgen worden de resultaten bekendgemaakt.
The results will be announced tomorrow.
In a Subordinate Clause
The finite verb appears at the end of the clause:
Ik ga naar huis omdat ik moe word.
I am going home because I am getting tired.
Hij zegt dat hij vader wordt.
He says that he is going to become a father.
With a passive participle, two orders are possible:
Ik weet dat de brief morgen wordt verstuurd.
Ik weet dat de brief morgen verstuurd wordt.
I know that the letter will be sent tomorrow.
Both orders are correct Standard Dutch. Individual, regional and stylistic preferences can affect which one a speaker chooses. For learners, wordt verstuurd is a clear general pattern, but verstuurd wordt is equally grammatical.
18. Useful Expressions with Worden
Wat wil je later worden?
Wat wil je later worden?
What do you want to be when you grow up?
This usually asks about a future profession or role.
Ik wil architect worden.
I want to become an architect.
Het wordt tijd om …
Het wordt tijd om te vertrekken.
It is time to leave.
Het wordt tijd dat we iets doen.
It is time that we do something.
Wat wordt het?
Wat wordt het: koffie of thee?
What will it be: coffee or tea?
This asks what someone will choose or what the final outcome will be.
Dat wordt moeilijk
Dat wordt moeilijk.
That is going to be difficult.
Dat wordt een lange dag.
That is going to be a long day.
Wat is er van hem geworden?
Wat is er van hem geworden?
What became of him?
This asks what happened to someone or how that person’s life developed.
Word wakker!
Word wakker!
Wake up!
The imperative is word, without -t.
20. A Quick Test: Change or Passive?
Does worden express a change, or does it form the passive voice?
1. Het weer wordt beter.
The weather is getting better.
Change: beter describes the weather’s new condition.
2. De weg wordt gerepareerd.
The road is being repaired.
Passive: gerepareerd describes an action performed on the road.
3. Mijn zus wordt volgend jaar arts.
My sister will become a doctor next year.
Change: arts is her future profession.
4. De uitnodigingen worden morgen verstuurd.
The invitations will be sent tomorrow.
Passive: verstuurd describes an action performed on the invitations.
5. De soep wordt koud.
The soup is getting cold.
Change: koud describes the soup’s changing condition.
6. De soep wordt geserveerd.
The soup is being served.
Passive: geserveerd describes an action performed on the soup.
The Most Important Rules to Remember (TL;DR)
The verb worden has two central uses.
Worden Describes a Change
Use worden with an adjective or noun:
Ik word moe.
I am getting tired.
Zij wordt leraar.
She is becoming a teacher.
The perfect tense is:
zijn + geworden
Zij is leraar geworden.
She became a teacher.
Worden Forms the Passive Voice
Use worden with a past participle when the subject undergoes an action:
De brief wordt verstuurd.
The letter is being sent.
In the completed passive, worden is no longer visible. Use:
zijn + past participle
De brief is verstuurd.
The letter has been sent.
A useful first question is therefore:
What follows worden?
- an adjective or noun usually indicates a change
- a past participle usually indicates the passive voice
Once that distinction becomes familiar, sentences with word, wordt, werd, worden and geworden become much easier to understand and construct.