Chapter 6: Simple Past Tense - Regular Verbs (O.V.T.)

Introduction: Regular Past Actions

This chapter revisits the Simple Past Tense (Onvoltooid Verleden Tijd, O.V.T.), also known as the Imperfect Tense, focusing specifically on regular verbs. As reviewed previously, this tense is common in written Dutch, storytelling, and for describing past habits or states.

For regular verbs, the formation follows a predictable pattern based on the verb stem and the 't kofschip rule.

Formation Rule Recap

Find the Stem: Remove -en from the infinitive.
Check Stem Ending: Look at the last consonant of the stem.
Apply 't Kofschip:

Stem ends in t, k, f, s, ch, p => Add -te (singular) / -ten (plural).
Stem ends in any other consonant or a vowel => Add -de (singular) / -den (plural).

Reminder about v/z Stems: If the stem ends in f (from an infinitive with v) or s (from an infinitive with z), use the -de(n) endings (e.g., leven -> leefde, reizen -> reisde).

Reminder about t/d Stems: If the stem ends in t or d, the ending is still added (e.g., praten -> praatte, antwoorden -> antwoordde).

Examples with Common Regular Verbs

Let's apply the rule to more common regular verbs:

Infinitive	Stem	Kofschip?	Singular Past	Plural Past	English (Singular)
`wonen`	`woon`	No (`n`)	`woonde`	`woonden`	lived / resided
`werken`	`werk`	Yes (`k`)	`werkte`	`werkten`	worked
`leren`	`leer`	No (`r`)	`leerde`	`leerden`	learned
`spelen`	`speel`	No (`l`)	`speelde`	`speelden`	played
`horen`	`hoor`	No (`r`)	`hoorde`	`hoorden`	heard
`maken`	`maak`	Yes (`k`)	`maakte`	`maakten`	made / did
`praten`	`praat`	Yes (`t`)	`praatte`	`praatten`	talked
`wachten`	`wacht`	Yes (`t`)	`wachtte`	`wachtten`	waited
`geloven`	`geloof`	No (`v`)	`geloofde`	`geloofden`	believed
`reizen`	`reis`	No (`z`)	`reisde`	`reisden`	traveled
`antwoorden`	`antwoord`	No (`d`)	`antwoordde`	`antwoordden`	answered
`gebruiken`	`gebruik`	Yes (`k`)	`gebruikte`	`gebruikten`	used
`vertellen`	`vertel`	No (`l`)	`vertelde`	`vertelden`	told
`betalen`	`betaal`	No (`l`)	`betaalde`	`betaalden`	paid
`luisteren`	`luister`	No (`r`)	`luisterde`	`luisterden`	listened
`dansen`	`dans`	Yes (`s`)	`danste`	`dansten`	danced
`koken`	`kook`	Yes (`k`)	`kookte`	`kookten`	cooked
`fietsen`	`fiets`	Yes (`s`)	`fietste`	`fietsten`	cycled

Usage Examples

In die tijd woonden wij in Rotterdam. (At that time, we lived in Rotterdam.)
Hij maakte een fout. (He made a mistake.)
Zij wachtten op de bus. (They waited for the bus.)
Ik geloofde zijn verhaal niet. (I didn't believe his story.)
Wat kookte je gisteren? (What did you cook yesterday?)
We fietsten elke dag naar school. (We cycled to school every day.)
De leraar antwoordde op de vraag. (The teacher answered the question.)
Zij luisterden aandachtig. (They listened attentively.)

Forming the simple past tense for regular verbs is systematic once you understand the 't kofschip rule and how to apply the -te(n) or -de(n) endings based on the verb stem. Remember the special handling for stems ending in f (from v) and s (from z). Practice identifying the stem and applying the correct ending for various regular verbs.