For the perfect tense, we use a past participle. For the conjugation of the past participle, we must distinguish between [t-verbs and d-verbs](#/lesson/Verbs.Re09) (just like we did for the [simple past](#/lesson/Verbs.Re10)). To establish whether we are dealing with a t-verb or a d-verb, we have to look at the last letter of the verb stem. If this is t, h, f, c, k, s or p, ("pocket fish") it is a t-verb, all other verbs are d-verbs.
past participle = _ge_ \+ [stem] + _t / d_
Whether the past participle ends in a -t or -d depends of course on whether the verb is a [t or a d-verb](#/lesson/Verbs.Re09).
maken | to make | stem: maak
(t-verb) | past participle:
ge + maak + t
= gemaakt
luisteren | to | stem: luister
(d-verb) | past participle:
ge + luister + d
= geluisterd
In Dutch _I have made_ becomes: _ik heb gemaakt_.
The ge + stem + t/d rule applies to most regular verbs, but there are also verbs that need an extra or different treatment.
Two points to bear in mind for the past participle:
1. A past participle never ends in double _t_ or double _d_
If the stem ends in -t we do not add an extra t to the past participle, if a stem ends in -d, we skip the extra d. This is actually not really an exception, if you remember that a syllable never ends in [two identical consonants](#/lesson/SpellingAndPronunciation.22).
rusten | to rest | does not become:
ge + rust + t | but: ge + rust
= gerust
bloeden | to bleed | does not become:
ge + bloed + d | but: ge + bloed
= gebloed
2. Prefixes _be-, er-, ge-, her-, ont-_ and _ver_ \-
All verbs that begin with the prefixes: be-, er-, ge-, her-\*, ont-, and ver- do not get _ge-_ before the past participle. The prefix replaces _ge-_. The rule for forming the past participle is here: (no _ge_) stem + t/d.
infinitive | in english | past participle
verdelen | to distribute | stem+d = verdeeld
geschieden | to happen | stem (no extra 'd') = geschied
betalen | to pay | stem+d = betaald
ontdekken | to discover | stem+t = ontdekt
erkennen | to acknowledge | stem+d = erkend
herkennen | to recognize | stem+d = herkend
\*) In the category of her-words, there are a few exceptions:
infinitive | in english | past participle
herbergen | to accommodate | ge+stem+d = geherbergd
herhuisvesten | to relocate | ge+stem (no t ) = geherhuisvest
herstructureren | to restructure | ge+stem+d = geherstructureerd
It conjugates Dutch verbs for you in all eight tenses.