had/was

Had and Was

Level 2

In Dutch, the simple past (OVT) of hebben is had/hadden and for zijn it is was/waren. Unlike many other verbs, these past forms are the standard choice in daily conversation to describe past situations.

How It Works

The verbs hebben and zijn are irregular and do not follow the standard 't kofschip rules for the past tense.

Conjugation Table:

  • ik: had / was
  • jij/u: had / was
  • hij/zij/het: had / was
  • wij/jullie/zij: hadden / waren

Key Usage Rules:
1. No -t for 'jij': Unlike the present tense where you say 'jij hebt' or 'jij bent', the past tense forms had and was never take a -t ending for the second person singular.
2. Pronunciation: Due to final devoicing, the 'd' in had is pronounced like a 't'. However, in the plural hadden, the 'd' sound returns.
3. Word Order: As finite verbs, they follow the verb-second rule in main clauses, but move to the end in a subordinate clause.

Examples (5)

  1. Ik was gisteren erg moe.

    I was very tired yesterday.

    Word by Word: I was yesterday very tired.

    Uses 'was' to describe a state (being tired) in the past.

  2. Wij hadden vroeger een hond.

    We used to have a dog.

    Word by Word: We had formerly a dog.

    Uses the plural 'hadden' to describe a past possession/situation.

  3. Was je vorig jaar in Nederland?

    Were you in the Netherlands last year?

    Word by Word: Was you last year in Netherlands?

    Note that 'was' does not take a -t even though the subject is 'je'.

  4. Zij waren blij met het cadeau.

    They were happy with the gift.

    Word by Word: They were happy with the gift.

    Uses the plural 'waren' for the subject 'zij' (they).

  5. Had u een goede reis?

    Did you have a good journey? (Formal)

    Word by Word: Had you a good journey?

    The formal 'u' also uses the singular form 'had'.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding a -t to the 'jij' form in the past tense.

    Jij wast gisteren niet thuis.
    Jij was gisteren niet thuis.

    Learners often carry over the present tense rule (jij bent) to the past. In the simple past, 'jij' uses the same form as 'ik' and 'hij'.

  • Using the plural form for the formal 'u'.

    Hadden u een vraag?
    Had u een vraag?

    Even though 'u' is formal, it takes the singular verb form 'had' or 'was', not the plural 'hadden' or 'waren'.

How It Connects

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

had/wasLevel 2Had and Was

Learn This First

To understand 'had' and 'was', you first need to be familiar with the present tense forms of the two most important Dutch verbs, 'hebben' and 'zijn'. Additionally, you should understand the basic concept of how verbs change to indicate the past tense.

Words in This Pattern