het + ge-
The Past Tense: Het + Ge-
Ek werk → Ek het gewerk. Het comes second; the ge- form comes last.
How It Works
Two steps.
- Put het in second place. Het is the same for everyone: ek het, jy het, hulle het.
- Add ge- to the front of the verb and move it to the end of the clause: lees → gelees.
Sy lees 'n boek. → Sy het 'n boek gelees. Objects, time words and places stay between het and the ge- form: Die kinders het gister in die park gespeel.
One tense, several meanings. Ek het gewerk can mean I worked, I have worked or I had worked. Time words make it clear: Ek het gister gewerk. (I worked yesterday.) Ek het al geëet. (I have already eaten.)
Questions and negation. Het jy die film gesien? (Did you see the film?) Hulle het nie gebel nie. (They didn't call.) See Double Negation.
Spelling. When the verb starts with e, ge- and the verb would run together, so the deelteken separates them: eet → geëet. Before a or o no deelteken is needed: antwoord → geantwoord. See deelteken.
Verbs that work differently.
- Verbs with an unstressed prefix like be- or ver- add no ge-: het besoek, het vertel. See participle without ge-.
- Separable verbs put ge- in the middle: het opgestaan. See ge- inside separable verbs.
- Het (have) itself becomes het ... gehad. See het gehad.
- Is becomes was. See was.
- Kan, moet and wil become kon, moes, wou. See kon/moes/wou.
Examples (6)
- Ek het gister gewerk.
I worked yesterday.
Word by Word: I have yesterday worked.
- Sy het 'n boek gelees.
She read a book. / She has read a book.
Word by Word: She has a book read.
The same sentence covers both English tenses.
- Ons het al geëet.
We have already eaten.
Word by Word: We have already eaten.
Ge- + eet is written geëet, with a deelteken.
- Het jy die film gesien?
Did you see the film? / Have you seen the film?
Word by Word: Have you the film seen?
- Hulle het nie gebel nie.
They didn't call.
Word by Word: They have not called not.
- Die kinders het in die park gespeel.
The children played in the park.
Word by Word: The children have in the park played.
Common Mistakes
Putting the ge- form straight after het, as in English.
Ek het gelees 'n boek.Ek het 'n boek gelees.The ge- form goes to the end of the clause, after the object.
Forgetting ge-.
Ek het die boek lees.Ek het die boek gelees.After het, an ordinary verb needs its ge- form.
Writing ge- + eet without the deelteken.
Ons het al geeet.Ons het al geëet.Three e letters in a row would be misread. The deelteken shows that a new syllable starts: ge-eet.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The past tense combines het with a ge- form at the end of the clause.
Related Patterns
- Participles Without ge-
Some verbs, such as besoek and vertel, take no ge- in the past.
Level 2 - Participles of Separable Verbs
Separable verbs put ge- after their prefix: opgestaan.
Level 2 - het ... gehadHad: Het ... Gehad
The past of het (have) is het ... gehad.
Level 2 - wasWas: The Past of Is
Is has its own past form, was.
Level 2 - kon/moes/wouModals in the Past
Modal verbs use their own past forms instead of het + ge-.
Level 2 - The Deelteken (Diaeresis)
Explains the two dots in geëet.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
- is geboreSaying Where You Were BornLevel 2
- nadatAfter (Nadat)Level 2
- toe (When)When in the Past: ToeLevel 2
- Sentence Order: STOMPILevel 3
- het + kon/moes/wouModals After Het: Het Nie Kon Kom NieLevel 3
- het gaan/kom + InfinitiveWent and Did: Het Gaan SwemLevel 3
- moes ... hetShould Have: Moes ... HetLevel 3
- Participles Before Nouns: gekookte, gesteeldeLevel 3
And 5 more in the full list.
Words in This Pattern
Practice het + ge- in Bubblegum
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