verbeterden

Verbeterden is a conjugated form of the Dutch verb verbeteren, meaning to improve. It is the imperfect (verleden tijd) tense used with plural subjects such as wij and zij. In English, it corresponds to “we/they improved.”

Morphology and usage: The form verbeterden appears in the past tense for wij/zij; the singular past tense is verbeterde (ik verbeterde, jij/je verbeterde, hij/zij/het verbeterde). Improveer is a regular -eren verb, and in the imperfect the stem verbeter- takes the plural ending -den. Example: “De teams verbeterden hun prestaties.”

Etymology: Het werkwoord verbeteren is built from the adjective beter (better) plus the prefix ver-, indicating making or causing to be. The development traces back to Middle Dutch and Old Dutch, with cognates in related Germanic languages. The form verbeterden reflects typical Dutch past-tense morphology for plural subjects.

Notes: Verbeterden is a grammatical form and not a separate lexical item. It is commonly used in narrative past and in reports of multiple actors taking action to improve something. For reference, the corresponding singular past tense is verbeterde, and the infinitive is verbeteren.

See also: verbeteren; verbetering.