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Past participle turning into an infinitive

A2Verbs · lesson 6 of 79

In Dutch, a past participle cannot serve as an auxiliary verb. To make the verb act as an auxiliary verb, we must transform the past participle into an infinitive:

when the past participle _itself_

serves as an auxiliary verb,

it turns into an infinitive

In the examples below, the auxiliary verbs are in italics, the independent verbs in bold. The verbs that undergo a transformation from participle to infinitive are underlined.

Note, how the independent participle turns into an infinitive when it serves as an auxiliary verb to support another (independent) verb.

Annelies _had_ een ijsje gewild. | Annelies _had_ wanted an ice-cream.

Thijmen _had_ een ijsje _willen_ eten

(not: gewild eten). | Thijmen _had_ _wanted_ to have an ice-cream.

The independent participle _gewild_ turns into the infinitive _willen_ when it has to support _eten_.

Sanne _is_ naar Amsterdam gekomen. | Sanne _has_ come to Amsterdam.

Liesbeth _is_ _komen_ lopen

(not: gekomen lopen). | Liesbeth _has come_ walking (lit).

The past participle _gekomen_ becomes the infinitive _komen_.

We _hebben_ een uur _staan_ wachten

(not: gestaan wachten). | We _have been_ waiting for an hour.

Ik _had_ beter _moeten_ weten

(not: gemoeten weten). | I _should have_ known better.

The above only applies to the situation where the past participle serves as an auxiliary verb. Consider the following example:

Amir _zou zijn_ gekomen. | Amir _would have_ come.

Here, the past participle is the independent verb and hence does not turn into an infinitive.

Hebben or zijn? 'Te' + infinitive
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