Welcome to Dutch verbs, episode 7: zullen, which means shall, will. In Dutch it is spelled:
z. u. l. l. e. n.
Zullen is the future-tense auxiliary - this is the verb we've been using to build the future tense in earlier episodes. It's also used for 'shall we' style proposals, and for conditionals.
Present tense. Listen and repeat.
Ik zal. — I shall, I will.
Jij zult. — You shall.
Or jij zal.
Hij zal. — He shall.
Wij zullen. — We shall.
Jullie zullen. — You all shall.
Zij zullen. — They shall.
One more time, straight through.
Ik zal. Jij zult. Hij zal. Wij zullen. Jullie zullen. Zij zullen. — Past tense forms are zou for singular and zouden for plural.
These are mostly used for conditionals - the equivalent of English 'would'.
Ik zou. Jij zou. Hij zou. — I would, you would, he would.
Wij zouden. Jullie zouden. Zij zouden. — We would, you all would, they would.
Now three example sentences.
Ik zal je helpen. — I'll help you.
Future tense - main verb helpen at the end.
Zullen we gaan? — Shall we go? The classic proposal.
Common at the end of a coffee break.
Hij zou komen, maar hij is ziek. — He was supposed to come, but he's sick.
Past zou for unfulfilled expectations.
That is episode 7. The verb zullen, meaning shall, will. Forms to remember: zal, zult, zullen, zou, zouden.
Today's Brueghel proverb.
Tegen de stroom in zwemmen.
Tegen de stroom in zwemmen. — Literally: to swim against the current.
Meaning: to go against the prevailing direction - to do things the hard way. Example:
Een vegetarisch restaurant in Texas openen is tegen de stroom in zwemmen.
Opening a vegetarian restaurant in Texas is swimming against the current.
Doei doei!
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