German verb conjugation is a fundamental aspect of language learning and is one of the topics that will be covered in depth in our basic German course. This chapter will introduce you to the basic rules and exceptions you need to know to master German verb conjugation.
In German, verbs are conjugated according to person, number, tense, and mood. This means that the form of the verb can change depending on who is performing the action, how many people are involved, when the action is taking place, and whether the action is presented as a fact, a possibility, a wish, an order, etc.
To begin with, let's focus on the conjugation of verbs in the present tense, which is the most commonly used tense. In German, there are three groups of verbs: regular verbs, irregular verbs and mixed verbs. Each group has its own conjugation rules.
Regular verbs follow a predictable conjugation pattern. For example, the verb "spielen" (to play) is conjugated as follows:
- 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 (They/they play)
Irregular verbs, on the other hand, do not follow a fixed pattern and need to be memorized. For example, the verb "sehen" (see) is conjugated as follows:
- Ich sehe (I see)
- Du siehst (You see)
- Er/sie/es sieht (He/she/it sees)
- Wir sehen (We see)
- Ihr seht (You see)
- Sie/sie sehen (They/they see)
Mixed verbs are a combination of regular and irregular verbs. They follow the pattern of regular verbs, but also have a vowel shift in some forms, such as irregular verbs. For example, the verb "denken" (to think) is conjugated as follows:
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- Ich denke (I think)
- Du denkst (You think)
- Er/sie/es denkt (He/she/it thinks)
- Wir denken (We think)
- Ihr denkt (You think)
- Sie/sie denken (They/they think)
In addition to these basic rules, there are also some exceptions and peculiarities that you need to be aware of. For example, some verbs have a vowel change in all forms, some verbs have a vowel change only in some forms, and some verbs have an extra consonant in some forms.
In short, German verb conjugation can seem a little complicated at first, but with practice and study, you'll get used to the rules and exceptions. This chapter of our entry-level German course will provide you with a solid foundation for mastering German verb conjugation.
We hope you enjoy this course and that it will help you achieve your language learning goals.
