The verb 'zijn' (to be)
Conjugation of 'zijn' (to be)
Can conjugate 'zijn' for identity, profession, nationality
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
Ik ben student en zij is lerares.
I am a student and she is a teacher.
Ben jij ook moe?
Are you also tired?
Wij zijn blij dat jullie er zijn.
We are happy that you are here.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
The verb zijn (to be) is irregular. Memorize: ik ben, jij bent, hij/zij is, wij/jullie/zij zijn. Inversion rule: jij drops the -t: Ben jij?
Forgetting -t drop in jij-inversion. Russian/Czech speakers omit 'zijn' entirely.
Common Error Patterns
Keeping -t in jij-inversion (*Bent jij?)
When jij comes AFTER the verb, drop the -t: Ben jij? Heb jij? Werk jij?
Omitting 'zijn' as in Russian/Czech
Dutch ALWAYS requires zijn in present tense. Never drop it: Ik ben student, not *Ik student.
Ik ben student en zij is lerares.
I am a student and she is a teacher.
'Ben' for ik, 'is' for zij. Note: no article before professions in Dutch (unlike English 'a student').
Ben jij ook moe?
Are you also tired?
In questions with jij, the verb loses its -t: 'bent' becomes 'ben'. This only happens with jij!
Wij zijn blij dat jullie er zijn.
We are happy that you are here.
Both wij and jullie use 'zijn'. The plural forms are all the same: wij/jullie/zij zijn.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises