Present tense: regular verbs
The wrong verb form is the most common grammar deduction on the A2 Schrijven exam. The assessors look specifically at your basic sentence structure under the Grammaticale correctheid rubric. If you write ik werkt on an intake form, or hij werken in an email to a manager, you will lose points.
To get the verb right, you must first find the stam (the stem). For most regular Dutch verbs, you find the stem by taking the full verb and removing -en.
- werken (to work) → stam: werk
- wonen (to live) → stam: woon (notice the extra 'o' to keep the sound long)
- maken (to make) → stam: maak
Once you have the stem, apply these three rules based on who is doing the action:
- For ik (I), use just the stem. Never add a -t.
- For hij (he), zij (she), het (it), and u (formal you), use the stem + t.
- For wij (we), jullie (you plural), and zij (they), use the full verb (ending in -en).
The hij / zij + t pattern shows up on every KNM stem that describes a third party. When you read a KNM question like Wat doet de gemeente? or Wie betaalt de huur?, the verb always ends in -t because the subject is a third-person noun.