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Perfect Tense with 'zijn' (Voltooid Tegenwoordige Tijd - V.T.T.)

Perfect Tense with 'zijn' (Voltooid Tegenwoordige Tijd - V.T.T.) (A2)

What it is: Just like with 'hebben', the perfect tense (V.T.T.) with 'zijn' describes completed past actions connected to the present. The key difference is the choice of auxiliary verb.

Formation (with 'zijn'):

The structure is: Subject + Conjugated form of 'zijn' + ... (rest of sentence) ... + Past Participle

  • 'Zijn' Conjugation (Present Tense):
  • ik ben
  • jij/u bent
  • hij/zij/het is
  • wij/jullie/zij zijn
  • Past Participle (Voltooid Deelwoord):

The rules for forming the past participle (regular ge+stem+t/d, irregular forms) are exactly the same as when using 'hebben'.

  • gaan -> gegaan (irregular)
  • komen -> gekomen (irregular)
  • worden -> geworden (irregular)
  • blijven -> gebleven (irregular)
  • reizen -> gereisd (regular)
  • verhuizen -> verhuisd (regular, inseparable prefix)

When to use 'zijn': 'Zijn' is used as the auxiliary verb primarily for verbs indicating:

  1. Change of State or Condition: Verbs describing a transition from one state to another.
  • Examples: worden (to become), sterven (to die), gebeuren (to happen), beginnen (to begin), stoppen (to stop), veranderen (to change).
  1. Motion/Movement (often with direction): Verbs describing movement from one place to another (A to B).
  • Examples: gaan (to go), komen (to come), lopen (to walk to somewhere), fietsen (to cycle to somewhere), rijden (to drive to somewhere), reizen (to travel), vallen (to fall), vertrekken (to depart), arriveren (to arrive), verhuizen (to move house).
  1. Staying/Remaining: A few specific verbs indicating remaining in a place or state.
  • Examples: blijven (to stay), zijn (to be - e.g., Ik ben in Spanje geweest - I have been to Spain).

Important Note on Motion Verbs: Some motion verbs (like lopen, fietsen, rijden, zwemmen) can use either hebben or zijn.

  • Use zijn if the focus is on the destination or the change of location (A -> B).
  • Use hebben if the focus is on the activity itself, without a specific destination implied.
  • Compare: Ik heb een uur gelopen. (I walked for an hour - activity focus)
  • Compare: Ik ben naar de winkel gelopen. (I walked to the store - destination focus)

Examples:

  • Change of State:
  • Hij is dokter geworden. (He has become a doctor.)
  • De les is begonnen. (The lesson has begun.)
  • Het is gisteren gebeurd. (It happened yesterday.)
  • Motion:
  • Wij zijn naar Frankrijk gereisd. (We have traveled to France.)
  • Zij is naar huis gegaan. (She has gone home.)
  • Jullie zijn te laat gekomen. (You (pl.) have come too late.)
  • Ik ben gisteren verhuisd. (I moved house yesterday.)
  • Staying:
  • Hij is thuis gebleven. (He has stayed home.)
  • Ik ben nog nooit in Italië geweest. (I have never been to Italy.)

Key Points:

  • The perfect tense structure is hebben/zijn + ... + past participle.
  • Use zijn mainly for verbs of motion (A->B) and change of state.
  • Memorize the common verbs that take zijn.
  • Past participle formation rules are the same for both hebben and zijn.
  • For some motion verbs, the choice between hebben and zijn depends on whether you emphasize the activity (hebben) or the change in location (zijn).