How to Use the Past Tense in Dutch: A Clear Guide for Learners

The Dutch past tense can feel tricky at first, but with a few simple rules you’ll quickly see the logic behind it. Dutch actually has two main ways to talk about the past:

• The simple past tense (onvoltooid verleden tijd = OVT).
• The present perfect tense (voltooid tegenwoordige tijd = VTT).

Both are very common in daily Dutch and Flemish. There are other past tenses in Dutch as well, but for now we will focus on these two. Mastering them will take you a long way and already help you improve your fluency fast.

Let’s take them one at a time.

The Simple Past (OVT)

The simple past is used when you’re telling a story, describing past events, or when the time is already clear from the context.

Examples:

• Ik werkte gisteren thuis. (I worked at home yesterday.)
• Hij las een boek. (He read a book.)

Regular verbs in the past tense

Dutch verbs are divided into weak (regular) and strong (irregular) verbs. For regular verbs, the past tense endings are -te / -ten or -de / -den.

Which one you use depends on the famous ‘t kofschip rule.

• If the verb stem ends in one of the consonants t, k, f, s, ch, p → use -te/-ten.
• Otherwise → use -de/-den.

Examples:

• werken → stem = werk → ends in k → werkte / werkten
• wandelen → stem = wandel → ends in l → wandelde / wandelden

What is “‘t kofschip”?

’t Kofschip is an old fashioned word to describe a certain kind of merchant ship in Dutch. It is now mostly a nonsense word used as a mnemonic device. The letters in ‘t kofschip (t, k, f, s, ch, p) remind you which stem endings get the -te/-ten ending. Some learners find ‘t kofschip a bit strange. That’s why many teachers also use the alternative mnemonic “soft ketchup”. It uses almost the same letters and is much easier to remember! You’re welcome!

Irregular verbs in the past tense (Strong Verbs)

Not all Dutch verbs follow the regular -te/-ten or -de/-den endings. Many common verbs are strong verbs, which form their past tense by changing the vowel in the stem. These are called strong verbs because they “pull” the vowel into a different sound pattern.

Examples:

• lezen → las / lazen (to read)
• gaan → ging / gingen (to go)
• zien → zag / zagen (to see)

Unfortunately, there’s no shortcut: you have to learn these forms individually. The good news is that they often follow recognizable vowel patterns (for example: ij → ee → e). Once you start noticing these patterns, it becomes easier to predict how verbs change.

Because many of these verbs are very frequent in daily Dutch, it’s worth practicing them early.

Tip: On my Free Downloads page you can find a list of frequently used irregular Dutch verbs with English translations. This resource is a perfect companion to this article and will help you memorize the most important ones quickly.

The Present Perfect (VTT)

The present perfect tense is actually the most common way to talk about the past in Dutch, especially in spoken language.

It uses two parts:

• An auxiliary verb called hulpwerkwoord (hebben or zijn).
• A past participle called voltooid deelwoord (ge-…-d or ge-…-t, irregular forms vary).

Examples:

• Ik heb gewerkt. (I have worked / I worked.)
• Wij hebben een boek gelezen. (We have read a book.)
• Hij is naar huis gegaan. (He went home.)
  

Hebben or Zijn?

Most verbs use hebben, but verbs of movement and change of state often use zijn.

Examples:

• Ik heb gegeten. (I ate.)
• Hij is gekomen. (He came.)
• Zij is gestorven.(She died.)

Simple Past vs. Present Perfect: Which one to use?

Both the simple past (OVT) and the present perfect (VTT) are correct ways to talk about the past in Dutch. The difference is more about style and focus than strict grammar.

• Dutch and Flemish speakers tend to use the present perfect (VTT) in everyday conversation. It connects the past event to the present, often focusing on the result or the experience.
• The simple past (OVT) is more common in stories, written texts, and background descriptions, where the event is placed firmly in the past and the events follow one another in time.

Compare:

• Gisteren werkte ik thuis. (Yesterday I worked at home.) → OVT: storytelling, giving background information.
• Ik heb vandaag veel gewerkt. (I worked a lot today.) → VTT: daily conversation, result is important now (I’m tired, I’m done).

Tip: If you are telling a story (like in a book or diary), OVT is your best choice. If you are talking about your day or experiences, VTT will sound more natural.

Quick Tips for Practice

• Dutch has two main past tenses: simple past (OVT) and present perfect (VTT).
• Regular verbs follow the ‘t kofschip rule or if you prefer, the easier “soft ketchup” mnemonic.
• Irregular verbs change their vowels (strong verbs).
• Most verbs use hebben, but verbs of movement and change of state use zijn.
• Daily speech prefers the present perfect, while storytelling often uses the simple past.

There are more past tenses in Dutch, but these two will cover most everyday situations and give you a big boost in fluency.

Free PDF: Dutch Past Tense Cheat Sheet

Download the Dutch Past Tense Cheat Sheet to see the rules and examples at a glance.