There are 8 different tenses in Dutch.

Most Dutch verbs are regular verbs, 'zwakke werkwoorden' (weak verbs), these are verbs that are all conjugated the same way.
The Dutch language also has many irregular verbs, known as 'sterke werkwoorden' (strong verbs), which conjugate differently in some of the tenses. These can be
grouped together to make it easier to remember how to conjugate them.
There are 6 completely irregular verbs, that are not actually irregular in every tense.

Here you will find an overview of all the 8 tenses. For a more detailed explanation of the tenses you can take a look at the different chapters of this course, where you
will also find exercises to practice the tenses.

Usage and conjugation of the Dutch verb tenses

To be able to conjugate the Dutch verbs in the present simple and present past, you have to find the stem of the verb and add the specific ending that fits with the tense
the sentence should be in.
For the present perfect and past perfect the verbs 'hebben' (to have) and 'zijn' (to be) are used together with the past participle. The verb 'zullen' (to shall) is used to form
the all future tenses. 

The table below gives you an overview of the different tenses in Dutch. 

Tense Usage Example Translation

Present simple •  I go to tennis.
The present simple is mainly used to d • Ik ga naar tennis.
(onvoltooid • I do my
escribe a situation that is • Ik maak mijn huiswerk. 
tegenwoordige homework.
happening now.
tijd)
• I have gone to
Present perfect  • Ik ben naar tennis gegaan. 
The present perfect is used to describe tennis.
(voltooid • Ik heb mijn huiswerk
an action or event that happened in the • I have done my
tegenwoordige gemaakt. 
past and already ended. homework.
tijd) 

• I went to tennis
• Gisteren ging ik naar
Past simple  The past simple is mainly used to yesterday.
tennis. 
(onvoltooid describe something happened in the • I did my
• Ik maakte mijn huiswerk.
verleden tijd) past.  homework.

• I had gone to
The past • Ik was naar tennis gegaan. 
Past perfect tennis.
perfect is used to describe something • Ik had mijn huiswerk
(voltooid verleden • I had done my
that happened in the past and ended in  gedaan. 
tijd) homework.
the past. 

•  I shall go to
Future simple • Ik zal naar tennis gaan.
The future simple tense is used to talk tennis.
(onvoltooid • Ik zal mijn huiswerk
about an event that will happen in the • I shall do my
tegenwoordige maken. 
future.  homework.
toekomende tijd) 

The future perfect is used to describe • Ik zal naar tennis zijn • I shall have gone
Future perfect gegaan.  to tennis.
an action that will have been
(voltooid • Ik zal mijn huiswerk • I shall have done
completed before another point or
tegenwoordige
action in the future. hebben gemaakt.  my homework.
toekomende tijd) 
(This form is not used very often.)
• If I were you, I
Conditional • Als ik jou was, zou ik naar would go to
tense The conditional tense is used to tennis gaan.  tennis.
(onvoltooid speculate about a situation, mainly • Als ik jou was, zou ik mijn • If I were you, I
verleden used in an 'if' scenario. huiswerk maken.  would do my
toekomende tijd) homework.

• If I were not sick,

• Als ik niet ziek was, zou ik
I would have gone
Conditional naar tennis zijn gegaan. 
The conditional perfect is used to tennis.
perfect • Als ik niet ziek was, zou ik
to describe a future hypothetical situat • If I were not sick,
(voltooid verleden mijn huiswerk hebben
ion in the past.  I would have done
toekomende tijd) gemaakt. 
my homework.