Introduction: Verbs in Two Parts

Dutch has many verbs called separable verbs (scheidbare werkwoorden). These verbs consist of two parts: a prefix (often a preposition or adverb) and a main verb. The meaning of the separable verb is often related to the main verb but modified by the prefix, sometimes significantly.

Examples: opstaan (to get up, from staan - to stand), meegaan (to go along/with, from gaan - to go), aankomen (to arrive, from komen - to come).

What makes them "separable" is that in certain grammatical structures (like the present and simple past tenses in main clauses), the prefix separates from the verb and moves to the end of the clause.

Separable Verbs in the Present Tense (Main Clause)

In a simple present tense main clause:

1. The main verb part is conjugated according to the subject and takes the standard verb position (usually second position).
2. The prefix moves to the end of the clause.

Structure: Subject + Conjugated Verb Part + (Rest of Sentence) + Prefix

Examples:

• Infinitive: opstaan (to get up)
• Ik sta om 7 uur op. (I get up at 7 o'clock.)
• Hij staat vroeg op. (He gets up early.)
• Infinitive: meegaan (to go along/with)
• Ga jij mee naar de film? (Are you going along to the cinema?) - Question inversion
• Wij gaan niet mee. (We are not going along.)
• Infinitive: aankomen (to arrive)
• De trein komt om 8 uur aan. (The train arrives at 8 o'clock.)
• Infinitive: afwassen (to wash the dishes)
• Zij wast na het eten af. (She washes the dishes after dinner.)
• Infinitive: kennismaken (to meet/get acquainted)
• Ik maak graag kennis met je collega. (I would like to meet your colleague.)

Separable Verbs in the Perfect Tense (V.T.T.)

In the perfect tense, the structure is different. The past participle of a separable verb is formed by inserting -ge- between the prefix and the main verb's past participle form.

Past Participle Formation: Prefix + ge + Past Participle of Main Verb

• opstaan -> op + ge + staan (participle gestaan) -> opgestaan (Auxiliary: zijn)
• meegaan -> mee + ge + gaan (participle gegaan) -> meegegaan (Auxiliary: zijn)
• aankomen -> aan + ge + komen (participle gekomen) -> aangekomen (Auxiliary: zijn)
• afwassen -> af + ge + wassen (participle gewassen) -> afgewassen (Auxiliary: hebben)
• kennismaken -> kennis + ge + maakt (participle gemaakt) -> kennisgemaakt (Auxiliary: hebben)

Sentence Structure (V.T.T.): Subject + Auxiliary (hebben/zijn) + (Rest) + Separable Past Participle

• Ik ben vanmorgen vroeg opgestaan. (I got up early this morning.)
• Is hij meegegaan naar het feest? (Did he go along to the party?)
• De trein is net aangekomen. (The train has just arrived.)
• Wij hebben de borden afgewassen. (We have washed the dishes.)
• Ik heb gisteren met hem kennisgemaakt. (I met him yesterday.)

Separable Verbs in Subordinate Clauses

In subordinate clauses (where the verb moves to the end), the prefix and verb rejoin and form the infinitive or past participle together at the end.

• Present Tense: Ik weet dat hij vroeg opstaat. (I know that he gets up early.) - Verb opstaat is at the end.
• Perfect Tense: Ik weet dat hij vroeg is opgestaan. (I know that he got up early.) - Auxiliary is and participle opgestaan are together at the end, with is last.

Identifying Separable Verbs

• Prefix Stress: In separable verbs, the stress is usually on the prefix (e.g., ëpstaan, éénkomen). Verbs with unstressed prefixes like be-, ge-, er-, her-, ont-, ver- are inseparable. (betëlen, vergëten).
• Common Prefixes: Many separable prefixes are prepositions or adverbs (e.g., aan, af, in, mee, op, uit, terug, samen, vast, voor, weg).
• Dictionary: Dictionaries usually indicate if a verb is separable.

Separable verbs are common in Dutch. Remember the key rule: in present/simple past main clauses, the prefix goes to the end. In the perfect tense, the past participle is formed as prefix-ge-participle (e.g., opgestaan). In subordinate clauses, the parts stay together at the end. Pay attention to stress and common prefixes to help identify them.