Watch a real Dutch video below, then practise the grammar it's full of: the perfect tense with zijn, and the imperative. 32 exercises, all multiple-choice or word-order.
A traveler asks for the platform, boards the train, and later realises he forgot to thank the woman who helped him. Watch it once, then use it to practise the grammar below.
Dutch on the left, English on the right — read it once before watching, then again while you listen.
🧑 Man (reiziger) · 👦 Jongen (medereiziger) · 👩 Station employee
From the video and the exercises below — this is the vocabulary the grammar exercises are built on.
Three short conversations in the video use the voltooide tijd (perfect tense) with zijn, and several imperatives. Work through A → B → C, then test everything together in the mixed exercise.
In the video, the traveler says: "Ik ben vergeten haar te bedanken" — "I forgot to thank her." This is an example of the voltooide tijd (perfect tense) in Dutch: hebben / zijn + voltooid deelwoord (past participle).
The verb vergeten is special: both hebben and zijn are possible, and there's a subtle meaning difference between them. According to Van Dale's language advice (linked below), zijn traditionally points to no longer remembering something (a name, a fact), while hebben points to leaving something behind or failing to do something. Nowadays many speakers no longer feel that distinction, so hebben and zijn are often used interchangeably for the "left something behind" and "failed to do" meanings — as in the video's own sentence. Neither form is wrong, but Van Dale notes that hebben is the safer, more traditionally correct choice if you care about strict correctness.
Because of this, the exercises below accept both hebben and zijn as correct answers.
| hebben | zijn | |
| ik | heb vergeten | ben vergeten |
| jij | hebt vergeten | bent vergeten |
| hij / zij | heeft vergeten | is vergeten |
| wij | hebben vergeten | zijn vergeten |
| jullie | hebben vergeten | zijn vergeten |
| zij (meervoud) | hebben vergeten | zijn vergeten |
Bron: Van Dale taaladvies — "Wat is juist: iets vergeten hebben of zijn?" →
Both the hebben-vorm and the zijn-vorm are correct here.
1. Ik ___ mijn kaartje vergeten.
Both ben and heb are correct. Officially, heb is the best choice: losing/leaving your ticket behind is the "left something behind" meaning, for which Van Dale recommends hebben.
2. Hij ___ zijn tas vergeten op de trein.
Both heeft and is are correct. Officially, heeft is the best choice: leaving a bag on the train is the "left something behind" meaning, for which Van Dale recommends hebben.
3. Wij ___ de kaartjes vergeten te kopen.
Both hebben and zijn are correct. Officially, hebben is the best choice: not doing something (not buying the tickets) is the "failed to do something" meaning, for which Van Dale recommends hebben.
4. Jij ___ vergeten de deur te sluiten.
Both bent and hebt are correct. Officially, hebt is the best choice: not closing the door is a "failed to do something" meaning, for which Van Dale recommends hebben.
5. Jullie ___ vergeten in te checken.
Both zijn and hebben are correct. Officially, hebben is the best choice: not checking in is a "failed to do something" meaning, for which Van Dale recommends hebben.
6. Zij (meervoud) ___ hun paraplu vergeten in de trein.
Both zijn and hebben are correct. Officially, hebben is the best choice: leaving an umbrella on the train is the "left something behind" meaning, for which Van Dale recommends hebben.
7. Which sentences are correct?
Both heb and ben are correct — the video itself uses "ben". Officially, heb is the best choice: not thanking someone is a "failed to do something" meaning, for which Van Dale recommends hebben.
8. Zij (enkelvoud) ___ helemaal vergeten dat de trein om negen uur vertrekt.
Both is and heeft are correct. Here, is is actually the best official choice — this is the other meaning: forgetting a fact (that the train leaves at 9) is similar to "forgetting a name", for which Van Dale traditionally recommends zijn.
You'll see one extra word in each box — a choice between hebben and zijn. Use whichever you prefer; both are correct, and the other one simply stays unused.
1. "I forgot my ticket."
Both heb and ben are correct. Officially, heb is the best choice: losing your ticket is the "left something behind" meaning, for which Van Dale recommends hebben.
2. "He forgot to thank her."
Both heeft and is are correct — and "vergeten haar te bedanken" and "haar vergeten te bedanken" are both a valid word order. Officially, heeft is the best choice: not thanking someone is a "failed to do something" meaning, for which Van Dale recommends hebben.
3. "We forgot the tickets."
Both hebben and zijn are correct. Officially, hebben is the best choice: leaving the tickets somewhere is the "left something behind" meaning, for which Van Dale recommends hebben.
4. "Did you forget your bag?"
Both heb and ben are correct. Officially, heb is the best choice: leaving your bag somewhere is the "left something behind" meaning, for which Van Dale recommends hebben.
5. "They forgot the address."
Both hebben and zijn are correct. Here, zijn is actually the best official choice: an address is information, not an object — forgetting it is similar to "forgetting a name", for which Van Dale traditionally recommends zijn.
6. "You (jullie) forgot the map."
Both hebben and zijn are correct. Officially, hebben is the best choice: leaving a map (a physical object) somewhere is the "left something behind" meaning, for which Van Dale recommends hebben.
Rule of thumb: is it about physically leaving something behind or not having done something → officially hebben. Is it about forgetting information (a name, address, fact) → officially zijn.
Some Dutch verbs always use zijn (not hebben) in the voltooide tijd — usually verbs about movement or a change of state. Around a train station, these come up constantly:
Note: vergeten is not in this list — as Oefening A above shows, vergeten can take either hebben or zijn, depending on meaning.
1. De trein ___ net vertrokken.
2. Wij ___ om acht uur in Amsterdam aangekomen.
3. Ik ___ gisteren naar Rotterdam gegaan.
4. Hij ___ op het station gebleven.
5. Zij (enkelvoud) ___ met de trein gekomen.
6. What is the correct voltooid deelwoord of "vertrekken"?
7. What is the correct voltooid deelwoord of "aankomen"?
8. Jullie ___ te laat op het station aangekomen.
9. Which sentence is correct?
10. Wij ___ op het perron gebleven totdat de trein kwam.
1. "The train has departed."
2. "We arrived in Amsterdam."
3. "I went to the station."
4. "He stayed on the platform."
5. "She came by train."
6. "Have you (jullie) arrived yet?"
7. "The travelers have left."
8. "We stayed at the kiosk."
The imperatief (imperative) is used to give an instruction or a command. In Dutch, it's simply the stem of the verb (the "ik"-form), without a subject:
In the video: "Ga maar zitten" and "Kom maar mee." Adding maar to an imperative makes it sound friendlier and more relaxed — an invitation rather than a strict order.
1. What is the imperative of "komen"?
2. What is the imperative of "gaan"?
3. What is the imperative of "wachten"?
4. What is the imperative of "kijken"?
5. What is the imperative of "luisteren"?
6. What is the imperative of "zitten"?
7. Which sentence means "Go ahead and sit down"?
8. What does "maar" do in "Ga maar zitten"?
9. Which is the correct imperative for "meekomen" (to come along)?
10. Choose the correct imperative sentence.
1. "Wait a moment!"
2. "Look at the platform!"
3. "Listen carefully!"
4. "Go ahead and sit down."
5. "Come along!"
6. "Go straight ahead!"
7. "Take the escalator!"
8. "Ask the conductor!"
10 mixed questions — voltooide tijd with zijn, voltooide tijd with hebben, and the imperative. Multiple choice and word-order alternate.
1. Ik ___ een kaartje gekocht.
2. "We have seen the train."
3. Hij ___ al aangekomen.
4. "Come along!"
5. Zij (meervoud) ___ vergeten hun kaartje te kopen. (hebben and zijn both correct)
Both hebben and zijn are correct. Officially, hebben is the best choice: not buying the ticket is a "failed to do something" meaning (see Oefening A).
6. "Wait a moment, please!"
7. ___ jij de conducteur gevraagd waar het spoor is?
8. "We stayed at the station."
9. What is the imperative of "kijken"?
10. "I forgot my ticket." (one extra word — hebben or zijn, both correct)
Both heb and ben are correct. Officially, heb is the best choice: losing your ticket is the "left something behind" meaning (see Oefening A).
Got all 32 exercises right?
A video can teach you the grammar rules — only a real conversation teaches you to use voltooide tijd and the imperative naturally, without thinking. Practice this exact video live, with feedback on your Dutch.
Practice this dialogue with Tim →Textbooks explain grammar rules in isolation — real videos like this one show you how voltooide tijd and the imperative actually sound in a natural conversation.
Lessons use short, natural exchanges like this one — the kind you'll actually need from your very first week in the Netherlands.
New words are introduced in context, then reinforced with speaking practice — so they're easier to recall when you need them.
Lessons fit around your schedule. Free rescheduling up to 12 hours in advance.
Personal feedback on your own pronunciation, correction the moment you make a mistake, real grammar explanations, and a learning plan built around you — not a script.
💡 Not sure where to start? Take the free level test, or read more about our lessons.
This video and its grammar exercises are A2 level — a great fit once you know the basics and are ready to build real sentences, but the lessons behind it work for any stage of learning Dutch.
Not sure of your level yet? Take the free level test, or read more about our lessons.
Practical, personal, and grounded in Dutch you'll actually need — not just textbook dialogues.
We use short video clips like this one to train your ear, then immediately practise speaking the same patterns yourself.
New words are introduced through real situations, not word lists — so they're easier to recall when a similar moment comes up.
Grammar and writing are practised at home, with detailed feedback — so lesson time goes to speaking.
We bring in the vocabulary and situations from your actual life — shopping, travel, appointments — not generic examples.
After a short intake we determine your level and the pace that fits your goals — with concrete milestones along the way.
Real reviews from Preply and private students.
"Tim makes every lesson practical and relevant — we work on exactly the situations I run into during my week. I feel so much more confident now."
"Patient, clear, and always well-prepared. I went from barely speaking to holding real conversations."
"Tim's lessons are built around real life, not just grammar rules — that made all the difference for me as a beginner."
🏅 Top 5% Dutch Tutors on Preply
View all reviews on Preply →Book your free trial lesson and let's build on moments exactly like this one.
Start with a free 20-minute lesson — we discuss your level and goals.
Book free trial lesson →Questions about this grammar or your level? Send an email — I usually reply within a few hours.
Email Tim →