Rule 1 – The verb does not change
After removing -en, you have formed the verb stem. After this, you don’t need to do anything else.
When can you apply this rule?
- when a verb has two or more different consonants between two vowels
- for verbs with a diphthong before the end (ie, oe, eu, au, ou, ij, ei)
- and for verbs that end in –elen, -eren and -enen (short sounds)
Een paar voorbeelden:
| Werkwoord | Vertaling | Actie | Werkwoordstam (ik) |
| werken | work | remove -en | werk |
| vieren | celebrate | remove -en | vier |
| wandelen | stroll | remove -en | wandel |
| kletsen | chit chat | remove -en | klets |
| ruiken | smell | remove -en | ruik |
| rekenen | calculate | remove -en | reken |
Rule 2 – The verb does change
After removing -en, you have formed the rough stem. That means you’ll have to change something. For this rule, you need an extra vowel because the sound of the verb has become short.
You can use this rule for:
→ verbs with one consonant between two vowels
→ verbs with two or more syllables
Een paar voorbeelden:
| Werkwoord | Vertaling | Actie 1 | Actie 2 | Werkwoordstam (ik) |
| lopen | walk | remove -en → lop (Rough stem: the -o is now a short sound) | add an extra -o | loop |
| bewegen | move | remove -en → beweg (Rough stem: the -e is now a short sound) | add an extra -e | beweeg |
| raken | hit | remove -en → rak (Rough stem: the -a is now a short sound) | add an extra -a | raak |
| verhuren | hire, rent | remove -en → verhur (Rough stem: the -u is now a short sound) | add an extra -u | verhuur |
Rule 3 – Double consonants
After removing -en, you have formed the rough stem. After that you’ll have to remove the double consonant. The sound will stay the same, but it’s important for Dutch spelling rules.
Dutch words should never end on a double (the same) consonant.
You can use this rule for:
→ verbs with two same consonants between two vowels
→ verbs with two or more syllables
Een paar voorbeelden:
| Werkwoord | Vertaling | Actie 1 | Actie 2 | Werkwoordstam (ik) |
| zitten | sit | remove -en → zitt (Rough stem: a double -t isn’t possible) | remove a -t | zit |
| bekennen | confess | remove -en → bekenn (Rough stem: a double -n isn’t possible) | remove a -n | beken |
| pakken | grab | remove -en → pakk (Rough stem: a double -k isn’t possible) | remove a -k | pak |
| bevatten | contain | remove -en → bevatt (Rough stem: a double -t isn’t possible) | remove a -t | bevat |
Rule 4 – Change V to an F and Z to an S
After removing -en, you have formed the rough stem, and you’ll have to change something.
There are two options for this rule.
Option 1: You only need to change v to an F or z to an S.
Option 2: Besides changing the consonant, you’ll also have to add an extra vowel (stem rule 2).
This has to do with the spelling rules and sometimes with the sound. Dutch words should never end in a V or Z. You can use this rule for:
→ verbs with a V or a Z between two vowels
→ verbs with two or more syllables
Een paar voorbeelden:
| Werkwoord | Vertaling | Actie 1 | Actie 2 + 3 | Werkwoordstam (ik) |
| reizen | travel | remove -en → reiz (Rough stem: a -z at the end isn’t possible) | change the z in a -s | reis |
| geven | give | remove -en → gev (Rough stem: a -v at the end isn’t possible and the-e is now a short sound) | change the v in a -f and add an extra -e | geef |
| kiezen | choose | remove -en → kiez (Rough stem: a -z at the end isn’t possible) | change the z in a -s | kies |
| beloven | promise | remove -en → belov (Rough stem: a -v at the end isn’t possible and the-o is now a short sound) | change the v in a -f and add an extra -o | beloof |
Rule 5 – Remove the diaeresis
After removing -en, you have formed the rough stem, and you’ll have to change something.
There are two options for this rule.
Option 1: You’ll only have to remove the -n and the trema, because the -e is part of the sound.
Option 2: With this option, you’ll have to remove -ën, because the second -e belongs to the ending -en.
You can use this rule for:
→ verbs with two or more syllables
Een paar voorbeelden:
| Werkwoord | Vertaling | Actie 1 | Actie 2 | Werkwoordstam (ik) |
| ruziën | argue | remove -n → ruzië (Rough stem: the -ë changes the sound) | remove the diaeresis | ruzie |
| skiën | ski | remove -ën | – | ski |
| neuriën | hum | remove -n → neurië (Rough stem: the -ë changes the sound) | remove the diaeresis | neurie |
| sleeën | sled | remove -ën | – | slee |