Present continuous in the Dutch language: aan het

How do you say ‘I’m eating’ in Dutch? Or: I’m walking now? Yes, English speakers often use the present continuous: to be + verb + ing attached. But how do you use it in Dutch?

Simple:

• Ik eet. (I’m eating)
• Ik wandel nu. (I’m walking now)

Isn’t that the simple present? Yes.

Present continuous or not?

In Dutch, the present continuous isn’t used as often as in English. That’s why Dutch language teachers sometimes even forget to mention it. It is used to explicitly stress the verb.

When you use the present continuous, use to be + aan het + infinitive.

So if someone is calling you and you want to tell that person you’re eating and you’d like to diplomatically say you can’t speak for the moment, you can answer:

• Ik ben aan het eten (I’m eating).

  

Or if you’re informing your son is walking, and he shouldn’t be disturbed:

• Hij is aan het wandelen nu (He’s walking now).

And if you’re studying Dutch together (bonus points if you do) with some pals :

• We zijn Nederlands aan het studeren nu (We’re studying Dutch now).

To ask a question with aan het, you can ask:

• Wat ben je aan het doen? (What are you doing?)
• Ik ben aan het dansen. (I’m dancing)

Note that the past continuous simply uses the past tense of to be:

• Ik was aan het dansen (I was dancing).

Exercises

Translate the following with the present continuous:

1. They are eating in the restaurant.
2. We’re dancing outside now.
3. What were you doing?
4. I’m studying.
5. What are you studying? (plural)

Solutions

1. Ze zijn aan het eten in het restaurant.
2. We zijn nu buiten aan het dansen.
3. Wat was je aan het doen?
4. Ik ben aan het studeren.
5. Wat zijn jullie aan het studeren?