Subjunctive in Dutch

The subjunctive mood in Dutch is a verb mood typically used in dependent clauses to express a wish, command, emotion, possibility, uncertainty, doubt, judgment, opinion, necessity, or action that has not yet occurred.

It is also referred to as the conjunctive mood (Dutch: aanvoegende wijs) as it often follows a conjunction. As in English, the subjunctive mood in Dutch has been gradually replaced by modal auxiliary verbs. As a consequence, contemporary use is mostly, but not completely, confined to set phrases and semi-fixed expressions. In older Dutch texts, the use of the subjunctive can be encountered frequently.

Formation

Present subjunctive

• • O.T.T. :
    • First Person: present root + 'e' (ik kom'e') or if the root ends on a vowel: root (ik ga)
    • Second Person: present root +'et' or root +'e': gij nem'et, zij je, u lett'e'
    • Third Person: present root +'e': hij spel'e'
    • Plural: present infinitive: wij mog'en'
  • V.T.T.: O.T.T. of hebben or zijn + Past Participle: ik 'hebbe' gespeeld, u 'zij' gegaan.

Past subjunctive

• • O.V.T.:
    • First Person: past root + 'e': Ik kwam'e'.
    • Second Person: past root + 'e': Hij speeld'e'.
    • Plural: past infinitive: Wij mocht'en'.
    • One exception: the past subjunctive of the Dutch verb worden (to become) is wierde(n), not werde(n).
  • V.V.T.: O.V.T. of hebben (to have) or zijn (to be) + Past Participle: Ik 'hadde' gespeeld, gij 'waret' gegaan.

Future subjunctive

The future subjunctive is mostly a theoretical construct, which has almost never been used.

• • O.Tk.T.: O.T.T. of zullen + Present Infinitive: ik 'zulle' spelen.
  • O.V.Tk.T.: O.V.T. of zullen + Present Infinitive: ik 'zoude' spelen.
  • V.Tk.T.: O.Tk.T. of hebben or zijn + Past Participle: Ik 'zulle' gespeeld hebben, gij 'zullet' gegaan 'zijn'.
  • V.V.Tk.T.: O.V.Tk.T. of hebben or zijn + Past Participle: Ik 'zoude' gespeeld hebben, gij 'zoudet' gegaan 'zijn.

Usage

In Dutch, the conjunctive mood can express a

• wish: hence, it fulfills the function of the optative mood (wensende wijs) in other languages.
• command
• condition: hence, it fulfills the function of the conditional mood (voorwaardelijke wijs) in other languages.
• irreality: hence, it fulfills the function of the irrealis mood in other languages.
• possibility: potentialis
• doubt
• uncertainty
• concession
• purpose
• exhortation: it fulfills the function of the hortative mood in other languages.

The subjunctive was in the past quite common and can often be encountered in older Dutch texts. Its use began a slow but steady decline, first in spoken language and later on in written language. During the early 20th century, it was already noted by linguists that the use of the subjunctive in oral language was rare.^[1] By that time, the use of the subjunctive in writing was also dwindling - a process that continued throughout the 20th century.

If the subjunctive is used in accordance with the rules mentioned in this article, it is still considered grammatically correct, but often sounds archaic or formal. In contemporary Dutch, the subjunctive is no longer actively used, save for a few exceptions and a large range of set phrases. Instead the function of the subjunctive has been replaced by a range of auxiliary verbs, with "zullen" ('will') as the most important one, especially its past tense: "zouden" ('would').

Command or wish

The subjunctive can express a wish or command.^[2] As such the subjunctive fulfills the function of what is known as the optative mood in some other languages. The main verb expresses a wish, demand or desire, such as willen (to want), begeren and verlangen (to desire), hopen (to hope), bidden (to pray), smeken (to beg) and waken and zorgen (to take care). Example sentences:

• Ik hoop dat hij op tijd 'kome'. (I hope he will come on time - In English the dependent clause that follows the verb "to hope" is always in an indicative mood.)
• Hij wenst dat er eendracht tussen ons 'zij'. (He wishes that there 'be' unity among us.)
• Zorg dat dit 'geschiede'.
• Hij smeekte dat de misdadiger gestraft 'wierde'.

It is also possible to express a wish without using a dependent clause. Example sentences:

• Lang 'leven' de kinderen! (Long live the children!)
• 'Mogen' zij in vrede rusten. (May they rest in peace.)
• Het 'ga' je goed! (May things go well for you!)
• God 'zegene' en 'beware' je. (May God bless and save you.)
• Het geluk 'zij' met u! (May luck be with you!)
• Hiermede 'moge' ik u berichten dat wij uw brief goed hebben ontvangen. (I may inform you that we have received your letter.)
• 'Ware' hij toch verstandiger geweest! (I wish he would have been wiser!)
• U 'gelieve' gepast te betalen.

In contemporary Dutch, the optative function of the subjunctive has to a large extent been replaced by the auxiliary verb "zullen" ('will') and to a much lesser extent by "laten" ('to let'). Example sentences: Ik hoop dat hij op tijd zal komen. (I hope he will come on time) and "Laat Uw Naam geheiligd worden." (Let Thy Name be hallowed, instead of "Geheiligd 'zij' Uw Naam" or "Hallowed 'be' Thy Name)." Many religious texts and official government or business letters still make use of the optative subjunctive.

Exhortation

The subjunctive can express an exhortation. Normally the 3rd person is used.

• U 'neme' drie eieren. (You should take three eggs.)
• De lezer 'bedenke' wel dat dit boek vijftig jaar geleden geschreven is. (The reader should keep in mind that this book has been written fifty years ago.)
• Men 'zegge' het voort. (One should tell others.)
• Men 'herleze' mijn brief. (One should reread my letter.)
• De gebruiker 'lette' hierop. (The user should take note of this.)

Condition or possibility

The subjunctive can be used to imply a condition or possibility.^[3] The former is also called the conditional mood or conditionality; the latter potentialis. Example sentences:

• 'Ware' hij koning... (If he 'were' king...)
• 'Hadde' hij de kracht gehad... (If he would have had the strength...)
• 'Vinde' ik hem, ik zou... (If I would find him, I would...)
• 'Ware' de hulp op tijd gekomen, dan was de ramp niet geschied. (If help would have arrived in time, the disaster would not have occurred.)
• 'Leefde' hij nog, ik zou... (If he 'were' still alive, I would...)
• Hij 'ware' een rijk man geworden, 'hadde' hij langer geleefd. (He would have become a rich man if he had lived longer - the first sentence contains a subjunctive that expresses a doubt, see below.)
• 'Sloege' ik hem dood, ik 'dede' een zonde. (If I would have hit him to death, I would have committed a sin.)

In contemporary Dutch, the conditional function of the subjunctive has almost been completely replaced by the combination of "als" ('if') or "indien" ('if') and the modal auxiliary verb "zouden" ('would'). For example: Als hij koning zou zijn... (If he would be king...) and Indien hij nog zou leven... (If he would still be alive...).

Several conjunctions were often accompagnied with a subjunctive, because these conjunctions always express a condition.^[4] Some examples:

• Mits: Ik wil haar graag in mijn huis ontvangen mits ze niet voor morgen 'kome'.
• Tenzij: Als je niet tevreden bent, tenzij ik je vraag 'beantwoorde', weet dan nu al dat ik dat niet doen zal.

In contemporary usage, these conjunctions are normally always followed by an auxiliary verb and an indicative mood.

Uncertainty or doubt

The subjunctive can be used to express a uncertainty or doubt.^[5] Example sentences:

• Al 'kwame' hij nu, het zou reeds te laat zijn. (Even if he would come now, it would be too late.)
• Ik vrees dat hij reeds overleden 'zij'. (I fear that he would already have died.)
• Ik twijfel of u daaraan wel voldoende moeite besteed 'hebbe'. (I doubt that you have spent enough effort.)
• Hij 'ware' een rijk man geworden, 'hadde' hij langer geleefd. (He would have become a rich man if he had lived longer - the second sentence contains a subjunctive that expresses a condition, see above.)

Several conjunctions were often accompagnied with a subjunctive, because these conjunctions always express a uncertainty or doubt.^[6]

• Of: Ik twijfel of hij mijn vriend wel 'zij'.
• Alsof: Het leek alsof hij op nieuw jong geworden 'ware'.

In contemporary Dutch, uncertainty is expressed by the modal auxiliary verb "zullen" ('will') and its past tense "zouden" ('would').

Irreality

The subjunctive can be used to express an irrealis situation. Example sentences:

• De man sprak over de bankoverval als 'ware' het een zondaguitstapje. (The man spoke about the bank robbery as if it were a Sunday trip.)

Concession

The subjunctive can express a concession.^[7] Example sentences:

• Hij 'ga' waar hij wil. (He can go wherever he wants)
• Wie hij ook 'zij'. (Whoever he may be.)
• Wat hij ook 'moge' doen. (Whatever he may do.)
• Hoe het ook 'zij'. (However it may be.)
• Ik ben het met zijn standpunten eens, 'zij' het niet geheel van harte.

Several conjunctions were often accompagnied with a subjunctive, because these conjunctions always express a concession.^[8]

• Hoewel: Hoewel hij een graag gezien figuur 'ware', besteedde hij niet veel aandacht aan zijn vrienden. (While he was popular, he did not spend a lot of time with his friends.)
• Ofschoon or schoon: Hij zoude niet genoeg hebben, schoon hij een miljoen frank 'bezate'. (He would not have enough, though he had a million francs.)

Purpose

Several conjunctions were always accompagnied with a subjunctive in the past, because these conjunctions always express a purpose.^[9] Some examples:

• Opdat: Ik zal hem helpen opdat hij zijn doel 'bereike'.
• Ten einde: De boer vraagt naar regen ten einde zijn akker besproeid 'worde'.

In contemporary usage, these conjunctions are normally always followed by an auxiliary verb and an indicative mood.

Set phrases

In contemporary Dutch, a wide range of fixed expressions that make use of the conjunctive exist. Some examples are mentioned here.

Proverbs

Some examples:

• 'Gebeure' wat gebeuren zal.
• 'Kome' wat komen zal.
• 'Koste' wat het kost.
• 'Redde' wie zich redden kan.

Formal and religious language

Some examples:^[10]

• Lord's Prayer: Onze Vader Die in de Hemelen zijt, geheiligd 'zij' Uw Naam, Uw Rijk 'kome', Uw Wil 'geschiede' op aarde als in de Hemel. (Our Father in heaven, hallowed 'be' your name, your kingdom 'come', your will 'be' done, on earth as in heaven.)
• Oath phrase: Zo waarlijk 'helpe' mij God almachtig.

Set words

In some words, the use of the subjunctive can be seen:

• Dankzij from "dank 'zij'" (thanks to)
• Hetzij from "het 'zij'" (either)
• Tenzij from "ten 'zij'" (unless)
• Godbetert from "God 'betere' het".
• Godverdomme from "God 'verdoeme' (het)" (God'damn'(it))
• Godzijdank. from "God 'zij' dank".

The composite words can also be split in their components and form a full-fledged sentence.

See also

• English subjunctive
• Grammatical mood

References

• In the past the word Nederduits (Low German) was often used interchangeably with Nederlands (Dutch). The below books treat Dutch and not Low German grammar.

1. ^ De Nieuwe Taalgids. Jaargang 3, 1909, p. 181
2. ^ (Dutch) Dr. W. G. BRILL, Nederlandsche spraakleer, p. 346. google.be
3. ^ (Dutch) P. WEILAND, Nederduitsche spraakkunst, p. 147. dbnl.org
4. ^ (Dutch) P. WEILAND, Nederduitsche spraakkunst ten dienste der scholen, p. 289. google.be
5. ^ (Dutch) P. WEILAND, Nederduitsche spraakkunst ten dienste der scholen, p. 134. google.be
6. ^ (Dutch) P. WEILAND, Nederduitsche spraakkunst ten dienste der scholen, p. 289. google.be
7. ^ (Dutch) P. WEILAND, p. 147 digitalebibliotheek.be
8. ^ (Dutch) P. WEILAND, Nederduitsche spraakkunst ten dienste der scholen, p. 289. google.be
9. ^ (Dutch) P. WEILAND, Nederduitsche spraakkunst ten dienste der scholen, p. 289. google.be
10. ^ (Dutch) Faculteit der Letteren, Radboud Universiteit, Aanvoegende wijs (conjunctief) let.ru.nl