Regular verbs in present tense
Regular verb conjugation with 't kofschip spelling rule
Can conjugate regular verbs in present tense
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
Ik werk in Amsterdam en jij werkt in Rotterdam.
I work in Amsterdam and you work in Rotterdam.
Zij maakt een taart en hij leest een boek.
She makes a cake and he reads a book.
Wij wonen in Nederland en zij reizen veel.
We live in the Netherlands and they travel a lot.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
Regular verbs follow: stem (infinitive minus -en) + t for jij/hij/zij, + en for plural. Spelling rules: double vowel in closed syllable, v→f, z→s.
Common Error Patterns
Incorrect stem formation (missing vowel doubling or v/z change)
Find the stem: infinitive minus -en. Then apply: long vowel in closed syllable → double it; final v→f, z→s.
Wrong past tense suffix
't kofschip: if stem ends in t/k/f/s/ch/p → use -te. Otherwise → -de.
Ik werk in Amsterdam en jij werkt in Rotterdam.
I work in Amsterdam and you work in Rotterdam.
Stem 'werk' + t for jij. Basic regular verb pattern.
Zij maakt een taart en hij leest een boek.
She makes a cake and he reads a book.
'Maken' → stem 'maak' (double vowel to keep it long). 'Lezen' → stem 'lees' (z→s at end of stem).
Wij wonen in Nederland en zij reizen veel.
We live in the Netherlands and they travel a lot.
Plural subjects use infinitive form (-en). 'Reizen' keeps the z in infinitive but stem is 'reis' (z→s).
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises