helpen/leren + Infinitive

Helpen and Leren + Infinitive

Level 3

In Dutch, most verbs require te before a following infinitive. However, helpen (to help) and leren (to learn/teach) are special: they often take a bare infinitive (no 'te').

How It Works

The verbs helpen and leren belong to a small group of verbs that can function like modal verbs by taking a bare infinitive. They are among the very few verbs in this category that also allow a te + infinitive construction.

1. Word Order:
In simple sentences, the conjugated form of 'helpen' or 'leren' stays in the second position, and the second verb goes to the very end: Ik help hem koken.

2. The IPP Effect:
This is a crucial rule to become proficient in. When using the perfect tense, if you use a bare infinitive for the second action, you do not use the past participle (geholpen/geleerd). Instead, you use the infinitive form. This is called the Infinitivus pro Participio (IPP).
Example: Ik heb hem helpen verhuizen.

Note: IPP only triggers if there is a second verb. If 'helpen' is alone, use the participle: Ik heb hem geholpen.

3. Subordinate Clauses:
In a subordinate clause using IPP, the auxiliary verb 'hebben' must move to the front of the verb cluster at the end of the sentence. Placing it at the end of the cluster is considered incorrect in standard Dutch.
Example: Ik vind het fijn dat ik hem heb helpen koken.

4. Using 'te' and 'om te':
Both helpen and leren can also take a te + infinitive construction. This is common in formal contexts or when the following verb phrase is long and complex. If you choose to use the past participle (geholpen/geleerd) in the perfect tense, you must use 'te'. In these cases, om is also frequently added for clarity.
Example: Ik heb hem geholpen (om) te verhuizen. or Zij heeft hem geleerd (om) te zwemmen.

Examples (5)

  1. Ik help mijn vader de auto wassen.

    I am helping my father wash the car.

    Word by Word: I help my father the car wash.

    A simple present tense sentence where 'wassen' is a bare infinitive at the end.

  2. Zij leert haar dochter fietsen.

    She is teaching her daughter to ride a bike.

    Word by Word: She learns her daughter cycle.

    In Dutch, 'leren' can mean both 'to learn' and 'to teach'. Here it takes the bare infinitive 'fietsen'.

  3. We hebben de buren helpen verhuizen.

    We helped the neighbors move.

    Word by Word: We have the neighbors help move.

    This shows the IPP effect. Because 'verhuizen' is present, 'helpen' stays in the infinitive form instead of becoming 'geholpen'.

  4. De kinderen hebben leren zwemmen.

    The children learned to swim.

    Word by Word: The children have learn swim.

    Another example of the double infinitive (IPP) with the verb 'leren'.

  5. Het helpt om elke dag te oefenen.

    It helps to practice every day.

    Word by Word: It helps in-order-to every day to practice.

    Here 'te' is used because the help is general/abstract and there is no direct object being helped.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the past participle instead of the infinitive in the perfect tense (forgetting IPP).

    Ik heb hem geholpen koken.
    Ik heb hem helpen koken.

    When 'helpen' or 'leren' is followed by another infinitive in the perfect tense, it must remain an infinitive. If you use the participle 'geholpen', you must add 'te' (Ik heb hem geholpen te koken), though the IPP version is more common in speech.

  • Applying IPP when there is no second verb.

    Ik heb hem helpen.
    Ik heb hem geholpen.

    The IPP effect only triggers when there is a second infinitive present. If 'helpen' or 'leren' is the only verb in the sentence, you must use the regular past participle.

  • Adding 'te' unnecessarily in simple sentences.

    Hij leert te schaken.
    Hij leert schaken.

    For learning or teaching skills, the bare infinitive is the standard and most natural choice.

How It Connects

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

helpen/leren + InfinitiveLevel 3Helpen and Leren + Infinitive

Learn This First

To use 'helpen' and 'leren' with another verb, you need to understand the Dutch 'bare infinitive' construction, where the second verb is placed at the end of the sentence without the word 'te'. This follows the same word order logic as modal verbs and other verb clusters.

Words in This Pattern

helpenleren