Modal verb: zou - Modaal hulpwerkwoord: zou

Introduction

Polite requests with zou(den)

Conditional with zou(den)
Click here for self-correcting exercises on the use of zou.

Introduction

Zou (singular) and zouden (plural) form the past tense of the (irregular) modal verb zullen. In its past tense form this verb can be used in two different ways: in polite requests and in conditional sentences.

In addition, zou/zouden can also be used in counterfactual sentences.

This is the conjugation of zullen in the present and past tense:


 present tense past tense
ik zal zou
jij zal /zult zou
u zal /zult zou /zoudt
hij/zij zal zou
wij zullen zouden
jullie zullen zouden
u zal /zult zou /zoudt
zij zullen zouden


The choice between zou or zoudt (for u) is arbitrary and depends on personal or even contextual choice, although zoudt is considered to be extremely formal.

Top of page

Polite requests with zou(den)

Polite requests in Dutch, can take several forms. For instance, it is possible to make an imperative into a polite request, using maar. Another common way of making a polite request is to use zou/zouden with the modal verbs kunnen (‘could') of willen (‘would'). This makes them much more polite than requests with just kunnen or willen.

Kun je volgende week op Luuk passen? Can you look after Luuk next week?
Willen jullie de dokter bellen? Do you (plural) want to ring the doctor?<


Zou je volgende week op Luuk kunnen passen? Could you look after Luuk next week?
Zouden jullie de dokter kunnen bellen? Would you (plural) ring the doctor?

Note that zou/zouden is the finite form of the verb. As a result, all other verbs (in these cases infinitives of the modal verb kunnen or willen and the other verb) occur in the last or penultimate position. In these cases, it is preferable to place the modal verb before the other verb: …kunnen bellen rather than …bellen kunnen. See sentence structure for more information about the preferred order of infinitives.

Modal particles, especially even but also misschien, can be used in combination with polite requests with zou/zouden, making the request even more careful.

Zou je het raam even willen sluiten? Would you please close the window?
Zou u de deur even kunnen dichtdoen? Could you (formal) please close the door?

Top of page

Conditional with zou(den)

Most of the time the subordinating conjunction als (or indien for more formal language) is involved in this type of sentence:

Als ik jou was, zou ik een fiets kopen.
If I were you, I would buy a bicycle.

Ik zou een fiets kopen als ik jou was.
I would buy a bicycle if I were you.

Als zij meer hadden gestudeerd, zouden ze het tentamen hebben gehaald.
If they had studied more, they would have passed the exam.

Note that in the subordinate clause with als, the verb needs to be in the past tense or pluperfect tense.

Sometimes, the condition expressed by als can be omitted and its presence can be imagined.

Zou zij naar Antwerpen gaan (als zij geld had)?
Would she go to Antwerp (if she had money)?

Mjin ouders zouden op bezoek komen (als ze tijd hadden)
My parents would visit me (if they had time).

It is actually possible to have a conditional sentence without zou/zouden:

Als ik jou was, kocht ik een fiets.
If I were you, I would buy a bicycle.

Top of page