Dutch/Lesson 19

Types
There are three basic kinds of verbs in Dutch in terms of separability


 * 1) Basic verbs ( current database at nl.wiktionary )
 * Basic verbs form their past participle with ge-
 * Either they simply consist of a stem: lopen - gelopen
 * Or they may have prefixes that are treated as part of the stem; this is the case for all prefixes of Latin origin: degenereren -gedegenereerd
 * 1) Separable verbs ( current database at nl.wiktionary )
 * Separable verbs have a prefix that is separated in some of the tenses, reunited in others
 * They form their past participle by inserting -ge- between the prefix and the stem: doorlopen - doorgelopen
 * 1) Inseparable verbs ( current database at nl.wiktionary )
 * Inseparable verbs have a prefix before the stem that does not separate
 * The prefix suppresses the ge- prefix of the past participle - onthalen - onthaald

Stress
There is a difference in stress between the separable and inseparable prefixes:
 * separable prefixes carry stress
 * inseparable prefixes never carry stress: the stress is on the stem of the verb

SEP+INSEP+STEM
Verbs can have more than one prefix. Usually a separable one precedes an inseparable one: e.g. in afbetalen, where af- is separable and be- is inseparable. In such a case the af- prefix will follow the rules for separation:

But the be- prefix will still suppress the ge- prefix in the past participle:


 * hij heeft afbetaald (not: *afgebetaald)

INSEP+INSEP+STEM
The inseparable prefix "her-" is still somewhat productive and can appear before verbs that already have another inseparable prefix like "be-", as in herbeginnen. Such a verb behaves entirely as an inseparable verb

INSEP+SEP+STEM
In a few cases with a reverse order of separability a conflict may arise, e.g. if the inseparable "her-" is put before a separable "in-" as in "herinrichten". Such verbs tend to be incomplete: not all forms are used. One may see a form like "heringericht", but speakers may avoid phrases like "ik richt herin".
 * ( current database at nl.wiktionary )

Inseparable prefixes
The number of truly inseparable prefixes that can only be used as inseparable, is relatively small in Dutch. A few prepositional adverbs like door-, onder- can be used either as separable of as inseparable and were already reviewed in chapter 17.

be-
Much like in English the prefix be- 'pins' the action of a verb 'down onto' an object. If the prefix is added to an intransitive verb it often becomes transitive and thus the verb can be used in the passive voice:


 * slapen - to sleep
 * beslapen - to sleep on something
 * het bed is niet beslapen - the bed has not been slept on


 * gaan - to go
 * begaan - to set foot on, to perpetrate
 * onbegaanbaar - inpassible (impossible to set foot on)

ont-
This prefix has been largely supplanted in English by a prefix of Latin origin de-


 * dooien - to thaw
 * ontdooien - to defrost

The prefix mostly indicates an irreversible change or movement away from a previous state


 * slapen - to sleep
 * ontslapen - to die, to pass away


 * zien - to see
 * ontzien - to spare someone, to look the other way

It can have the flavor of an antonym at times


 * komen - to come
 * ontkomen - to escape


 * zich kleden - to get dressed
 * zich ontkleden - to get undressed

her-
This prefix has been supplanted by the Latin prefix re- in English. It means a renewal or a repeated action:


 * stellen - to put, to make stand
 * herstellen - to repair, to heal


 * denken - to think
 * herdenken - to commemorate


 * kiezen - to choose
 * herkiezen - to reelect

ver-
This prefix denotes a variety of meaning, some of which correspond to the English prefixes for- and fore-

In general it denotes a change.


 * taal - language
 * vertalen - to translate


 * kort - short
 * verkorten - to shorten


 * jong
 * verjongen - to rejuvenate

It can have the connotation of "change for the worse":


 * gaan - to go
 * vergaan - to perish


 * worden - to become
 * verworden - to degenerate, to decay

Some verbs only occur with this prefix:


 * vergeten - to forget
 * (krijgen, worden) - to get

There is a second prefix ver- with a different pronunciation: a stress carrying /vɛr/ rather than an unstressed /vər/. It is separable and has the meaning of English "far".


 * vérspringen - vérgesprongen: to make a long jump
 * verspríngen - verspróngen: to tick away, to suddenly change position

ge-
In Old Dutch this prefix was used as a general intensifier. Only later did it become a marker for the perfect tenses. English has had a similar development but lost the marker in the past participle. There are a few remnants in English like:


 * to rise - to arise

In Dutch the remnants are a bit more numerous.


 * denken - to think
 * gedenken - to ponder, to consider solemnly


 * bieden - to offer, to bid
 * gebieden - to command


 * dragen - to carry, to wear
 * zich gedragen - to comport oneself, to behave


 * loven - to praise
 * geloven - to believe
 * beloven - to promise

Notice that a word like "geboden" could either be the past participle of bieden or of gebieden. It can also be a noun, meaning commandments.

weer-
This prefix can convey the meaning of "again" (re-):


 * galmen - to sound, to resonate
 * weergalmen - to reverberate, to echo


 * spiegelen - to mirror
 * weerspiegelen - to reflect

However, it can also represent the with- of withstand:


 * weerstaan - to withstand
 * weerhouden - to withhold, to thwart