20.1. Basic German Verbs: Present tense of regular verbs
Verbs are a fundamental component of any language, and German is no exception. Learning the basic German verbs and how to conjugate them in the present tense is an essential step for anyone starting to learn this language. This chapter of our e-book will guide you through regular German verbs in the present tense.
What is a regular verb?
In German, a regular verb is one that follows a specific pattern in its conjugation. This means that once you learn the pattern, you will be able to apply it to other regular verbs. This makes learning the language a lot easier as you don't have to memorize the conjugation of each verb individually.
Conjugation of regular verbs in the present tense
In German, verbs are conjugated according to person (I, you, he/she, we, you, they) and number (singular or plural). The conjugation of regular verbs in the present tense in German follows this pattern:
- Ich (I) - verb + e
- Du (you singular informal) - verb + st
- Er/Sie/Es (he/she/it) - verb + t
- Wir (we) - verb + en
- Ihr (you informal) - verb + t
- Sie/sie (you formal/they/they) - verb + en
For example, let's take the verb "spielen" (to play):
- Ich spiele (I play)
- Du spielst (you play)
- Er/Sie/Es spielt (he/she/it plays)
- Wir spielen (we play)
- Ihr spielt (you play)
- Sie/sie spielen (you play/they/they play)
Common regular verbs in German
Here are some examples of commonly used regular verbs in German:
- Lernen (learn)
- Spielen (play)
- Arbeiten (work)
- Wohnen (to live)
- Essen (eating)
- Trinken (drink)
- Lesen (read)
Exceptions and notes
Although most regular verbs follow the above pattern, there are some exceptions. For example, some regular verbs end in "s", "ss", "ß", "x", "z", "tz". In such cases, the ending "st" in the second person singular (du) is reduced to "t". For example, "du reisst" (you rip), not "du reisstst".
Also, it's important to note that German has both a formal and an informal way of addressing people ("Sie" and "du"). In most situations, "Sie" is used to show respect or when talking to strangers, while "du" is used with friends, family, and people of the same age.
In closing, regular verb conjugation is a fundamental part of learning German. We hope this chapter has helped you better understand how regular verbs are conjugated in the German present tense. Keep practicing and you'll soon feel more comfortable with these verbs.
