Subjunctive in Dutch
The subjunctive 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 () as it often follows a conjunction. As in English the subjunctive mood in Dutch has gradually been replaced by modal auxiliary verbs. As a consequence of this, its contemporary use is mostly—but not completely—confined to set phrases and semi-fixed expressions. Readers of older Dutch texts frequently encounter the use of the subjunctive, especially in legal, judicial, literary and religious texts. Formation Present subjunctive (OTT), imperfect present tense: First person: present root + e () or if the root ends on a vowel: root () Second person: present root +et or root +e: ', , Third person: present root +e: Plural: present infinitive: VTT: OTT of or + past participle: , . Past subjunctive (OVT), imperfect past tense: First person: past root + e: . Second person: past root + e: . Plural: past infinitive: . One exception: the past subjunctive of the Dutch verb ('to become') is , not . VVT: OVT of ('to have') or ('to be') + past participle: , . Future subjunctive The future subjunctive is mostly a theoretical construct, which has almost never been used. OTkT (imperfect future tense): OTT of + present infinitive: . OVTkT (imperfect past future tense): OVT of + present infinitive: . VTkT (perfect future tense): OTkT of or + past participle: , . VVTkT (perfect past future tense): OVTkT of or + past participle: , . Usage In Dutch, the subjunctive mood can express a wish: hence, it fulfills the function of the optative mood () in other languages. command condition: hence, it fulfills the function of the conditional mood () in other languages. irreality: hence, it fulfills the function of the irrealis mood in other languages. possibility: potentialisdoubt uncertainty concession purpose exhortation: it fulfills the function of the hortative mood in other languages. The subjunctive was quite common in the past, and is often encountered in older Dutch texts. It underwent a slow but steady decline in use, first in the spoken language and later in the written language. It was already noted by linguists in the early 20th century that the use of the subjunctive in oral language was rare. 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, the most important of which is ('will'), especially its past tense: ('would'). Command or wish The subjunctive can express a wish or command.