Verbs: Progressive Tense with 'aan' — Dutch Grammar

To describe an action that is currently taking place, Dutch uses a specific construction often called the "continuous" or "progressive" form. While English creates this meaning by adding "-ing" to a verb (e.g., "I am working"), Dutch uses the phrase combined with the infinitive verb.

To form this tense, you need three elements:

1. The verb (to be), conjugated to match the subject (e.g., , , ).

2. The fixed phrase .

3. The full infinitive verb at the end of the sentence.

Literally, this translates to "to be at the [doing something]." It emphasizes that the subject is busy with an activity at this very moment.

Ik ben aan het lezen.
I am reading.
Zij is aan het slapen.
She is sleeping.
Wij zijn aan het wachten.
We are waiting.

Word Order with Objects

If the sentence includes an object (the thing being acted upon), the word order changes slightly compared to English. In Dutch, the object is placed before .

Think of the conjugated verb and the phrase as a frame. The object sits inside this frame.

Ik ben een boek aan het lezen.
I am reading a book.
Hij is de auto aan het wassen.
He is washing the car.
Jullie zijn huiswerk aan het maken.
You are doing homework.

Questions and Negatives

To ask a question in the progressive tense, place the conjugated form of at the very beginning of the sentence. The rest of the structure remains the same.

Ben jij aan het koken?
Are you cooking?
Is hij aan het rennen?
Is he running?

To make a sentence negative, place the word (not) before . If there is an object, usually comes after the object but still before .

Ik ben niet aan het luisteren.
I am not listening.
Wij zijn de film niet aan het kijken.
We are not watching the movie.

When to Use It

This construction is strictly for actions that are ongoing. You should not use it for verbs that describe a state of being, possession, or emotion, such as "knowing," "having," or "wanting." This is similar to English, where you typically would not say "I am knowing the answer."

Correct (Simple Present)

Ik weet het antwoord.
I know the answer.

Incorrect (Progressive)

Ik ben het antwoord aan het weten.
(Incorrect grammar)

Use only when someone is actively performing a task.

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