Toen ik jong was, speelde ik elke dag buiten.
English: When I was young, I played outside every day.
- Language
- Dutch
- Level
- B2
- Unit
- Werkwoordsvormen en tijden
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
The 'onvoltooide tijd' in Dutch is the imperfect tense. It is used to talk about actions or situations in the past that were ongoing, repeated, or not yet completed.
When to use it
Use the 'onvoltooide tijd' to describe past habits, situations, or actions that were happening or not finished at a specific time in the past.
Key forms
- Ik werkte
- Jij liep
- Wij speelden
Examples
Hij las een boek toen de telefoon ging.
English: He was reading a book when the phone rang.
We woonden vroeger in Amsterdam.
English: We used to live in Amsterdam.
Jullie schreven brieven aan elkaar.
English: You (plural) wrote letters to each other.
Tips
- Remember to use the correct verb endings: -te/-ten or -de/-den.
- The imperfect is often used with words like 'vroeger', 'toen', or 'altijd'.
- Don't confuse the imperfect with the perfect tense; the imperfect focuses on the process or repetition, not the result.
Exceptions and edge cases
- Some verbs are irregular in the imperfect tense, such as 'zijn' (was, waren) and 'hebben' (had, hadden).