grondwerkwoord

Grondwerkwoord is a term used in Dutch grammar to denote the main lexical verb of a predicate. It carries the core semantic content of the action or state and is distinguished from hulpwerkwoorden (auxiliary verbs) such as hebben, zijn, worden, or modal verbs, which provide grammatical information like tense, aspect, mood, or voice.

In standard Dutch, the grondwerkwoord forms the basis of conjugation for finite verbs in simple tenses. For example, in the present tense: ik loop, jij loopt, hij loopt. When forming compound tenses, a hulpwerkwoord is used together with a non-finite form of the grondwerkwoord, typically the past participle: ik heb gelopen (gelopen is the past participle derived from het grondwerkwoord lopen), hij is vertrokken. Thus, the grondwerkwoord supplies the verbal content and the participle for non-finite forms, while the auxiliary handles tense and aspect.

Grondwerkwoorden can be regular or irregular. Regular grondwerkwoorden follow predictable patterns in their endings, whereas irregular ones show stem changes in different tenses (for example, gaan – ik ga, hij ging; komen – ik kom, zij kwamen). The infinitief (the dictionary form) is often treated as the base from which other forms are derived, and it is the form most commonly listed in dictionaries as the canonical form of the verb.

In linguistics and language education, the distinction between grondwerkwoord and hulpwerkwoord helps describe how Dutch clauses combine content words with grammatical helpers. The term underscores the separation between the semantic core of the predicate and the grammatical tools that express tense, aspect, or mood.