pleegde

Pleegde is the simple past tense form of the Dutch verb plegen, meaning to commit, perform, or carry out an action, most often in reference to a crime. It is a finite verb form used with a singular subject in the past: hij pleegde, zij pleegde, ik pleegde. The corresponding plural past tense is pleegden: wij pleegden, jullie pleegden, zij pleegden. The past participle of plegen is gepleegd, and it is used with the auxiliary hebben to form perfect tenses (ik heb gepleegd, hij heeft gepleegd).

Usage and nuance include that pleegde appears in narrative and formal contexts, such as legal or historical writing. It can describe criminal acts as well as other completed past actions. Example sentences in English glosses include: "De verdachte pleegde een misdrijf" meaning "The suspect committed a crime," and "Zij pleegde vroeger veel fouten" meaning "She used to make many mistakes."

Etymology and related forms: plegen derives from Middle Dutch plegen and has cognates in other West Germanic languages. The form is not related to the English verb pledge despite the similarity in spelling. In modern Dutch, plegen and its past tense pleegde are primarily found in formal, journalistic, or historical contexts; in everyday speech, speakers may use alternative phrasing to describe past actions or crimes.

See also: Dutch verb conjugation, plegen, pleegden, gepleegd.