Dutch grammar: werkwoordsvormen verleden tijd van zijn en hebben

What this grammar point covers

The Dutch verbs 'zijn' (to be) and 'hebben' (to have) have special forms in the past tense. These are important for talking about things that happened before.

When to use it

Use these past tense forms when you want to talk about something that was true or happened in the past, such as where you were or what you had.

Key forms

• zijn: ik was, jij/u was, hij/zij/het was, wij/jullie/zij waren
• hebben: ik had, jij/u had, hij/zij/het had, wij/jullie/zij hadden

Examples

Tips

• Remember that 'zijn' and 'hebben' are irregular in the past tense.
• The singular forms (ik, jij, hij) are different from the plural forms (wij, jullie, zij).
• Don't forget to use 'waren' and 'hadden' for plural subjects.

Exceptions and edge cases

• After 'je/jij' in questions, use 'was je?' or 'had je?'.