Navigating the intricacies of German grammar can be a challenging yet rewarding endeavour. In this blog post, we'll unravel the mysteries of German verb conjugations in the present tense, shedding light on the distinctions between regular and irregular verbs. While the language may pose unique challenges, understanding verb conjugations offers a manageable entry point into German grammar.
Verbs represent the action in a sentence that is performed by the subject. When you look up a verb in a dictionary, you'll find it there in the so-called "infinitive" form, which is the original form of the verb. Most infinitives in German end in -en. So, unlike the Romance languages that have several different infinitives, in German there is just one. If you remove the -en at the end, you’re left with the stem or root of the verb, eg.
spielen (infinitive)- en= spiel (stem), so infinitive- en= stem/root of the verb
You should always concentrate on the stem or root of the verb to identify whether the verb is regular or irregular. If the stem stays the same, it is, by definition, a regular verb. If the stem changes, it is an irregular verb.
Regular Verbs
Regular verbs maintain the same stem throughout, with endings that align with specific personal pronouns which you see listed below.
English pronoun | German pronoun | Ending of German verbs |
I | ich | -e |
you (informal) | du | -st |
he, she, it | er, sie, es | -t |
wir | we | -en |
you all (informal) | ihr | -t |
they, you (formal) | sie, Sie | -en |
As you can see from the above, there are only two endings that are exclusive to their personal pronouns, -e for "ich" and -st for "du". The third person singular pronouns "er", "sie", "es" share the -t ending with the second person plural "ihr". First and third person plural "wir" and "sie/Sie" go back to the infinitive form and and in -en.
When meeting an adult for the first time and in a formal setting, such as a business context or working environment, use "Sie" (our formal you). Use "du" (our informal you) only for people you know well, like friends and family and when native speakers offer you to drop the "Sie" and use the "du" instead. For a more detailed explanation and examples on the difference between "du", "sie" and "ihr", check out my separate blog post.
Applied to the verb “spielen” (to play), the conjugation is as follows.
ich spiele | I play |
du spielst | you (informal) play |
er, sie, es spielt | he, she, it plays |
wir spielen | we play |
ihr spielt | you all (informal) play |
sie, Sie spielen | they, you (formal) play |
Other examples of regular verbs would be
Kommen (to come) Wohnen (to live, to reside)
ich komme ich wohne
du kommst du wohnst
er/sie/es kommt er/sie/es wohnt
wir kommen wir wohnen
ihr kommt ihr wohnt
sie/Sie kommen sie/Sie wohnen
Irregular verbs
Irregular verbs have a different stem in the singular form but revert back to the original stem in the plural. In the verb fahren (to drive/go by mode of transport), for instance, the original stem has an “a”, whereas the “du/er/sie/es” have an “ä”, which we call "umlaut". That is the stem change of the verb. The endings are the same as in regular verbs.
ich fahre | I drive/go by mode of transport |
du fährst | you (informal) drive/go by mode of transport |
er, sie, es fährt | he, she, it drives/goes by mode of transport |
wir fahren | we drive/go by mode of transport |
ihr fahrt | you all (informal) drive/go by mode of transport |
sie, Sie fahren | they, you (formal) drive/go by mode of transport |
Other examples of irregular verbs are
Lesen (to read) Sprechen (to speak)
ich lese ich spreche
du liest du sprichst
er/sie/es liest er/sie/es spricht
wir lesen wir sprechen
ihr lest ihr sprecht
sie/Sie lesen sie/Sie sprechen
There are some patterns on how to identify irregular verbs, but it's best to memorise them as you're progressing through your German course.
The only irregular verb that doesn’t follow any pattern and which you just need to memorise is “sein” (to be)
ich bin | I am |
du bist | you (informal) are |
er, sie, es ist | he, she, it is |
wir sind | we are |
ihr seid | you all (informal) are |
sie, Sie | they, you (formal) are |
When learning a new language, grammar terms can be quite intimidating. So I have compiled an A-Z explanation of the most important grammar terms with examples in both English and German.
On our German language blog "Auf Deutsch, bitte!", you will also find posts on how to introduce yourself in German, how to say "please" and "thank you" German, and the ten most useful verbs in German. We also have an article on the most common phrases in German and one that explains the difference between language levels a1, a2, b1 etc.
You might also be interested in my Ultimate Guide to Learning German. Check it out to learn how to learn German fast.
