Maakten

Maakten is the past tense form of the Dutch verb maken, meaning to make or to create. It is the standard imperfect (past simple) form used with plural subjects such as wij, jullie, and zij.

Form and usage: Maken is a regular weak verb. The past tense for plural subjects is formed by adding the suffix -ten to the stem maak-, producing maakten. This form appears in narrative or descriptive past contexts when the subject is plural. The corresponding singular past tense is maakte, while the past participle is gemaakt and is used in perfect tenses (e.g., hebben gemaakt).

Examples: Wij maakten gisteren een taart. Zij maakten plannen voor de vakantie. These sentences illustrate how maakten marks actions completed in the past by more than one subject. In contrast, ik maakte in de vorige zin verwijst to a singular subject in the past.

Relationship to related forms: Maakten contrasts with de singular past tense maakte and with the present tense maken (ik maak, jij maakt, hij maakt, wij maken, jullie maken, zij maken). The past participle gemaakte is used with compound tenses (we hebben gemaakt).

Etymology and language notes: Maakljen derives from the Dutch verb maken, a regular weak verb with Germanic roots. The form maakten is standard in modern Dutch, though regional dialects may exhibit slight pronunciation differences.