Types

There are three basic kinds of verbs in Dutch in terms of separability

1. Basic verbs (current database at nl.wiktionary)

   Basic verbs form their past participle with ge-

   Either they simply consist of a stem: lopen - gelopen

   Or they may have prefixes that are treated as part of the stem; this is the case for all prefixes of Latin origin: degenereren -gedegenereerd

2. Separable verbs (current database at nl.wiktionary)

   Separable verbs have a prefix that is separated in some of the tenses, reunited in others

   They form their past participle by inserting -ge- between the prefix and the stem: doorlopen - doorgelopen

3. Inseparable verbs (current database at nl.wiktionary)

   Inseparable verbs have a prefix before the stem that does not separate

   The prefix suppresses the ge- prefix of the past participle - onthalen - onthaald

Stress

There is a difference in stress between the separable and inseparable prefixes:

separable prefixes carry stress

inseparable prefixes never carry stress: the stress is on the stem of the verb

Dual prefixes

be-

Much like in English the prefix be- 'pins' the action of a verb 'down onto' an object. If the prefix is added to an intransitive verb it often becomes transitive and thus the verb can be used in the passive voice:

slapen - to sleep

beslapen - to sleep on something

het bed is niet beslapen - the bed has not been slept on

gaan - to go

begaan - to set foot on, to perpetrate

onbegaanbaar - inpassible (impossible to set foot on)

ont-

This prefix has been largely supplanted in English by a prefix of Latin origin de-

dooien - to thaw

ontdooien - to defrost

The prefix mostly indicates an irreversible change or movement away from a previous state

slapen - to sleep

ontslapen - to die, to pass away

zien - to see

ontzien - to spare someone, to look the other way

It can have the flavor of an antonym at times

komen - to come

ontkomen - to escape

zich kleden - to get dressed

zich ontkleden - to get undressed

her-

This prefix has been supplanted by the Latin prefix re- in English. It means a renewal or a repeated action:

stellen - to put, to make stand

herstellen - to repair, to heal

denken - to think

herdenken - to commemorate

kiezen - to choose

herkiezen - to reelect

ver-

This prefix denotes a variety of meaning, some of which correspond to the English prefixes for- and fore-

In general it denotes a change.

taal - language

vertalen - to translate

kort - short

verkorten - to shorten

jong

verjongen - to rejuvenate

It can have the connotation of "change for the worse":

gaan - to go

vergaan - to perish

worden - to become

verworden - to degenerate, to decay

Some verbs only occur with this prefix:

vergeten - to forget

(krijgen, worden) - to get

There is a second prefix ver- with a different pronunciation: a stress carrying /vɛr/ rather than an unstressed /vər/. It is separable and has the meaning of English "far".

vérspringen - vérgesprongen: to make a long jump

verspríngen - verspróngen: to tick away, to suddenly change position

ge-

In Old Dutch this prefix was used as a general intensifier. Only later did it become a marker for the perfect tenses. English has had a similar development but lost the marker in the past participle. There are a few remnants in English like:

to rise - to arise

In Dutch the remnants are a bit more numerous.

denken - to think

gedenken - to ponder, to consider solemnly

bieden - to offer, to bid

gebieden - to command

dragen - to carry, to wear

zich gedragen - to comport onseself, to behave

loven - to praise

geloven - to believe

beloven - to promise

Notice that a word like "geboden" could either be the past participle of bieden or of gebieden. It can also be a noun, meaning commandments.

weer-

This prefix can convey the meaning of "again" (re-):

galmen - to sound, to resonate

weergalmen - to reverberate, to echo

spiegelen - to mirror

weerspiegelen - to reflect

However, it can also represent the with- of withstand:

weerstaan - to withstand

weerhouden - to withhold, to thwart