Guide
The Present Tense in German
In German, the Präsens (present tense) is used for actions happening right now, for regular routines, and sometimes for the near future. The verb endings change depending on the subject (I, you, he/she/it, etc.).
Regular Verbs
Most verbs follow a set pattern. You take the stem and add the regular endings. Here are some examples:
| Deutsch | English |
|---|---|
| ich arbeite | I work |
| du arbeitest | you work |
| er/sie/es arbeitet | he/she/it works |
| wir arbeiten | we work |
| ihr arbeitet | you (plural) work |
| sie/Sie arbeiten | they/You (formal) work |
| Deutsch | English |
|---|---|
| ich spiele | I play |
| du spielst | you play |
| er/sie/es spielt | he/she/it plays |
| wir spielen | we play |
| ihr spielt | you (plural) play |
| sie/Sie spielen | they/You (formal) play |
Irregular Verbs
Some verbs do not follow the regular pattern and their stems change for certain forms.
| Deutsch | English |
|---|---|
| ich habe | I have |
| du hast | you have |
| er/sie/es hat | he/she/it has |
| wir haben | we have |
| ihr habt | you (plural) have |
| sie/Sie haben | they/You (formal) have |
| Deutsch | English |
|---|---|
| ich bin | I am |
| du bist | you are |
| er/sie/es ist | he/she/it is |
| wir sind | we are |
| ihr seid | you (plural) are |
| sie/Sie sind | they/You (formal) are |
| Deutsch | English |
|---|---|
| ich werde | I become/will |
| du wirst | you become/will |
| er/sie/es wird | he/she/it becomes/will |
| wir werden | we become/will |
| ihr werdet | you (plural) become/will |
| sie/Sie werden | they/You (formal) become/will |
For modal verbs like dürfen, können, mögen, müssen, sollen, their endings are similar, but stems can change in "du" and "er/sie/es" forms.
Examples in sentences:
- Ich arbeite jeden Tag. (I work every day.)
- Du spielst gern Tennis. (You like playing tennis.)
- Er isst ein Brot. (He is eating bread.)
- Wir studieren an der Universität. (We study at the university.)
- Sie trinkt Wasser. (She drinks water.)
- Wir können Deutsch sprechen. (We can speak German.)
- Ich muss zur Arbeit gehen. (I have to go to work.)
- Sie wollen nach Hause kommen. (They want to come home.)
Modal verbs are usually followed by an infinitive at the end of the sentence:
- Ich darf gehen. (I may go.)
- Du sollst mehr lernen. (You should study more.)
Related Topics
Use of tense in written and spoken language, Expressions for expressing opinions, Konjunktiv II for politeness, Modal verbs in the subjunctive, Infinitive with zu, Participles as adjectives, Connectors and linking phrases, Verbs with prepositions, Adjective-noun combinations, Mixed tenses, Adverbs (time, manner, place), Expressions of time, Reported speech, Conjunctions (coordinating and subordinating), Narrative past, Causative 'lassen', Infinitive clauses, Conditional sentences, Passive voice, Past perfect (Plusquamperfekt)Skills
Vocabulary Learning Progress
New (16) - 100.0%
Forming regular verbs in the present tense
Regelmäßigen Verben im Präsens bilden
arbeiten, essen, spielen, studieren, trinken
Forming irregular verbs in the present tense
Unregelmäßigen Verben im Präsens bilden
dürfen, gehen, haben, kommen, können, mögen, müssen, sehen, sein, sollen, werden