Future tense with 'gaan'
In the A2 exam, you often need to describe your plans. For example, in the Schrijven section, you might write an email to a boss about a shift or a note to a neighbor about a dinner. To do this, Dutch uses the construction gaan + infinitive.
V2 + infinitive at the end
The sentence structure follows the V2 rule. The conjugated form of gaan (ga, gaat, gaan) sits at position 2. The second verb—the action you are planning—must go to the very end of the sentence in its full form (the infinitive).
| Word 1 (Subject) | Word 2 (gaan) | Rest of the sentence | Final Word (Infinitive) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ik | ga | morgen | werken. |
| Wij | gaan | vanavond samen | eten. |
| Eva | gaat | volgende week | verhuizen. |
Register Trap: 'Gaan' vs 'Zullen'
You may have seen zullen in formal texts. However, on the A2 exam, zullen sounds too formal for a note to a teacher or a colleague. Use gaan to show the examiner you understand the correct everyday register.
The Inversion Trap
If you start your sentence with a time, such as Morgen or Volgende week, the verb gaan stays at position 2, and the subject moves to position 3. This is called inversion. DUO assessors look specifically for this in the Schrijven rubric.
- Correct: Morgen ga ik werken.
- Incorrect: Morgen ik ga werken.