Ik begrijp het niet.
English: I do not understand it.
- Language
- Dutch
- Level
- B1
- Unit
- Werkwoordtypen en diathese
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
In Dutch, 'ontrennbare werkwoorden' are verbs with a prefix that cannot be separated from the verb. These prefixes always stay attached, even when you change the tense or make questions.
When to use it
Use these verbs when the action has a fixed meaning with the prefix. The prefix changes the meaning of the verb, and you never split it from the verb, even in sentences with auxiliary verbs or in questions.
Key forms
- The prefix stays attached: bijvoorbeeld: 'be-', 'ge-', 'her-', 'ont-', 'ver-'
- No separation in questions or with auxiliary verbs: bijvoorbeeld: 'begrijpen', 'herhalen', 'ontkennen', 'vergeten'
Examples
Zij heeft het verhaal herhaald.
English: She repeated the story.
Wij vergeten vaak de tijd.
English: We often forget the time.
Hij ontkent zijn fout.
English: He denies his mistake.
Jullie bezoeken de stad.
English: You (plural) visit the city.
Tips
- Never split the prefix from the verb, even in questions or past tense.
- Learn the meaning of the whole verb, as the prefix can change the meaning a lot.
- Watch out: not all verbs with a prefix are inseparable; some can be separable.
Exceptions and edge cases
- Some verbs look similar but are separable, like 'voorkomen' (to occur, inseparable) and 'voor komen' (to come before, separable).
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