Where to put the verb
The #1 thing that makes you sound foreign. Two small rules fix it.
A verb is an action word: go, have, work, want.
In English you can move things around and it still sounds fine. In Dutch the verb has a fixed seat. Sit it in the wrong seat and people notice immediately.
Rule 1 — the verb is the SECOND thing in the sentence. Always.
Second thing, not second word. Count chunks of meaning, not words. Whatever you start with is chunk one. The verb comes right after it.
Ik ga naar kantoor.
I go to the office.
chunk 1 = Ik, then the verb
Morgen ga ik naar kantoor.
Tomorrow I go to the office.
chunk 1 = Morgen, so the verb jumps in front of ik
Om negen uur ga ik naar kantoor.
At nine I go to the office.
chunk 1 is four words — still one chunk
✗Morgen ik ga naar kantoor.
✓Morgen ga ik naar kantoor.
You started with Morgen, so the verb must come next — before ik.
Rule 2 — if there is a second verb, it goes to the very end.
Sentences often have two verbs: one that changes (I want, I have) and one that does not (to go, worked). The first one takes seat two. The second one is thrown to the end of the sentence.
Ik wil morgen naar kantoor gaan.
I want to go to the office tomorrow.
wil = seat 2, gaan = the end
Ik heb gisteren hard gewerkt.
I worked hard yesterday.
heb = seat 2, gewerkt = the end
Ik moet nu iets eten.
I have to eat something now.
moet = seat 2, eten = the end
✗Ik wil gaan naar kantoor.
✓Ik wil naar kantoor gaan.
The second verb waits at the end. English puts it early; Dutch puts it last.
watch out
One extra situation. After the joining words omdat (because), dat (that), als (if) and terwijl (while), ALL verbs move to the end. Say: Ik kom later omdat ik een afspraak heb. Not: omdat ik heb een afspraak. If a sentence feels backwards, this is usually why.
- 1Decide what you want to start the sentence with.
- 2Put the changing verb immediately after it.
- 3Put the subject (ik, je, we) next, if it is not already first.
- 4Throw any extra verb to the very end.