Explore the rules and patterns of verb conjugation in German, including regular and irregular verbs, different tenses, and verb forms.
German Grammar – Verb Conjugation
Quick reference guide for learners
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Verb stem | The part of the verb that stays constant across most forms (e.g., geh‑ from gehen). |
| Personal endings | Suffixes added to the stem to indicate person and number. |
| Tenses & moods | German uses six tenses (present, simple past, perfect, pluperfect, future I, future II) and three moods (indicative, subjunctive I/II, imperative). |
| Auxiliary verbs | sein (to be) and haben (to have) are used to form the perfect, pluperfect and future II. |
| Modal verbs | können, dürfen, wollen, sollen, müssen, mögen – they modify the meaning of a main verb and affect word order. |
Pattern: stem + personal endings
| Person | Ending | Example: machen (to do) |
|---|---|---|
| ich | -e | ich mache |
| du | -st | du machst |
| er/sie/es | -t | er macht |
| wir | -en | wir machen |
| ihr | -t | ihr macht |
| sie/Sie | -en | sie machen / Sie machen |
Changes affect the stem vowel (Ablaut) and sometimes add ‑en → ‑t in the 3rd‑person singular.
| Verb | Present stem change | Example |
|---|---|---|
| fahren | fährt (a → ä) | ich fahre, du fährst, er fährt |
| sehen | sieht (e → i) | ich sehe, du siehst, er sieht |
| lesen | liest (e → i) | ich lese, du liest, er liest |
Combine a weak ending pattern with a vowel change.
| Verb | Present form | Note |
|---|---|---|
| bringen | ich bringe, du bringst, er bringt | Stem vowel unchanged, but past tense follows strong pattern. |
Used mainly in writing, storytelling, and formal speech.
| Person | Weak ending | Strong pattern |
|---|---|---|
| ich | -te | stem + vowel change + -e |
| du | -test | stem + vowel change + -st |
| er/sie/es | -te | stem + vowel change |
| wir | -ten | stem + vowel change + -en |
| ihr | -tet | stem + vowel change + -t |
| sie/Sie | -ten | stem + vowel change + -en |
Examples