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Verbs in dutch How is the present continuous in dutch? How can I say for example: "I am eating"
Dec 13, 2014 4:10 PM
Answers · 3
2
The present continuous in Dutch is: zijn + aan het + infinitive. Though, Dutch does not use the 'present continuous' as often as English. In most cases we just use the simple present. So, in this case you translate the sentence "I am eating" as:"Ik ben aan het eten." The same goes for: "He is driving": "Hij is aan het (auto)rijden." and "We are reading": "Wij zijn aan het lezen." However, an exception is: "I am working". This sentence should be translated as: "Ik ben aan het werk." (infinitive of "werk" = werken) Sentences such as: "I am leaving" and "I am coming" have no literal translation. They should be translated as: "I leave" (Ik ga weg)/(Ik vertrek) and "I come" (Ik kom)(Ik ben opweg). The same goes for the sentence: "She is entering", which is translated as: "She enters" (Zij gaat naar binnen) or "They are exiting", which is translated as: "They exit" (Zij gaan naar buiten/Zij verlaten). Dutch grammar is very compliacted, but I hope I helped you enough.
December 13, 2014
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