geleden

Ago

Level 2

Use geleden to say 'ago'. Just like in English, it comes after the time phrase (e.g., 'three years ago' becomes 'drie jaar geleden').

How It Works

The word geleden is the standard way to express 'ago' in Dutch. It functions as a postposition, which means it follows the noun phrase indicating the duration of time.

1. Word Order and Measurement Nouns
Dutch follows the same logic as English: [Duration] + geleden.
Example: tien minuten geleden (ten minutes ago).

Crucially, you must distinguish between nouns that stay singular and those that become plural:
• Stay Singular: Measurement nouns like jaar (year), uur (hour), and kwartier (quarter hour) stay in the singular form after a specific number: drie jaar geleden. See singular after numbers for more details.
• Must be Plural: Other time units take a plural after numbers greater than one: twee weken geleden, vijf maanden geleden. For a plural quantity, an adjective gives forms such as twee lange jaren geleden. Without a precise number, jaren geleden means years ago. A quantity of one remains singular.

2. Tense Usage
Because geleden refers to a specific completed point in the past, it is often used with the perfect tense or the simple past. However, it is also very common to use the present tense of zijn to describe the current state of the time gap (e.g., Het is tien jaar geleden).

3. Sentence Structure & Inversion
If you start a sentence with a time phrase containing geleden, you must apply inversion. The verb comes immediately after the time phrase.
Example: Twee jaar geleden verhuisde ik naar Amsterdam.

4. Geleden vs. Sinds
While you might hear sinds drie jaar geleden, this is often considered redundant in formal Dutch because sinds already implies a starting point in the past. It is usually better to say sinds 2020 or ik woon hier al drie jaar.

5. Geleden vs. Daarvoor
Crucially, geleden is anchored to the present moment. If you are talking about a time 'before' another past event, use daarvoor or tevoren (e.g., Ik trouwde in 2010. Twee jaar daarvoor kocht ik een huis.).

6. Emphasis and Synonyms
Dutch speakers often add al (already) for emphasis: Dat is al lang geleden. In informal speech, you may hear terug (e.g., twee jaar terug). Note that 'last week' is vorige week; avoid using 'geleden' in that specific context.

Examples (5)

  1. Ik heb hem drie jaar geleden voor het laatst gezien.

    I last saw him three years ago.

    Word by Word: I have him three year ago for the last seen.

    Notice how 'geleden' follows 'drie jaar'. The sentence uses the perfect tense.

  2. Een week geleden regende het nog.

    A week ago it was still raining.

    Word by Word: A week ago rained it still.

    When the sentence starts with 'Een week geleden', the verb 'regende' must come next due to inversion.

  3. Dat is al heel lang geleden.

    That was already a very long time ago.

    Word by Word: That is already very long ago.

    The word 'al' (already) is frequently used with 'geleden' to add emphasis to the duration.

  4. Tien minuten geleden was hij hier nog.

    Ten minutes ago he was still here.

    Word by Word: Ten minutes ago was he here still.

    A common way to use 'geleden' with the simple past of 'zijn'.

  5. Ik was in Parijs in 2015; ik had de Eiffeltoren twee jaar daarvoor al gezien.

    I was in Paris in 2015; I had already seen the Eiffel Tower two years before that.

    Word by Word: I was in Paris in 2015; I had the Eiffel-tower two year there-before already seen.

    Use 'geleden' for time relative to now. Use 'daarvoor' or 'tevoren' for time relative to a point in the past.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'geleden' with a specific year or date instead of a duration.

    Ik ben in 2010 geleden getrouwd.
    Ik ben veertien jaar geleden getrouwd.

    You cannot use 'geleden' with a specific point in time like a year. It must always follow a duration (e.g., days, months, years).

  • Applying the singular rule to all time units.

    Ik was daar twee week geleden.
    Ik was daar twee weken geleden.

    After a number greater than one, use weken, maanden, minuten and seconden. By contrast, unmodified measurement nouns such as jaar and uur normally remain singular after a precise number.

  • Confusing 'geleden' (ago) with 'vorige' (last/previous).

    Dat gebeurde in de geleden week.
    Dat gebeurde vorige week.

    Geleden follows a duration, as in een week geleden (a week ago). For last week, use vorige week or verleden week. Verleden week is also standard Dutch; it is not inherently archaic.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

geledenLevel 2Ago

Learn This First

To use 'geleden' (ago), you need to be able to express a duration of time. This requires knowledge of Dutch numbers and the specific rules for how time units (like years or hours) behave when counted. Since 'geleden' always refers to a point in the past, understanding basic tense concepts is also helpful.

Words in This Pattern

geleden