Past tense: perfectum
The perfectum is the past tense you'll write most often on the A2 exam. You will use it in the Schrijven section, specifically for the vrije tekst (like a weekendverhaal) and kort bericht tasks. If the exam asks Wat hebt u dit weekend gedaan?, you answer using the perfectum.
It has two parts: a helping verb (hebben or zijn) and the past participle (voltooid deelwoord).
1. Word Order: Verb at the End
In Dutch, the helping verb stays in Position 2. The past participle moves to the very end of the sentence. If you put the participle in the middle, you will lose points for Grammaticale correctheid.
2. Choosing 'hebben' or 'zijn'
Most verbs use hebben. You use zijn for verbs of movement (going from A to B) and a few exceptions.
- Hebben: Ik heb gewerkt. (I have worked.)
- Zijn (Movement): Ik ben naar de stad gegaan. (I have gone to the city.)
- Exception: Ik ben thuis gebleven. (I stayed home). Even though you don't move, blijven always uses zijn.
3. The Past Participle
Most regular participles start with ge- and end with -t or -d. However, the verbs you'll meet most often on the exam are irregular. Memorise these forms:
- gaan → gegaan
- komen → gekomen
- doen → gedaan
- eten → gegeten
- drinken → gedronken