beloofden

Beloofden is the past tense form of the Dutch verb beloven in the plural. It translates to "they promised" in English and is used when the subject of the sentence is plural. The form reflects the simple past tense (verleden tijd) in standard Dutch conjugation, with the stem beloof- and the plural suffix -den.

In contemporary Dutch, the simple past tense with beloven is less common in everyday speech, where the perfect tense with hebben is often preferred. For example, instead of saying “Zij beloofden op tijd te komen,” many speakers would say “Zij hebben beloofd op tijd te komen.” Nevertheless, pasado simple forms like beloofden remain common in formal writing, historical narratives, and reported speech.

Usage notes:

- Beloften by a plural subject yield beloofden: Zij beloofden dat ze zouden helpen. (They promised that they would help.)

- The corresponding singular past form is beloofde (Ik beloofde, Hij beloofde). The noun form belofte means “promise.”

Examples:

- Zij beloofden op tijd te vertrekken. (They promised to leave on time.)

- De partijen beloofden hervormingen door te voeren. (The parties promised to implement reforms.)

Etymology and related terms:

- Beloven is the verb meaning to promise. Related nouns include belofte (promise) and verwachte beloftes (expected promises) in context. In Flemish usage, beloofden follows the same conjugation pattern as in standard Dutch.