Conjugation of verbs

In the dictionary, verbs are found in their basic form, i.e. the infinitive.
The infinitive of a verb ends in –en (machen – to do, make) or –n (wandern – to wander).

Removing the infinitive ending leaves the verb stem: mach-, wander-.
The verb stem receives a different ending for each person.

Most verbs have the following endings:

e.g.

The forms of some verbs have to be learned by heart.

If the verb ends in :

• -s- → reis-en (= to travel)
• -ss- → küss-en (= to kiss)
• -ß- → heiß-en (= to call/be called)
• -z- → duz-en (= to address informally)
• -tz- → sitz-en (= to sit)

the 2nd person singular (du) takes the ending –t.

If the verb ends in :

• -t- → arbeit-en (= to work)
• -d- → bad-en (= to bathe)
• -tm- → atm-en (= to breathe)
• -chn- → zeichn-en (= to draw)
• -ffn- → öffn-en (= to open)

the 2nd person singular (du) takes the ending –est,
the 3rd person singular (er, sie, es) takes the ending –et,
the 2nd person plural (ihr) takes the ending –et.

If the verb ends in :

• -eln-→ sammeln (= to collect)

in the first person singular ( ich (= I) ), the -e is left off the verb stem.
the verb stem takes the ending ( wir (= we) ) in the first person plural and ( sie (= they) , Sie (= You) ) in the third person plural.

Many verbs change their stem vowel when the verb is conjugated. The vowel change occurs only in the 2nd Person sing. (du) and the 3rd Person sing. (er, sie, es).

a → ä in 'schlafen' - to sleep

e → i in 'geben' - to give

e → ie in 'sehen' - to see

Modal verbs

Modal verbs modify the meaning of the verb in the sentence.
Modal verbs determine the relationship to the activity expressed by verb in the sentence.
The second verb, after the modal verb, is always in the infinitive and at the end of the sentence.

• können – to be able – capability / possibility:

  Ich kann gut schwimmen.	= I can swim well.
  Das Auto ist kaputt. Wir können nicht weiter fahren.	= The car is broken. We cannot drive any further.
  Können Sie mir helfen?	= Can you help me?
  Die Medikamente kann man nur mit Rezept kaufen.	= One can only buy the medicine with a prescription.

• dürfen – to be allowed – permission / prohibition

  Hier dürfen Sie nicht rauchen!	= You are not allowed to smoke here!
  Die Bank darf das Geld für das Mittagessen abbuchen.	= The bank may transfer the money for the lunch.

• müssen – to have to – duty / necessity

  Ich muss den Aufsatz bis morgen schreiben.	= I must write the essay by tomorrow.
  Ich muss zum Hauptplatz.	= I have to go to the main square.
  Hier musst du den Namen angeben.	= You must give the name here.

• wollen – to want to – wish / intention

  Wir wollen am Wochenende an die Ostsee fahren.	= We want to drive to the Baltic at the weekend.
  Ich will dich heiraten.	= I want to marry you.
  Wollen wir etwas essen?	= Do we want to eat something?

• sollen – to be supposed to – duty / repetition of a request

  Du sollst deiner Oma helfen.	= You should help your grandmother.
  Der Arzt sagt, ihr sollt mehr Obst essen.	= The doctor says that you should eat more fruit.
  Soll ich den Notarzt rufen?	= Should I ring the emergency doctor?

• mögen – to like – inclination

  Ich mag keine Schokolade.	= I do not like chocolate.
  Ich mag türkisches Essen.	= I like Turkish food.

• möchten – would like – wish
  The modal verb 'möchten' is grammatically the 2nd subjunctive of the verb 'mögen' and has its own meaning of 'wish'.

  Ich möchte mit Frau Riedel sprechen.	= I would like to speak to Mrs Riedel.
  Wie möchten die Deutschen am liebsten wohnen?	= How do Germans prefer to live?
  Ich möchte eine Massage haben.	= I would like a massage.

• to need + zu + infinitive
  A negative “müssen” is often replaced by “nicht brauchen” when the meaning is necessity. With this one expresses that someone does not need to do something. In this case “brauchen” is used like a modal verb and is always accompanied by a negative word and an infinitive.

  Wir müssen morgen nicht früh aufstehen, denn es ist Wochenende.	= We do not have to get up early tomorrow as it is the weekend.
  Wir brauchen morgen nicht früh aufzustehen, denn es ist Wochenende.	= We do not need to get up early tomorrow as it is the weekend.

  “Brauchen” can also be used in combination with a limiting word such as “erst, nur, bloß, kaum” to express necessity.

  Du brauchst erst nächste Woche einzukaufen, noch haben wir viel zu essen und zu trinken.	= You do not need to go shopping until next week, we still have a lot to eat and drink.
  Um erfolgreich zu werden, brauchst du nur etwas mehr zu arbeiten, dann schaffst du es bestimmt.	= To be successful, you just need to work a little more, then you will certainly manage it.

Modal verbs can be used without a second verb if the context is clear.

In the conjugation of modal verbs, the1st and 3rd persons are the same.

Modal verbs can also be used with the impersonal pronoun 'man' 'one' – always in the 3rd person singular.

Compound verbs

Compound verbs are either separable or inseparable.

Separable verbs consist of the prefix and the verb.

Separable verbs

The prefix is stressed. In the dictionary we find: einkaufen (= to shop) .

The prefix modifies the meaning of the verb. ('Einpacken' – to wrap – has something to do with 'packen' – to pack. 'Einkaufen' – to shop – has something to do with 'kaufen' – to buy.)

In the Present Tense, the prefix is at the end of the sentence.

In the past participle, „-ge-“ comes between the prefix and the verb.

Prefixes with separable verbs:

ab- (= from)

abfahren (= to drive off)

an- (= on)

ankommen (= to arrive) , anprobieren (= to try on)

auf- (= on)

aufstehen (= to get up)

aus- (= out)

austragen (= to carry out) , aussehen (= to appear)

bei- (= by)

beibringen (= to teach)

ein- (= one)

einkaufen (= to shop) , einpacken (= to pack)

los- (= loose)

losgehen (= to set off)

mit- (= with)

mitkommen (= to come with) , mitnehmen (= to take along)

nach- (= after)

nachmachen (= to imitate)

vor- (= before)

vorstellen (= to introduce)

zu- (= to)

zumachen (= to close) , (da)zunehmen (= to include)

Inseparable verbs

The prefix is unstressed.

In the Present and the Preterite, the prefix remains joined to the verb.

The past participle has no „ge-”.

Prefixes in inseparable verbs:

be-

bekommen (= to get)

ge-

gefallen (= to please)

emp-

empfehlen (= to recommend)

ent-

entschuldigen (= to apologise)

er-

erzählen (= to tell)

miss-

missbrauchen (= to misuse)

ver-

verstehen (= to understand)

zer-

zerstören (= to destroy)

Imperative

The Imperative is used for requests, commands, advice or instructions.

The imperative is used in the following forms:

The imperative for the 'du-form' is formed by omitting both the personal pronoun 'du' and the ending '-st'.

The imperative for the 'ihr-form' is formed by omitting the personal pronoun 'ihr'.

The Imperative for the polite „Sie-form” is formed by changing the word order.

Verbs with umlaut in the 2nd and 3rd persons singular lose this umlaut in the imperative.

In verbs with the stem ending in: '-t', '-d', '-ig', '-er', '-el', the 'du' form ends in '-e'.

Irregular forms of the Imperative.

Imperative - 'we-form'

The imperative for the 'we-form' is formed by changing the word order.

Preterite (Simple Past)

The Preterite is a past tense form which is used mainly in narrations. The Preterite is used in written texts.

In the Preterite, the 1st and 3rd persons are always the same.

Regular verbs

Regular verbs with the stem ending in:

Irregular verbs

When talking about something in the past, the Preterite is almost always used for 'haben' and 'sein', even if the text as a whole is in the Perfect.

In the Preterite, the 1st and 3rd persons are always the same.

The Perfect

The Perfect is a form of past tense.

The Perfect is made using the conjugated form of the auxiliary verb („haben” or „sein”) and the Past Participle at the end of the sentence.

Past Participle

Regular verbs

The verb stem receives: the prefix 'ge-' and the ending '-t'.

With verbs whose stem ends in '-t-', '-d-', '-tm-', '-chn-', '-ffn-', the stem receives: the prefix 'ge-' and the ending '-et'.

Irregular verbs

The Past Participle of irregular verbs must be learnt by heart. It usually ends in '-en'.

Separable verbs

With regular and irregular separable verbs, the prefix 'ge-' comes between the verb's prefix and the stem.

Past Participle without 'ge-'

With regular and irregular inseparable verbs (beginning with: 'be-', 'ge-', 'emp-', 'ent-', 'er-', 'miss-', 'ver-', 'zer-'), there is no prefix 'ge-'.

Verbs with the ending '-ieren' have no 'ge-' and are always regular.

The Perfect with 'sein'

The auxiliary verb 'sein' is used,

• - when the verb expresses movement of the subject: 'kommen' - 'to come', 'gehen' - 'to go', 'laufen' - 'to run', 'springen' - 'to jump':

  Wir sind nach Wien gekommen.	= We came to Vienna.
  Er ist erst spät nach Hause gekommen.	= He arrived home late.
  Ich bin ins Kino gegangen.	= I went to the cinema.
  Sie ist vor kurzem von der Türkei nach Deutschland gezogen.	= She recently moved from Turkey to Germany.

• - when the verb expresses a change of state by the subject, such as: 'aufwachen' - 'to wake up', 'einschlafen' - 'to fall asleep', 'wachsen' - 'to grow', 'sterben' - 'to die':

  Ich bin sofort eingeschlafen.	= I fell asleep immediately.
  Du bist aber groß gewachsen!	= My how you have grown!
  Hermann Hesse ist 1962 in der Schweiz gestorben.	= Hermann Hesse died in Switzerland in 1962.

• - with the verbs:

  sein

  to be

  Ich bin gestern im Kino gewesen.

  I was in the cinema yesterday.

  werden

  to become

  Sie ist Mathematiklehrerin geworden.

  She has become a mathematics teacher.

  bleiben

  to stay

  Die ganze Woche ist er wegen der Grippe zu Hause geblieben.

  He stayed at home all week due to the flu.

  passieren

  to happen

  Was ist passiert?

  What happened?

  geschehen

  to happen

  Was ist geschehen?

  What has happened?

  begegnen

  to meet

  Ich bin ihm im Park begegnet.

  I encountered him in the park.

The Perfect with 'haben'

The auxiliary verb 'haben' is used with all transitive verbs, followed by the accusatice (even with movement of the subject).

The auxiliary verb 'haben' is used with all reflexive verbs (even with movement of the subject).

Reflexive verbs

Some verbs require the reflexive pronoun 'sich' (oneself).

The reflexive pronoun can mean that the activity is directed towards the subject.

The reflexive verb must be conjugated.

If the reflexive verb requires an accusative object, the reflexive pronoun changes:

Along with the reflexive use, several verbs and also be used to show a reciprocal (mutual) relationship. At least two people are always involved in a reciprocal relationship. Therefore the verb and the reciprocal pronoun always appear in the plural.

Reciprocal verbs only appear with plural subjects. Therefore the plural forms of the reflexive pronouns uns, euch and sich are used.

The passive

The passive is used when the most important information in the sentence is an activity, not the person carrying it out (the agent).

The passive is formed using the conjugated auxiliary verb 'werden' – to become – and the past participle at the end of the sentence.

The agent can be expressed by 'von + dative'.

Passive with modal verbs

One can also use the passive with the modal verbs can, must, may and should. The modal verb can occur in the present or the past tense.For this one uses the auxiliary verb werden and the relevant second participle of the main verb in addition to the modal verb.

Passive preterite

Subjunctive II

Subjunctive II is used in German to express requests, wishes, possibilities and suppositions. It is formed using the auxiliary verb “würden” and the infinitive at the end of the sentence.

“würden” is conjugated:

The verbs “haben”, “sein” and modal verbs form their subjunctive by adding an umlaut to the preterite form.

A wish can be expressed using the subjunctive. Often the emphatic particles 'doch', 'bloß' and 'nur' are also used with it.

Advice can be expressed by using the subjunctive of the modal verb 'sollen'.

With the conjunctive on can express unreality/possibility.

With the conjunctive one can express a guess.

A polite request (polite form) can be expressed in a question using subjunctive II:

Future I

In Germany, it is usually enough to use the present tense with a time word to express an action or an intention in the future.

The future I is a tense that directly refers to an event in the future. It is formed with the auxiliary verb “werden” and the infinitive of the verb at the end of the sentence.

The government of verbs

Most verbs require a fixed link with a preposition.
Unfortunately, the verbs with their prepositions and the following case must be learned by heart.

The list of the most frequent verbs with their prepositions:

Important structures:

If the question concerns a person, the accusative 'wen' or dative 'wem' comes after the preposition required by the verb.

If the question concerns a thing, the preposition required by the verb.comes after the word 'wo-'. If the preposition begins with a vowel, an '-r-' is inserted between 'wo-' and the preposition.

In forming a prepositional adverb, the preposition required by the verb.comes after the word 'da-'. If the preposition begins with a vowel, an '-r-' is inserted between 'da-' and the preposition.

Verbs with prepositions

In German many verbs are completed by a fixed preposition. The case of the noun depends on the preposition.

When one forms a question about something, the preposition required by the verb is added to the word “wo-”. A -r- is added between “wo-” and the preposition if it starts with a vowel.In this case the question is:

If one forms a question about a person, the substantive question (in the accusative “wen”, in the dative “wem”) comes after the preposition required by the verb.

Verbs with prepositions, which are always followed by the accusative:

The prepositions “auf”, “für”, “gegen”, “um” and “über” require the accusative case when they are used with a prepositional verb.

Verbs with prepositions, which are always followed by the dative:

The prepositions “bei, mit, nach, aus, unter, von, zu, vor” require the dative case when they are used with a prepositional verb.

Prepositions, which can be followed by the dative or the accusative:

The prepositions “an” and “in” can require the accusative or the dative case when they are used with a prepositional verb.

The modal verb “sollen”

The modal verb sollen is also used to express an urgency, which is not subjective. Often this relates to an invitation, a wish or an order by a third person.

Conjugation of sollen in the present conjunctive

In the second conjunctive form of sollen, a suggestion, a recommendation or a piece of advice is expressed.