The Simple present The simple resent is not as simple as you think in Dutch. We use simple present tense to refer to an event that takes place right now or to a current state. The conjugation of the simple present is as simple as the following: Ik (stem) = Ik maak Je (stem) + t = Je maak t Hij (stem) + t = Hij maak t We, jullie, ze - infinitive = we maaken The verbs maken, leren, huren en koken are all subject to the first stem rule: A LONG VOWEL INFINITIVE REQUIRES A LONG VOWEL STEM ...