T-rules
From Freepedia
The T-rules (T-regels) are a set of rules used in Dutch language to determine whether the second person singular/plural and the first and third person singular of a verb end in t or not. These rules may not be confused with the 't kofschip-rule.
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Rules for the pronouns jij/je (2nd sing.) and jullie(2nd plur.)
In general the pronoun jij/je never makes the verb end on a -t. The only way that this pronoun can make a verb end on a -t, is if it proceeds the verb while the tense is the simple present or present perfect tense, the mood is the indicative mood and the verb is not a modal.
- Jij gaat naar school. (You go to school, simple present indicative + proceeds)
- Ga jij naar school. (Do you go to school, pronoun does not proceed)
- Je zou naar school gaan.(You would go to school, conditional)
- Jij ging naar school. (You went to school, past)
- Je kan naar school gaan. (You can go to school, modal)
There is one exception: if the radical of the verb ends on a -t, the jij-form also ends on a -t
- Jij rust. (You rest)
With the verbs houden, rijden and their compositions, the d of the radical drops if the -t drops.
- Hou jij van bloemen (Do you like flowers?)
- Jij houdt van bloemen (You like flowers)
In general the pronoun jullie always makes the verb end on a -en. Actually it can also make the verb end on -t but this form is archaic.
- Jullie gaan naar school. (You go to school)
- Jullie gaat naar school. (You go to school, archaic)
Rules for the pronouns gij/ge (2nd sing./plur.)
In general gij/ge makes the verb always end on a -t:
- Gij gaat naar school. (You go to school, present indicative + proceeds)
- Gaat gij naar school. (Do you go to school, pronoun does not proceed)
- Ge zoudt naar school gaan.(You would go to school, conditional)
- Gij gingt naar school. (You went to school, past)
- Ge kunt naar school gaan. (You can go to school, modal)
If a verb ends on a -t, there is no extra -t added.
- Gij rust. (You rest)
If a verb ends on a -d, an extra -t is added.
- Houdt gij van bloemen (Do you like flowers?)
- Gij houdt van bloemen (You like flowers)
In the subjunctive and in the regular past, the -t can be dropped, but this is not obliged:
- Gij neme(t) een lepel suiker. (You take a spoon of sugar, present subjunctive)
- Werkte(t) ge hard? (Did you work hard, regular past)
In informal speech, the -t changes into -de, if gij follows the verb:
- Zijde gij blind! Ziede gij dat nu niet! (Are you blind! Didn't you see that!,Informal)
In very informal speech, the subject is dropped and the -t changes into -de:
- Zijde blind! Ziede dat nu niet! (Are you blind! Didn't you see that!,Informal)
Rules for the third person singular and the pronouns u/U (2nd person sing./plur.)
The rules for the third person and the pronoun u are the same: they only get a -t in the simple present and present perfect tense of the indicative, if the verb is not a modal.
- Hij gaat naar school. (He goes to school, present indicative)
- Gaat u naar school. (Do you go to school, present indicative)
- Hij zou naar school gaan.(He would go to school, conditional)
- U ging naar school. (You went to school, past)
- Zij kan naar school gaan. (She can go to school, modal)
Rules for the first person singular
The first person singular never ends on a -t, only if the verb-radical ends on a -t. For the verbs houden, rijden and their compositions, the d of the radical is also dropped.
- Ik ga naar school (I go to school)
- Ik rust (I rest, radical on -t)
- Ik hou van bloemen (I love flowers, radical on -d)
