Question 1

Why doesn't the past participle have a ge- prefix, like gebespaard?

Accepted Answer

The verb is besparen (to save). Because it starts with the unstressed prefix be-, it belongs to a group of inseparable verbs that do not get the ge- prefix in the past participle. You just use bespaard.

Question 2

How do we know to end bespaard with a -d instead of a -t?

Accepted Answer

You can figure this out using the 't kofschip rule. The stem of besparen ends in an r (bespaar). Since r is not one of the consonants in 't kofschip, we add a -d instead of a -t to make the past participle.

Question 3

Why does this sentence use geen instead of niet for the negative?

Accepted Answer

We use geen because we are negating the noun geld (money). When you negate an uncountable noun or a noun without a specific article (meaning "not a" or "not any"), Dutch always uses geen. It literally translates to "We have saved no money."

Question 4

Why is bespaard placed at the very end of the sentence?

Accepted Answer

This is standard Dutch word order for the present perfect tense. The helper verb hebben takes the second position in the sentence, while the past participle (bespaard) is pushed all the way to the end.

Wij hebben geen geld bespaard.

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