Dutch builds the present tense from the stem, the core of the verb (_werk_ from _werken_). For most verbs, _ik_ takes the bare stem (_ik werk_), _jij_, _u_, _hij_, _zij_ and _het_ take the stem plus _t_ (_jij werkt_), and _wij_, _jullie_ and _zij_ (they) take the infinitive, the dictionary form (_wij werken_). This one tense covers "I work", "I'm working" and often the future too.
The pattern
The subject (who does it) decides the form: the bare stem for _ik_, the stem plus _t_ for other singular subjects (just one), and the infinitive for plural subjects (more than one).
- _ik_: _ik werk_, _ik woon_
- _jij_, _u_, _hij_, _zij_, _het_: _jij werkt_, _u woont_, _het regent_
- _wij_, _jullie_, _zij_ (they): _wij werken_, _zij wonen_
- Stem already ends in _t_? Add nothing: _jij zit_, _hij zit_, _Sanne praat_
- Names and singular nouns work like _hij_ or _zij_: _Daan werkt_, _de trein vertrekt_
This covers most verbs. A few very common ones, like _zijn_ and _hebben_, have their own forms ([Zijn and hebben in the present](#/lesson/zijn-and-hebben)). And when _jij_ or _je_ comes after the verb, the added _t_ drops ([Werk jij? Where the t disappears](#/lesson/jij-inversion)).
Examples
| Ik werk bij de gemeente. | I work for the municipality. |
|---|---|
| Jij woont naast Lotte. | You live next to Lotte. |
| U betaalt bij de kassa. | You pay at the checkout. |
| Ahmed fietst elke dag naar zijn werk. | Ahmed cycles to work every day. |
| Het regent weer. | It's raining again. |
| Bas zit in de trein. | Bas is on the train. |
| Yara eet vanavond bij de buren. | Yara is eating at the neighbours' tonight. |
| Wij wonen in Utrecht. | We live in Utrecht. |
| Jullie werken morgen thuis. | You're working from home tomorrow. |
| Mei en Carlos wachten op de bus. | Mei and Carlos are waiting for the bus. |
Why it works this way
In the English present, most verbs change only for he, she and it: she works. Dutch is a little busier. Think of the _t_ as a tag meaning "one person or thing, not me": it goes on _hij werkt_ and _zij werkt_, and also on _jij werkt_ and _u werkt_. If the stem already ends in _t_, the tag is already there, so you add nothing. Plurals are free: they use the dictionary form you already know.
- _ik werk_, _jij werkt_, _wij werken_: three subjects, three forms
- _hij werkt_, _hij zit_: both end in _t_, but only _werk_ needed one
The same tense covers more than English does. _Ik wacht op de bus_ is the normal way to say "I'm waiting for the bus", with no _ben_. With a time word like _morgen_, it often covers the future: _Ik werk morgen thuis_, "I'm working from home tomorrow". To stress "busy with it right now", Dutch also has _Ik ben aan het werken_ ([Aan het + infinitive](#/lesson/progressive)).
Remember: _ik_ travels light, with just the stem. The other singular forms end in _t_. A group gets the whole infinitive.
Watch out
- Not: _Ik werken bij de gemeente._ Say: _Ik werk bij de gemeente._ (_ik_ takes the bare stem, not the infinitive)
- Not: _Fatima werk vandaag thuis._ Say: _Fatima werkt vandaag thuis._ (one person who isn't _ik_ needs the stem plus _t_)
- Not: _Sanne en Daan woont in Delft._ Say: _Sanne en Daan wonen in Delft._ (two people are a group, so use the infinitive)
- Not: _Hij vind de trein te duur._ Say: _Hij vindt de trein te duur._ (the stem _vind_ ends in _d_, not _t_, so you still add _t_)
Quick check
- Fill in the present tense of _werken_: _Ik ... vandaag thuis._
- Fill in the present tense of _zitten_: _Joris ... in de trein._
- Choose the right form: _Mei en ik ... in Rotterdam._ (_woon_, _woont_ or _wonen_)
- Fix the verb: _Jij fiets elke dag naar je werk._
Answers
- _werk_: _ik_ takes the bare stem.
- _zit_: the stem _zit_ already ends in _t_, so you add nothing.
- _wonen_: _Mei en ik_ works like _wij_, so you use the infinitive.
- _Jij fietst elke dag naar je werk._ The stem _fiets_ ends in _s_, not _t_, so _jij_ adds _t_.
Use it today
Tonight, say three sentences about tomorrow out loud: one about yourself (_Ik werk morgen tot vijf uur_), one about a neighbour (_Lotte fietst morgen naar Leiden_) and one about your household (_Wij eten om zes uur_). Check the ending on every verb.