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by Hyde Flippo
Updated August 05, 2016
German verbs that have irregular forms are also called strong verbs.Their conjugated
forms must be memorized. Weak (regular) verbs follow a predictable pattern and do not
vary the way that strong verbs do. There are also mixed verbs that combine elements of
weak and strong verbs.
Only some compound verbs are listed (i.e., anfangen). To conjugate other compound
verbs based on other verbs, e.g., abgeben, based on geben, simply use the stem verb (in
this case "geben") with the prefix (in this case "ab") to get the past (gab ab) or past
participle (abgegeben).
Participles that require sein as a helping verb are indicated by ist in front of the past
participle. The English meaning shown for each verb may be only one of several possible
meanings.
This verb chart uses the new German spelling (die neue Rechtschreibung).
AAA
anfangen begin fing an began angefangen begun
BBB
*Both brennen and bringen are "mixed" verbs, combining elements of strong and
weak verbs.
DDD
*The verb denken is a "mixed" verb, combining elements of strong and weak verbs.
*Used with an infinitive, as for all modals, the past participle is the infinitive drfen:
"Wir haben nicht gehen drfen."
EEE
*This verb has both strong (passive) and weak (active) forms: "Ich habe ihn
erschreckt." (I scared him.) and "Ich erschrak bei der Explosion." (I was startled/scared
by the explosion.)
essen eat a ate gegessen eaten
FFF
*The verb frieren takes the helping verb haben or sein, depending on its meaning. In
most cases ("to be cold") it is "hat gefroren," but in the meaning of "to freeze, turn into
ice," it is "Der Boden / Das Wasser ist steif gefroren." (The ground / water has frozen
solid.)
*The verb hngen is weak in transitive situations ("Er hngte das Bild an die Wand.")
*The strong past form hieb is used when the meaning is "struck (him) with a weapon."
*The verb kennen is a "mixed" verb, combining elements of strong and weak verbs.
*With an infinitive, the past participle is knnen: "Ich habe nicht gehen knnen."
*Do not confuse liegen (lie, recline, strong) and (sich) legen (lay, put, weak)!
*With an infinitive, the past participle is mgen: "Sie hat nicht gehen mgen."
*Used with an infinitive, as with all modals, the past participle is the infinitive
mssen: "Wir haben nicht gehen mssen."
Infinitiv Prteritum Perfekt
(Preterite) (Past Participle)
*The verb reiten is only used for riding an animal (e.g., horseback riding); to express
"ride" in a transportation sense (bus, train, etc.), fahren is used.
*The verb rennen is a "mixed" verb, combining elements of strong and weak verbs.
saugen
How suck sog* sucked gesogen* sucked
to
*Conjugate
Also has the weak forms saugte and hat gesaugt. In technical use, only the weak
German
form is used.
Modal
Verbs create;
schaffen schuf* created geschaffen* created
Duerfen,
Koennen,
Moegen
How
to
Conjugate
German
Modal
Verbs
Muessen,
Sollen,
and
Wollen
What
Are
Separable
Prefixes
in
German?
How
To
Figure
Out
Word
Order
in
German
How
to
Use
the
Future
Tense
in
German
The
Simple
Past
in
German
Knnen
How
to
Conjugate
the
German
Verb
"Stehen"
(to
Stand)
The
German
Verb
Wissen
(To
Know)
Conjugated
How
to
Conjugate
the
German
Verbs
Kennen,
"to
Know"
Examples
of
Regular
and
Irregular
German
Verbs
How
to
Conjugate
the
German
Verb
"Helfen"
(to
Help)
How
to
Conjugate
the
German
Verb
Anfangen
Learn
How
to
Conjugate
Common
German
Verbs
How
to
Conjugate
the
German
Verb
Wissen,
Meaning
"to
Know"
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