Classroom – German

German Classroom: Modal Hilfverben

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The Modal Auxiliaries in English: English features a group of “helping verbs” that function differently from most others: can, may, must, shall, should, and will. They do not describe an action, but express an attitude toward an action usually represented by an infinitive. Their present-tense conjugations resemble the simple past of strong verbs (“the truth will out”), and they do not use “to” when combining with infinitives (“she can go home”). They form past and future tenses in various ways: “I can,” “I could,” “I had been able to,” “I will be able to”). Note also that “to” is omitted when citing the auxiliary verb itself; we do not say “to must.” The Modal Auxiliaries in German: The German modal auxiliaries likewise express an attitude toward, or relationship to, an action:  

dürfen to be permitted to, “may”
können to be able to, “can”
mögen to like
müssen to have to, “must”
sollen to be supposed to, “should”
wollen to want, “will”
Their present tense conjugations resemble the simple past forms of strong verbs:
Infinitive ich du er/sie/es wir ihr Sie sie
dürfen darf darfst darf dürfen dürft dürfen dürfen
können kann kannst kann können könnt können können
mögen mag magst mag mögen mögt mögen mögen
müssen muss musst muss müssen müsst müssen müssen
sollen soll sollst soll sollen sollt sollen sollen
wollen will willst will wollen wollt wollen wollen
With the exception of “mögen”, the modals generally combine with an infinitive (without “zu”). Some examples:
Darf man hier rauchen? Is one allowed to smoke here?
Sie kann es nicht finden. She can’t find it.
Ihr müsst langsamer sprechen. You have to speak more slowly.
Willst du jetzt nach Hause gehen? Do you want to go home now?
Mir dürfen Sie alles sagen. You may tell me everything.
Ihr könnt das in der Drogerie kaufen. You can buy that in the drugstore.
Das sollst du wissen. You should know that.
Ich will jetzt schlafen. I want to sleep now.
It is also possible to combine two modals this way:
Das sollst du können. You should be able to do that.
Ich darf das wollen. I’m allowed to want that.
Sie müssen uns sehen können. They have to be able to see us.
Wir müssen nur wollen.* We just have to want. [see below].
*”Müssen nur wollen” is the title of a song by the group Wir sind Helden (We Are Heroes). Here are the lyrics. “mögen” normally does not combine with another verb, except in its subjunctive form, “möchte”. In the indicative, it means “to like [something]” (although see “special meanings”:)
Ich mag diese Musik nicht. I don’t like this music.
Wer möchte mit mir Tennis spielen? Who would like to play tennis with me?
Sie möchte lieber über etwas anderes sprechen. She would prefer to talk about something else.
The modals do not require an infinitive, however. Sometimes it is only implied:
Ich kann das. I can do that.
Wir müssen jetzt nach Hause. We have to go home now.
Was soll das? What’s that supposed to mean?
Ich will noch ein Stück Kuchen. I want another piece of cake.
Sometimes the infinitive is dispensed with in order to avoid an indelicate phrase:
Mutti, ich muss mal! Mommy, I have to go (to the bathroom)!
Du kannst mich mal! You know what you can do (= ~ kiss my ass).
To find out about using modal auxiliaries in the passive voice, click here. Models in the Past Tenses: The modals’ past forms resemble those of the other “irregular strong verbs”, although there are two forms of the past participle, as explained below:
Infinitive Simple Past Past Participle  Subjunctive
dürfen durfte gedurft/dürfen  dürfte
können konnte gekonnt/können  könnte
mögen mochte gemocht/mögen  möchte
müssen musste gemusst/müssen  müsste
sollen sollte gesollt/sollen  sollte
wollen wollte gewollt/wollen  wollte
Examples of the Simple Past Tense with Modals:
Sie durfte nicht zu Hause rauchen. She wasn’t allowed to smoke at home.
Ich konnte ihn nicht hören. I couldn’t hear him.
Mochtest du das nicht? Didn’t you like that?
Ich musste aufs Klo. I had to go to the bathroom.
Sie sollte die Bücher mitbringen. She was supposed to bring the books along.
Er wollte etwas Billigeres kaufen. He wanted to buy something cheaper.
Forming the Present Perfect and Past Perfect Tenses with Modals: There are two ways in which modals form past participles. When there is no accompanying infinitive, the modals act like irregular strong verbs:
Unsere Eltern waren sehr streng, wir haben nichts gedurft. Our parents were very strict; we weren’t permitted to do anything.
Einmal habe ich das gekonnt. Once I could do that.
Sie hat ihn gemocht. She liked him.
Du hast das gemusst. You had to do that.
Ich habe es gesollt. I was supposed to.
Du hast es so gewollt. That’s how you wanted it.
When the modal is associated with another verb, the two combine in the perfect tenses to form a double infinitive:
Ich habe nichts sagen dürfen. I wasn’t allowed to say anything.
Wer hat das wissen können? Who could have known that?
Alle Kinder haben helfen müssen. All the children had to help.
Er hat mehr tun sollen. He was supposed to do more.
Ich habe so etwas immer machen wollen. I always wanted to do something like that.
The double infinitive can easily become awkward, and most speakers prefer to use the simple past. In dependent clauses, the double infinitive stays at the end, and the finite verbs slips into the second-the-last position
Er ist unglücklich, dass er erst nach dem Konzert hat essen dürfen. He is unhappy that he wasn’t allowed to eat until after the concert.
Bist du sicher, dass du das so gut hättest schreiben können? Are you sure, that you could have written that so well?
Ich weiß nicht, wer das hat machen müssen. I don’t know who had to do that.
Wir haben geschlafen, obwohl wir eigentlich hätten arbeiten sollen. We slept, although we were actually supposed to work.
Es ist schade, dass du das nicht mehr hast machen wollen. It’s too bad that you didn’t want to do that any more.
In the above examples, the modal was put into a perfect tense. As in English, the modal can have a different meaning when combined with another verb that is in the past. Note the distinctions:
Sie hat das sagen dürfen. She was allowed to say that.
Sie darf das gesagt haben. She may have said that. [see next section on Special Meanings]
Er hat mir einen Brief schreiben können. He was able to write me a letter.
Er kann mir einen Brief geschrieben haben. He may have written me a letter. [see next section on Special Meanings]
Sie haben mich nach Hause tragen müssen. They had to carry me home.
Sie müssen mich nach Hause getragen haben. They must have carried me home.
Ihr habt mir helfen sollen. You were supposed to help me.
Ihr sollt mir geholfen haben. You are supposed to have helped me.
Er hat es finden wollen. He wanted to find it.
Er will es gefunden haben. He claims to have found it. [see next section on Special Meanings]
Special Meanings of the Modal Auxiliaries: “dürfen” has several meanings: 1) Usually it expresses permission or a right to do something (“may”).
Darf ich jetzt essen? May I eat now?
Jeder darf seine Meinung äußern. Everyone may express his or her opinion.
Darf ich bitte zu Ende reden? May I please finish what I’m trying to say?
2) In the negative, “dürfen” can refer to a moral obligation, corresponding to “müssen” in the positive:
Wir dürfen nicht zu laut sein. We mustn’t be too loud.
3) Although the use is now somewhat old-fashioned, “dürfen” can mean ‘need only’:
Du darfst nur anrufen, und ich komme sofort. You need only call, and I’ll come right away.
4) The subjunctive form (“dürfte”) can be used to express mild conviction:
Das dürfte wohl wahr sein. That may well be/is probably true.
Das Radio dürfte jetzt funktionieren. The radio probably works now.
Die Polizei dürfte Sie fragen, wo Sie waren. The police will probably ask you where you were.
“können” also has a variety of meanings: 1) To have the ability or power:
Kannst du Klavier spielen? Can you play the piano?
Er kann ziemlich hoch springen. He can jump pretty high.
2) As a transitive verb, meaning to know how to do something or to know something thoroughly:
Sie kann gut Deutsch. She speaks German well.
Er kann das Gedicht auswendig. He can say the poem by heart.
3) To be able to bear or endure:
Ich kann kein Blut sehen. I can’t stand the sight of blood.
4) To be possible or likely:
Das kann wahr sein. That could/may be true.
Das kann nicht sein. That can’t be true.
Es könnte wohl regnen. It could well rain.
5) As a mild form of command:
Sie können jetzt gehen. You can go now.
Ihr könntet uns mal helfen. You could give us a hand. [Note that this is in the subjunctive]
6) As a form of permission, indicating that there is nothing in the way:
Meinetwegen kann sie mitspielen. As far as I’m concerned, she can play, too.
Ihr könnt gern mitkommen. Y’all are welcome to come along.
Sie können es ruhig nehmen. You’re welcome to take it.
7) As an indication of an opportunity or good reason to do something:
Sie können stolz auf ihr Kind sein. You can be proud of your child.
Wir können jetzt essen. We can eat now.
“mögen”: 1) To like something:
Ich mag keine Eier. I don’t like eggs.
Sie mag ihn nicht. She doesn’t like him.
2) “mögen” is frequently used in the subjunctive to shape requests or wishes:
Ich möchte ein Glas Leitungswasser. I’d like a glass of tap water.
Möchtest du etwas anderes machen? Would you like to do something else?
3) “mögen” can be used in the special subjunctive for third-person commands:
Möge sie glücklich sein. May she be happy.
Möge Gott dir helfen. May God help you.
4) To indicate possibility or probability. In this sense, “mögen” is always used positively. To deny a possibility, use “können” (“Das kann nicht sein”):
Es mag jetzt zu spät sein. It may be too late.
Das möchte wohl ein Problem werden. That might well become a problem.
5) To grant or concede a point:
Er mag so viel von seinen Leistungen reden, wie er will, ich finde ihn trotzdem doof. He can talk all he wants about his accomplishments – I still think he’s stupid.
Er möge schreien soviel er will, wir kaufen es ihm nicht. He can yell as much as he wants, but we won’t buy it for him.
1) To indicate necessity or obligation:“müssen”:
Muss ich das tun? Do I have to do that?
Muss das sein? Is that necessary?
Jeder muss irgendwann sterben. Everybody has to die sometime.
Ich musste lachen. I had to laugh.
2) With “müssen”, a strong obligation is expressed only in the positive. In contrast, “nicht müssen” means “don’t have to.” To translate “must not” use “nicht dürfen” or “nicht sollen”:
Du musst mehr essen. You must eat more.
Du musst nichts sagen. You don’t have to say anything.
Sie muss nicht mitsingen. She doesn’t have to sing along.
3) The necessity can be implied in an expression of strong probability:
Du musst sehr enttäuscht gewesen sein. You must have been very disappointed.
Das muss weh tun. That must hurt.
4) There can be an implication that the necessity is unfortunate:
Gerade mich musste er sehen. He had to see me, of all people.
Das musste kommen! Of course that had to happen!
1) To indicate moral constraint (compare #7 below):“sollen”:
Du sollst nicht töten. Thou shalt not kill.
Sie sollen sich besser benehmen! You should behave better!
2) In contrast to the use cited above, “sollen” frequently appears in the subjunctive (but not with würde) when an English-speaker might not expect it to. In that form it implies a less strict obligation (and often precedes an admission that the obligation will not be fulfilled):  
Ich sollte meine Mutter anrufen, aber ich habe jetzt keine Zeit. I ought to call my mother, but I don’t have any time right now.
Ich sollte eigentlich keinen Nachtisch bestellen. I really shouldn’t order desert [but I’m going to].
3) As a command:
Sie sollen sofort kommen. You are to come right away.
Er soll um fünf da sein. He should be there at five.
4) To indicate an intent:
Dieser Computer sollte die Arbeit leichter machen. This computer was supposed to make my work easier.
Soll das ein Witz sein? Is that supposed to be a joke?
5) To indicate a logical probability:
Eigentlich soll das eine größere Zahl ergeben. That should actually produce a higher number.
6) To ascertain someone’s will:
Sollen wir jetzt essen? Shall we eat now?
7) Other senses of “supposed to be”:
Dresden soll sehr schön sein. Dresden is supposed to be [is said to be] very beautiful.
Er sollte schon längst hier sein. He was supposed to be here long ago.
Ich soll das Geld am ersten des Monats erhalten. I’m supposed to get the money on the first of the month.
8) In the simple past tense, “sollen” can mean “would” or “to be to” to indicate that a further development will later take place in a narrative:
Er sollte bald sein blaues Wunder erleben. He would soon get the shock of his life.
Sie sollte später lernen, was wirklich mit dem Geld geschehen war. She would later learn what had really happened to the money.
Es sollten dann viele Menschen an dieser Krankheit sterben. Many people were then to die of this disease.
“wollen”: 1) To express want, desire, or intention:
Ich will dich nie wieder sehen. I don’t ever want to see you again.
Was willst du jetzt? What do you want now?
Sie will nur das Beste für ihr Kind. She only wants the best for her child.
Wir wollen ihren Geburtstag feiern. We want to celebrate her birthday.
Er wollte es heute vorbeibringen. He was going to bring it by today.
Wir wollen nicht weiter davon sprechen. We won’t mention it any more.
2) To claim or profess:
Sie will nichts gehört haben. She claims to have heard nothing.
Er will das Geld gefunden haben. He claims to have found the money.
Dieses Buch will die umfassendste Studie sein. This book professes to be the most complete study.
3) To be about to:
Ich wollte dich gerade anrufen. I was just about to call you up.
Er ist gekommen, als wir gehen wollten. He came as we were about to leave.
4) Some other meanings:
Wie wollen Sie das tun? How do you expect to do that?
Wie haben stundenlang gewartet, aber er wollte nicht kommen. We waited for hours, but he didn’t show up.
Bücher wollen gelesen werden. Books are supposed to be read.
Das will nicht viel sagen. That doesn’t mean much.
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German Classroom: Subjunctive in German

Classroom - German / By

The Subjunctive Mood in English: English, like German, has the general subjunctive, a system for talking about hypothetical situations:

  • “If I were you, I wouldn’t do that.”
  • “Had she known that, she wouldn’t have gone out with him.”
  • “Let’s pretend that we were pirates.”
  • “If you lived here, you would be home now.”
  • “I would go, but I’m too tired.”
  • “If only I hadn’t said that!”
These forms are very common, but speakers are not always conscientious about using them correctly: we hear toughs say, “If I was you, I’d keep my mouth shut,” and sports commentators claim, “If I’m the coach, I’m happy with the way the game is going.” Colloquial speech is most comfortable with constructions employing “would” (the subjunctive form of “will”): “I would do it if I could.” The general subjunctive is sometimes called the “past subjunctive” because it builds off past tense forms, but it does not necessarily refer to the past. In fact, “If I were rich…” refers to an undetermined time not in the past – it could be in the present or the future. To talk about an unreal situation in the past, we would have to say, “If I had been rich….” The General Subjunctive Mood in German (Konjunktiv II). Just like English, German uses the simple past forms as a basis for the general subjunctive. In fact, the subjunctive form of weak verbs is indistinguishable from the simple past:
Wenn ich diesen Wagen haben wollte, kaufte ich ihn sofort.
If I wanted to have this car, I would buy it immediately.
The strong verbs also use the simple past, adding an umlaut where possible, together with the same endings that follow the “-t-” of the weak simple past:
ich wäre wir wären
du wärest ihr wäret
Sie wären
er/sie/es wäre sie wären
The irregular weak verbs add an umlaut to the imperfect form: brächte, dächte, hätte, wüsste, although some of them substitute an “-e-” for the “-ä-“: brennte, kennte, nennte, rennte, sendete, wendete. Modals also add an umlaut to the imperfect form – if there was one in the infinitive: dürfte, könnte, möchte, müsste. “Sollen” and “wollen,” however, do not add an umlaut: sollte, wollte. (Some verbs have retained subjunctive forms that reflect archaic constructions. Thus “helfen” traditionally becomes “hülfe.” However, these forms now seem pedantic, and we increasingly find “hälfe.” You can click here for a listing of the subjunctive forms of the more common strong verbs). Thus we can construct sentences like:
Wenn ich dieses Lied wüsste, sänge ich es. If I knew this song, I would sing it.
Wenn es nicht regnete, gingen wir schwimmen. If it weren’t raining, we’d go swimming.
Ich kaufte das Buch, wenn ich Italienisch lesen könnte. I’d buy the book if I could read Italian.
Ich brächte Blumen mit, wenn die Geschäfte nicht zu hätten. I’d take flowers along if the stores weren’t closed.
Wenn das Wörtchen “wenn” nicht wär’, wär’ mein Vater Millionär. If it weren’t for the little word “if,” my father would be a millionaire (~ “If wishes were horses, then beggars could ride.”).
Wenn ich ein Vöglein wär’,/ Und auch zwei Flüglein hätt’/ flöge ich zu dir’. If I were a little bird,/ And had two little wings,/ I’d fly to you. [from a folksong].
Wenn deine Großmutter Räder hätte, wäre sie eine Straßenbahn. If your grandmother had wheels, she’d be a trolleycar [= Yiddish proverb].
If my boyfriend broke as many promises as the chancellor, I’d throw him out.
Similar to English’s use of “would,” colloquial German most comfortably employs “würde”, the subjunctive form of “werden”. In conditional sentences (“if…then”), “würde” is normally part of the “then-clause”:  
Wenn ich dieses Lied wüsste, würde ich es singen. If I knew this song, I would sing it.
Wenn es nicht regnete, würden wir schwimmen gehen. If it weren’t raining, we would go swimming.
  Tenses in the General Subjunctive: Note that constructions with “würden” resemble the future tense (i.e. “werden” + infinitive), but a future meaning is not necessarily implied. In contrast to the special subjunctive, the general subjunctive has in fact only two tenses – the non-past and the past – but we can construct each of these tenses in several ways. The non-past, an indeterminate time in the present or future, can be constructed with or without“”würde”:
Wenn ich schneller führe, hätte ich bestimmt einen Unfall.
Wenn ich schneller führe, würde ich bestimmt einen Unfall haben.
If I drove faster, I would surely have an accident.
To create a past tense, an indeterminate time before the present, we employ a perfect construction, using the subjunctive forms of “haben” or “sein” as the auxiliary verbs:
Wenn ich schneller gefahren wäre, hätte ich bestimmt einen Unfall gehabt.
Wenn ich schneller gefahren wäre, dann würde ich bestimmt einen Unfall gehabt haben.
If I had driven faster, I would surely have had an accident.
When the sense calls for it, both tenses might be used:
Wenn ich das damals gewusst hätte, wäre ich jetzt ein reicher Mann.
Wenn ich das damals gewusst hätte, würde ich jetzt ein reicher Mann sein.
If I had known that then, I would now be a rich man.
Note that only the “unreal” portion of the sentence is in the subjunctive:
Wenn ich damals gewusst hätte, was ich jetzt weiß, wäre ich ein reicher Mann.
If I had known then what I know now, I would be a rich man.
Other forms of “if-then” clauses: Inverted word order can replace “wenn” (compare the English, “Had I known…”):
Hätte ich gewusst, wer ihr Vater ist, hätte ich etwas anderes gesagt. Had I known who her father is, I would have said something else.
Regnete es, gingen wir nach Hause. Were it to rain, we’d go home.
You’re afraid of growing old… A TB-patient in the Third World would be delighted by it.
Other Uses of the Subjunctive: 1) Much as in English, requests or other claims can be softened by the general subjunctive:
Ich hätte gern das große Frühstück. I’d like the large breakfast.
Ich möchte einen Döner ohne Soße. I’d like a Döner without sauce.
Könnten Sie mir bitte auch etwas Brot geben? Could you please give me some bread, as well?
Hätten Sie vielleicht etwas Salz? Would you happen to have some salt?
Würden Sie mir bitte Ihren Bleistift leihen? Would you please lend me your pencil?
Wie wäre es mit einer Tasse Kaffee? How would a cup of coffee be?
Dürfte ich sie bitten, das Fenster aufzumachen? Might I ask you to open the window?
Es wäre jetzt Zeit, dass du gingest. It would be time for you to go now.
Ich müsste eigentlich jetzt gehen. I really ought to go now.
Ich wüsste nicht, was ich dir sagen könnte. I don’t know what to tell you.
Das dürfte richtig sein. That is probably right.
Ich hätte noch einen Wunsch. I have one more request.
Das wäre alles. That would be all [I have no more requests].
Sie möchten bitte nach Hause anrufen. Please call home.
Jetzt wären wir am Ende. Now we’re finished.
2) “als ob”, “als wenn”: When “as if” implies an unreal condition, it requires the subjunctive. “als ob” is the most usual form, but “als wenn” is also possible. You can also use “als” with inverted word order.
Er tut, als ob er die Antwort wüsste. He acts as if he knew the answer.
Sie tun, als ob sie kein Wort verstanden hätten. They act as if they hadn’t understood a word.
Die Amerikaner sprechen, als ob sie heiße Kartoffeln im Munde hätten. Americans talk as if they had a mouthful of hot potatoes.
Er sieht aus, als ob er zu lange in der Sonne gelegen hätte. He looks as if he had been lying in the sun too long.
Sie redet, als wenn sie meine beste Freundin wäre. She talks as if she were my best friend.
Sie tut, als hätte sie das Pulver erfunden. She acts as if she had invented gunpowder [~ “were a rocket scientist”].
3) Wishes can be expressed in the subjunctive. Note that the verbs expressing the desire are, in contrast to English, also in the subjunctive:
Ich wünschte, ich könnte fliegen. I wish I could fly.
Ich wollte, er würde den Mund halten. I wish he’d keep his mouth shut.
4) The subjunctive alone can also imply the wish:
Das wäre der Wagen für mich! That’s the kind of car I’d want!
Man müsste jung sein! Oh, to be young!
5) “If only” (or inverted word order) + subjunctive:
Wenn du nur hier wärest! If only you were here!
Wenn ich nur ihren Namen wüsste! If I only knew her name!
Wenn sie nur anrufen würde! If only she would call!
Regnete es nur! If only it would rain!
Hätten sie nur die richtige Größe! If only they had the right size!
6) Using the subjunctive to contradict a previous claim:
Wann hätte ich so was gesagt? When am I supposed to have said such a thing?
Wie sollte er es gefunden haben? How is he supposed to have found it?
Schön wäre es! That would be nice [if it were true].
Nicht dass ich wüsste. Not that I’m aware of.
7) To assert something fanciful:
Ich dachte, ich wäre im Kino. I thought I must be dreaming [“at the movies”; i.e. the situation was ridiculous]
Wir hatten Angst, dass er vor Wut platzen würde. We were afraid he would explode with anger.
8) Using the general subjunctive in indirect discourse, especially when doubtful about the speaker’s veracity:
Er sagt, dass sein Wecker nicht geklingelt hätte. He says that his alarm didn’t go off.
Sie behauptet, dass sie die ganze Zeit zu Hause gewesen wäre. She claims that she was home the whole time.
Der Hund hätte Ihre Arbeit gefressen? [Are you saying that] The dog ate your paper?
9) Some other examples:
Er wäre der letzte, den ich um Hilfe bitte würde. He would be the last person I would ask for help.
Das Buch is so teuer, wie es sein könnte. The book is as expensive as it could be.
Ich habe Angst, dass ich das Spiel verlieren könnte. I’m afraid that I could lose the game.
Wo ist einer, der das tun wollte?
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German Classroom: Future Tense(das Futur)

Classroom - German / By

German Teachers in Coimbatore

Future Tense (das Futur)

The Future Tense in English: English forms the future tense in several ways:
1) by using the progressive present tense when the context makes the future meaning clear:
“I’m seeing her tomorrow.”
“We’re taking the test on Friday.”
2) by combining the verbs “will” or, less frequently, “shall” with the infinitive, not including “to”:
“I will do it tomorrow.”
“We shall see.”
3) by combining the verb “to go” in the progressive present form with the infinitive, including “to”:
“I am going to pay you back when I get my allowance.”
“Someday she’s going to get her comeuppance.”
The future tense can also indicate a present likelihood:
“I am going to pay you back when I get my allowance.”
“Someday she’s going to get her comeuppance.”
English has a future perfect tense to talk about a past event from the perspective of the future:
“I will have finished the paper by Monday.”
“By the time you get this letter I will have gone to Rio.”
The future perfect tense is also used to indicate a past likelihood, one that has consequences for the present or future:
“As you will have already heard, the gym will be closed today”
“You will have noticed that we no longer have a convertible.”
The Future Tense in German: Like English, German can talk about future events in the present tense when the context is clear:
Wir essen heute Abend in der Küche. We’re eating in the kitchen tonight.
Wir sehen uns morgen. We’re meeting tomorrow.
Er macht das erst Samstag. He’s not doing that until Saturday.
Otherwise German uses the auxiliary verb “werden” with the infinitive:
Sie wird dir alles sagen. She’ll tell you everything.
In zehn Jahren werde ich zu alt sein. In ten years, I’ll be too old.
Die Kinder werden das nicht sehen wollen. The children won’t want to see that.
Like English, German can also express present probability with the future tense, often in combination with adverbs such as “bestimmt” (certainly), “sicher” (certainly), “vielleicht” (perhaps), “wahrscheinlich” (probably), or “wohl” (probably):
Die Kinder werden wohl schon zu Hause sein. The children will probably already be home.
Du wirst uns vielleicht besuchen wollen. You will perhaps want to visit us.
Er wird jetzt bestimmt vorm Fernseher sitzen. He’ll surely be sitting in front of the television now.
The Future Perfect Tense in German (Futur II): Like English, German has a future perfect tense that is used to talk about what will in the future be a past event. It is constructed by putting the auxiliary verb of the perfect tense (“haben” or “sein”) into a future form:
Bevor wir nach Hause kommen, werden sie alles aufgegessen haben. Before we get home they will have eaten everything up.
Sie wird schon weggegangen sein. She will have already gone.
Werden Sie das gemacht haben, bevor wir Sie abholen? Will you have already done that before we pick you up?
The future perfect can also express a past probability:
Sie werden das sicher gründlich gelesen haben. You will surely have read that thoroughly.
Er wird das wohl gewusst haben. He probably will have known that.
Du wirst das bestimmt schon gehört haben. You will certainly have already heard that.
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German Classroom: Reflexive Pronouns

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Reflexive Pronouns, Verbs (Reflexivpronomen, reflexive Verben) If the subject and direct or indirect object are the same person or thing, English uses a special set of pronouns:The Reflexive in English:

 myself  ourselves
 yourself  yourselves
 himself
 herself  themselves
 itself
Thus:
I could kick myself.
Did he really kill himself?
Suit yourself.
We bought ourselves a new car.
She found herself a new friend.
Some verbs are reflexive by convention, even though the meaning is not logically reflexive:
Behave yourselves.
He conducted himself with dignity.
She seems to be enjoying herself.
Note that not all words ending in -self are reflexive. They can be an adverb meaning “without others,” as in “I’d rather do it myself” (For this function, German uses “selbst” [or “selber”]: “Ich mache es lieber selbst”). The Reflexive in German: The reflexive pronouns are different only in the third person and in the formal “Sie” (which is historically derived from the third person plural)
 Nom.  Acc.  Dat.  Nom.  Acc.  Dat.
 ich  mich  mir  wir  uns  uns
 du  dich  dir  ihr  euch  euch
 Sie  sich  sich
 er  sich  sich
 sie  sich  sich  sie  sich  sich
 es  sich  sich
Most transitive verbs can be used reflexively when the meaning calls for it. Note the differences:
Er sieht mich im Spiegel. He sees me in the mirror.
Er sieht sich im Spiegel. He sees himself in the mirror.
Sie wäscht das Kind gründlich. She washes the child thoroughly.
Sie wäscht sich gründlich. She washes herself thoroughly.
Ich liebe nur dich. I love only you.
Ich liebe nur mich. I love only myself.
Setzen Sie es auf den Stuhl. Set it down on the chair.
Setzen Sie sich auf den Stuhl. Sit down on the chair.
Sie verzeiht mir. She forgives me.
Ich kann mir nicht verzeihen. I can’t forgive myself.
Sie widerspricht ihrem Chef. She contradicts her boss.
Du widersprichst dir. You’re contradicting yourself.
Ich gönne dir ein zweites Stück Kuchen. I’ll allow (grant) you a second piece of cake.
Ich gönne mir einen Ruhetag. I’ll allow myself (treat myself to) a day off.
In the plural, the reflexive form can also mean “each other” (“one another”):
We’ve come to an agreement. Our contribution to unemployment: cutting governmental positions.
Wir lieben uns. We love each other.
Sie küssen sich. They kiss each other.
Wir hassen uns. We hate each other.
Ihr vertragt euch gut. Y’all get along well with each other.
Wir treffen uns jeden Tag. We meet every day.
Sie streiten sich um die Erbschaft. They are fighting with each other over the inheritance.
Not all German reflexives have a corresponding construction in English:
Sie ziehen sich schnell an. They get dressed quickly.
Er kämmt sich. He combs his hair.
Ich rasiere mich morgens. I shave in the morning.
Sie schminkt sich nur am Wochenende. She puts on make-up only on the weekend.
The dative reflexive can be used to indicate that the action takes place for the subject’s benefit:
Kaufen Sie sich einen neuen Wagen? Are you buying yourself a new car?
Ich will mir etwas Schönes finden. I want to find something nice for myself.
Sie setzt sich die Kontaktlinsen ein. She puts in her contacts.
Mach dir keine Sorge darüber. Don’t worry yourself about it.
Du sollst dir eine wärmere Jacke anziehen. You should put on a warmer jacket.
To indicate parts of one’s own body, one shows possession with the dative reflexive:1  
Ich habe mir den Finger verletzt. I injured my finger.
Er rasiert sich den Kopf. He shaves his head.
Er kämmt sich die Haare. He combs his hair.
Sie färbt sich die Haare. She dyes her hair.
Du sollst dir die Zähne putzen. You ought to brush your teeth.
Ich wasche mir die Hände in Unschuld. I will wash my hands in innocency (Psalms 26: 6)
Some verbs take on a different meaning in the reflexive (dative or accusative). Note the following contrasts:
Ich erinnere ihn an seinen Onkel. I remind him of his uncle.
Ich erinnere mich an seinen Onkel. I remember his uncle.
Ich habe ihm meine Frau vorgestellt. I introduced my wife to him.
Kannst du dir so etwas vorstellen? Can you imagine such a thing?
Dein Besuch hat uns gefreut. We were delighted by your visit.
Wir freuen uns über deinen Besuch. We are happy about your visit.
Wir freuen uns auf deinen Besuch. We are looking forward to your visit.
Ich fühle den Wind. I feel the wind.
Ich fühle mich nicht wohl. I don’t feel well.
Sie trifft ihn in der Stadt. She meets (or: encounters) him in town.
Sie trifft sich mit ihm. She meets him (by arrangement).
Was ärgert dich jetzt? What’s annoying you now?
Ärgern Sie sich immernoch darüber? Are you still mad about that?
Du langweilst mich. You’re boring me.
Langweilst du dich? Are you bored?
Deine Probleme interessieren mich nicht. Your problems don’t interest me.
Ich interessiere mich für Geschichte. I’m interested in history.
Sein Fall beschäftigt uns sehr. His case is very much on our minds.
Ich beschäftige mich mit meinen Briefmarken. I occupy myself with my stamps.
Seine Antwort wundert mich. His answer surprises me.
Sie wundert sich über seine Antwort. She is surprised by his answer.
Seine Probleme kümmern mich nicht. His problems don’t concern me.
Sie kümmert sich um ihr Kind. She attends to her child.
Er unterhält uns mit seinen Geschichten. He entertains us with his stories.
Ich unterhalte mich gern mit ihr. I like to talk (have a discussion) with her.
Er hat seine Familie verlassen. He left his family.
Ich verlasse mich auf dich. I put my trust in you.
Sie amüsieren uns mit ihren Skizzen. They amuse us with their sketches.
Wir haben uns auf der Party gut amüsiert. We enjoyed ourselves at the party a lot.
Relax. You’re on the island for every season. Cyprus
And then there are a number of verbs that are (almost) always reflexive. Here are some that take the accusative:
Ruhen Sie sich zuerst aus. Rest up first.
Ich bedanke mich bei ihm. I thank him.
Ich muss mich beeilen. I have to hurry.
Sie bewerben sich um eine Stelle. They’re applying for a position.
Das Kind benimmt sich erstaunlich gut. The child behaves itself surprisingly well.
Du sollst dich bei ihr entschuldigen. You should apologize to her.
Ich brauche eine Woche, mich zu erholen. I need a week to recover.
Wie hast du dich erkältet? How did you catch cold?
Fürchtest du dich vor dem Hund? Are you afraid of the dog?
Ich gewöhne mich langsam an seine Stimme. I’m slowly getting used to his voice.
Wo kann ich mich hinlegen? Where can I lie down?
Ich kenne mich hier gut aus. I know my way around here well.
Die Reise hat sich nicht gelohnt. The trip wasn’t worth it.
Er räuspert sich. He clears his throat.
Sie sollen sich schämen! You should be ashamed!
Ich will mich nur umsehen (umschauen). I just want to look around.
Der Zug hat sich verspätet. The train was late.
Hast du dich nicht mit ihm zum Tennis verabredet? Didn’t you make a date with him to play tennis?
Ich habe mich in meine Kusine verliebt. I’ve fallen in love with my cousin.
And some that take the dative:
Ich will es mir ansehen. I want to take a look at it.
Er bildet sich ein, ein großer Intellektueller zu sein. He (falsely) imagines that he is a great intellectual.
Ich muss mir das überlegen. I’ll have to think that over.
Sie hat es sich anders überlegt. She changed her mind.
Ich kann mir keine teueren Bücher leisten. I can’t afford any expensive books.
Either we change ourselves, or the climate will change even faster
Some verbs always require an object, even when no actual object is implied. Then the verb becomes reflexive. This structure is less common in English than in German, but you do get things like: “The answer suggested itself very quickly.” Note the following contrasts:
Sie öffnete die Tür. She opened the door.
Die Tür öffnete sich plötzlich. The door opened suddenly.
Er bewegt das Bein. He moves his leg.
Etwas hat sich bewegt. Something moved.
Wir ändern unsre Pläne. We’re changing our plans.
Alles hat sich geändert. Everything has changed.
Sie dreht den Spiegel gegen die Wand. She turns the mirror to the wall.
Die Erde dreht sich um ihre Achse. The earth turns on its axis.
Sie verkaufen viele Bücher. They sell a lot of books.
Diese Bücher verkaufen sich wie warme Semmeln. These books sell like hotcakes.
The new pension legislation: For younger people, much will improve. For most pensioners, everything will stay as it was.
The reflexive construction “sich lassen” can be used as a substitute for the passive when saying that something can or cannot be done:
Eine Lösung lässt sich finden. A solution can be found.
Das lässt sich leicht machen. That can be done easily.
Die Tür lässt sich nicht aufmachen. The door can’t be opened.
Der Wagen lässt sich schnell reparieren. The car can be fixed quickly.
Ein Skandal lässt sich nicht vermeiden. A scandal can’t be avoided.
The Jeep Cherokee in a new design. One more reason to be seen more often in civilization.
The prefix “ver-“, combined with the reflexive, can often mean that the action is performed wrongly:
Ich habe mich verlaufen. I got lost (on foot).
Ich habe mich verfahren. I got lost (while driving).
Sie hat sich verschluckt. She swallowed the wrong way.
Du hast dich vertippt. You made a typing error.
Haben Sie sich nicht verzählt? Didn’t you count wrong?
Er hat sich versprochen. He misspoke.
Wir haben uns verrechnet. We miscalculated.
The prefix “hin-“, combined with the accusative reflexive phrase “vor sich”, can mean that the action is without thought or purpose, often rendered in English as “to oneself,” “away,” or “along”:
Er pfeift vor sich hin. He whistles to himself.
Die alte Frau brummt vor sich hin. The old lady grumbles to herself.
Du murmelst vor dich him. You’re mumbling to yourself.
Sie quatschen vor sich hin. They blather away.
Er duselt (döst) vor sich hin. He’s dozing (nodding) away (is half asleep).
Der Jobmarkt kriecht vor sich hin. The job-market crawls along.
Which of our four seasons are you most looking forward to?
The dative is also used to show possession, especially of body parts, even when the action is not reflexive:
Er hat ihr die Nase gebrochen. He broke her nose.
Ich wasche ihm den Kopf. “I’ll wash his head” (= I’m going to give him a piece of my mind).
Sie putzt ihm die Zähne. She brushes his teeth.
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German Classroom: Present Perfect Tense

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The Perfect Tense

The Perfect tense is a very important tense in German grammar. We use it almost always, when speaking about the past. On this page, I shall explain to you how to construct the Perfect tense and when to use it. I shall show you the whole thing first using the example sentence „Ich lerne Deutsch“ (I learn German).

The rule for creating the Perfect tense is as follows:

German grammar perfect -tense
Auxiliary verb (conjugated) + Past Participle (at the end of the sentence) „Auxiliary verb“ („Hilfsverb“) here means that at position 2 in the main clause (where the conjugated verb is ALWAYS found) there is a verb that helps us to construct the perfect tense in German grammar. The auxiliary verb does not have any meaning by itself, it has only a grammatical function. Because of this, there are fundamentally only two possible verbs that one can use as the auxiliary verb for constructing the Perfect Tense, namely the verb „haben“ and the verb „sein“. Let me explain to you when to use „haben“ and when to use „sein“.  

Firstly, an example:

Present tense: I learn German/ I am learning German. When we want to put this easy sentence into the Perfect tense, the following happens:
learn German grammar - perfect tense haben

What happens?

The verb „lernen“ becomes the past participle and moves from position 2 to the END of the sentence. To Position 2 now comes the auxiliary verb „haben“ in conjugated form, so „Ich habE“, with an „e“. This structure always remains the same: auxiliary verb in Position 2, past participle at the end of the sentence, as with much longer sentences:
learn German grammar perfect tense haben
For you, it is important to note that the actual meaning of the sentence is not shown by the conjugated verb in Position 2 anymore but by the past participle at the end of the sentence. Only the auxiliary verb is ever found in Position 2; mostly we use the auxiliary verb „haben“, and with regular / weak verbs we only EVER use the auxiliary verb „haben“.

When do we use the auxiliary verb „sein“?

The answer to this question is, at first glance, quite simple:  

Rule:

Verbs about Movement and Change of state use the verb „sein“. And how can we best remember this? Very simple! Be creative and write the verb „sein“ in such a way that you could associate with movement! I am sure, that there are many creative people out there who can do that pretty well. I myself have always thought of this picture here:
learn German grammar perfect tense sein

And what does this mean exactly?

Here are some examples of Verbs of Movement: to go „gehen“, to travel „fahren“, to run „rennen“, to fly „fliegen“ and so on. If we construct the Perfect tense with these verbs, thus we have to use the auxiliary verb „sein“ in conjugated form in Position 2 and, again, the corresponding Past Participle at the END of the sentence:
learn German grammar perfect tense sein

What are Verbs of Change of State?

Verbs of Change of State express when a subject’s state changes from ‚State A‘ to ‚State B‘! Here are a few examples (all sentences in the table are in the present tense):
learn German grammar perfect tense sein
The verbs „sterben“, „einschlafen“, „verwelken“ and obviously many more are thus so-called Verbs of Change of State and form the Perfect Tense with the auxiliary verb „sein“.

And here once more an overview in the form of a table

So far so good. In my experience, however, German students now find it difficult to tell whether they are dealing with verbs of Movement or of Change of State. Furthermore, there are some verbs that you really can’t say whether they are Verbs of Movement or not, for example with the verb „spielen“. Most people associate that verb with movement, and inspite of this, when constructing the Perfect tense with this verb you use „haben“. In addition, there are often regional differences. In Austria, some verbs take a different Auxiliary Verb when constructing the Perfect Tense to Germany. So there is always lots for German Students to be confused by!  

When do you use the Perfect Tense?

Firstly you must remember, that the Perfect tense conveys the meaning of the past in exactly the same way as the Imperfect tense (Präteritum). There is no difference! It does not matter; both of the following sentences mean exactly the same thing: 65 million years ago, the Dinosaurs died out… Vor 65 Millionen Jahren sind die Dino Saurier ausgestorben. (Perfekt) Vor 65 Millionen Jahren starben die Dino Saurier aus. (Präteritum) The statements made with both grammatical times/tenses mean exactly the same. The difference is only in the communicative context of the sentence. We have to distinguish between a formal, public, literary context and a more easy informal context. Generally the rule is that you use the Imperfect tense in a formal context, for example in literature written in a serious tone such as Newspapers, scientific work or in a serious public speech. If it is meant to be received in a more casual manner, we use the Perfect tense. When we email our friends, for example, or in normal everyday speech and so on. Now you also understand why the Perfect tense is so important in German grammar. If we are talking „ganz normal“ in everyday life and we speak about the past, we use the Perfect tense. So it is very important that you can use it properly.

Exceptions

For the verbs „sein“, „haben“ and the Modal verbs (wollen, müssen, können usw.), as a general rule, the Germans do not use the Perfect Tense. You can speculate about why this is – I guess it simply sounds a little awkward or old-fashioned. Because of this, more often we use the Imperfect tense (das Präteritum); with these verbs it is simply easier. Here are a few examples to clarify the difference:

sein

Silvester 2001 bin ich in Rom gewesen. (perfect tense) Silvester 2001 war ich in Rom. (past tense)

werden

Vor einigen Jahren bin ich Deutschlehrer geworden. (perfect tense) Vor einigen Jahren wurde ich Deutschlehrer. (past tense)

bleiben

Gestern bin ich noch ein bisschen länger auf der Party geblieben. (perfect tense) Gerstern blieb ich noch ein bisschen länger auf der Party. (past tense)

haben

Noch vor einem Jahr hat Paul einen guten Job gehabt. (perfect tense) Noch vor einem Jahr hatte Paul einen guten Job. (past tense)

Modal verbs

Als Kind habe ich Pilot werden wollen. (perfect tense) Als Kind wollte ich Pilot werden. (past tense
With the present perfect, we show that an action in the past has been completed. We mostly use the present perfect when we want to focus on the result of the action. In colloquial language, we often use the present perfect instead of the simple past.
Gestern hat Michael sein Büro aufgeräumt. Er hat sich vorgenommen, jetzt immer so ordentlich zu sein. Aber bis nächste Woche hat er das bestimmt wieder vergessen.

Usage

  • completed action in the past (usually focusing on the result of the action)
    Example:
    Gestern hat Michael sein Büro aufgeräumt.
    (Result: the office is clean now)
    Er hat sich vorgenommen, jetzt immer so ordentlich zu sein.
    (Result: he doesn’t want to be so disorganised anymore)
  • action that will be completed by a certain point in the future (The point in the future must be specifically designated, otherwise we use the future perfect.)
    Example:
    Bis nächste Woche hat er das bestimmt wieder vergessen.

Construction

We need the present tense form of sein/haben  and the past participle (Partizip II).
Person sein haben
1st person singular (ich) ich bin gegangen ich habe gelesen
2nd person singular (du) du bist du hast
3rd person singular (er/sie/es/man) er ist er hat
1st person plural (wir) wir sind wir haben
2nd person plural (ihr) ihr seid ihr habt
3rd person plural/polite form (sie/Sie) sie sind sie haben

Past Participle

weak/mixed verbs strong verbs
ge…t ge…en
gelernt gesehen

Exceptions in the Construction

  • Many strong and mixed verbs change their stem in the past participle.
    gehen – gegangen, bringen – gebracht
  • If the word stem ends in d/t, we add an et to weak/mixed verbs.
    Example:
    warten – gewartet
  • Verbs that end in ieren form their past participle without ge.
    Example:
    studieren – studiert
  • Inseparable verbs form their past participle without ge.
    Example:
    verstehen – verstanden
  • For separable verbs, the ge comes after the prefix.
    Example:
    ankommen – angekommen
Using the Present Perfect Tense  In German, as in English, the present perfect differs from the simple past, in that it describes past events that have present implications. German speakers are not always careful in making this distinction, however. Indeed, they sometimes even mix the two tenses indiscriminately. Even more important: in colloquial conversation, Germans use the present perfect almost exclusively. Indeed, many dialects do not even have a simple past, which is thus mostly reserved for written narrations. Colloquial accounts are in the present perfect: “Ich bin nach Hause gegangen und habe meinem Mann gesagt….” There are a few exceptions, such as the verb “sein” and the modal auxiliaries. It is quite common to use the less complex “ich war da” instead or “ich bin da gewesen” or “sie konnte ihn sehen” rather than “sie hat ihn sehen können.” Even in ordinary speech it is more usual to say “ich musste einen Arzt rufen lassen” than “ich habe einen Arzt rufen lassen müssen.” “Er hatte einen Hund” is also possible in place of “Er hat einen Hunde gehabt.” Forming the Present Perfect Tense in German: Weak verbs typically form the past participle by adding the prefix “ge-“ and a suffix of “-t” or “-et” to the stem:
Ich habe das gesagt. I said that.
Sie hat gut gespielt. She played well.
Wir haben schwer gearbeitet. We worked hard.
Ich habe nichts gehört. I didn’t hear anything.
If the verb has a separable prefix, the “ge” becomes an infix; it is placed between the prefix and the stem:
Wir haben die Tür zugemacht. We closed the door.
Ich habe eingekauft. I went shopping.
If the verb ends in -ieren, there is no ge- added:
Das hat gut funktioniert. That worked well.
Sie hat Physik studiert. She studied physics.
Hast du auch die Küche renoviert? Did you renovate the kitchen, too?
If the verb has an inseparable prefix, that replaces the “ge”:
Was hast du ihnen erzählt? What did you tell them?
Habt ihr viel Geld dafür bezahlt? Did y’all pay a lot of money for that?
Der Wagen hat mir gehört. The car belonged to me.
Strong verbs: The “irregular strong verbs,” including the modal auxiliaries when they are not associated with another verb in the infinitive, add the suffix “-t” or “-et” to a (usually) changed stem:
Ich habe das nicht gewollt. I didn’t want that.
Als Kind habe ich gut Chinesisch gekonnt. As a child I could speak Chinese well.
Sie hat das nicht gewusst. She didn’t know that.
Was hast du mir gebracht? What did you bring me?
The remaining strong verbs add “-en” to a stem that may or may not be changed.
Ich habe meinen Hut gefunden. I found my hat.
Du hast zu schnell gesprochen. You spoke too fast.
Haben Sie gut geschlafen? Did you sleep well?
Sie hat mein Buch nicht gelesen. She didn’t read my book.
These strong verbs fall into distinct categories. Here is a list of the most common strong verbs, arranged in those groups. The rules about the prefix “ge-“ remain the same:
Was hast du mitgebracht? What did you bring along?
Das Konzert hat schon begonnen. The concert has already begun.
Sie hat schon alles aufgegessen. She has already eaten up everything.
Die Kinder haben den ganzen Tag ferngesehen. The children watched TV all day.
Wir haben etwas anderes vorgehabt. We planned to do something else.
The Auxiliary Verb: Most verbs, as in the examples above, take “haben,” but some require “sein”:
Wann bist du nach Hause gekommen? When did you come home?
Wir sind ins Kino gegangen. We went to the movies.
Seid ihr geflogen oder gefahren? Did y’all fly or drive?
Er ist alt geworden. He’s gotten old.
Sie sind in der Stadt geblieben. They stayed in the city.
Die Musik ist sehr laut gewesen. The music was very loud.
The verbs that take “sein” are mostly predictable on the basis of their meaning. They must satisfy two conditions: 1) they must be intransitive; 2) they must indicate a change of position or of condition. In the example “Wir sind nach Hause gegangen,” the verb “gehen” 1) takes no direct object and 2) describes motion from one place to another. The same is true with:
Sie ist spät aufgestanden. She got up late.
Er ist gestern angekommen. He arrived yesterday.
Ich bin langsam gelaufen. I ran (or walked) slowly.
Examples of a change of condition:
Ihr Ring ist schon grün geworden. Her ring has already turned green.
Er ist gestern gestorben. He died yesterday.
Die Pflanze ist schnell gewachsen. The plant grew fast.
Ich bin sofort eingeschlafen. I fell asleep immediately.
Some Other Wrinkles:
1) There are two obvious exceptions to these rules: “bleiben” and “sein”. While they are intransitive (or, from another point of view, take the nominative case), they clearly do not show a change of position or condition. In fact, they specifically mean not to make such a change. Nevertheless, they take “sein.” “Folgen” might also be a surprise, unless we consider its use of the dative.
Er ist zu Hause geblieben. He stayed home.
Er ist ein Junge geblieben. He remained a boy.
Es ist immer so gewesen. It was always that way.
Der Mann ist mir nach Hause gefolgt. The man followed me home.
2) With some verbs, the context determines whether or not they take “sein.” “Fahren,” for example has two meanings: a) to drive in the sense of riding in a vehicle (“Wir sind nach Berlin gefahren”) and b) to operate a vehicle (“Ich habe deinen Wagen gefahren”). In the second case, “haben” is called for because “fahren” is transitive. Other examples:
Wir sind nach Madrid geflogen. We flew to Madrid.
Der Pilot hat das Flugzeug allein geflogen. The pilot flew the plane alone.
Wir sind um zwei gelandet. We landed at two.
Der Pilot hat das Flugzeug um zwei gelandet. The pilot landed the plane at two.
3) With a verb like “fahren,” those two meanings are sufficiently distinct. In some other instances, a certain amount of good will is called for. “Gehen,” for example, can actually, though rarely, take an object, but one still says, “Er ist seinen eigenen Weg gegangen” (“He went his own way”). And one normally says, “Ich bin einen Marathon gelaufen” – although some Germans would differ and insist on “haben.”
4) The movement implied in “tanzen” is not sufficient for “sein.” Hence: “Ich habe nur mit ihm getanzt.” – Although: “Ich bin mit ihm ins nächste Zimmer getanzt” (“I danced with him into the next room” [think tango]). “Schwimmen,” in contrast, most often takes “sein,” even if it’s just doing laps: “Ich bin heute nur kurz geschwommen” (“I swam today just for a short time”).
5) “Stehen” and “sitzen” obviously do not meet the criterion of motion, but Southern Germans, to the horror of Northerners, typically say “Ich bin gestanden” or “Ich bin gesessen.” Foreigners who use this construction get their knuckles rapped.
Double Infinitives:
The modal auxiliaries behave differently when paired with an infinitive. The present perfect form of “Ich kann Deutsch” is “Ich habe Deutsch gekonnt.” But “Ich kann Deutsch sprechen” becomes “Ich habe Deutsch sprechen können.” Other examples:
Ich habe das nicht wissen können. I couldn’t know that.
Sie hat das nicht machen müssen. She didn’t have to do that.
Wir haben ihm nicht schreiben dürfen. We weren’t allowed to write to him.
The same is true of verbs of perception that take an infinitive without “zu.” “Sie hört ihn singen” becomes “Sie hat ihn singen hören.” Other examples:
Ich habe sie schwimmen sehen. I saw her swimming.
also possible: Ich habe sie schwimmen gesehen.
Hast du ihn kommen hören? Did you hear him coming?
also possible: Hast du ihn kommen gehört?
Two other verbs, lassen and helfen, also form double infinitives
Wir haben ein Haus bauen lassen. We had a house built.
Ich habe ihr kochen helfen. I helped her cook
also possible: Ich habe ihr kochen geholfen.
In these cases, the double infinitive remains in the final position in dependent clauses, and the “haben” slips into the second-the-last place:
Bist du sicher, dass sie das Buch hat lesen können?
Are you sure that she was able to read the book?
Wir sind nach Hause gegangen, weil wir keine Karten haben kaufen können.
We went home because we couldn’t buy any tickets.
Es ist schade, dass du ihn nie hast singen hören.
It’s too bad that you’ve never heard him sing.
In the above examples, the modal was put into a perfect tense. As in English, the modal can have a different meaning when combined with another verb that is in the past. Note the following distinctions .
Sie hat das sagen dürfen. She was allowed to say that.
Sie darf das gesagt haben. She may have said that.
Er hat mir einen Brief schreiben können. He was able to write me a letter.
Er kann mir einen Brief geschrieben haben. He may have written me a letter.
Sie haben mich nach Hause tragen müssen. They had to carry me home.
Sie müssen mich nach Hause getragen haben. They must have carried me home.
Ihr habt mir helfen sollen. You were supposed to help me.
Ihr sollt mir geholfen haben. You are supposed to have helped me.
Er hat es finden wollen. He wanted to find it.
Er will es gefunden haben. He claims to have found it.
 
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German Classroom:Essential Vocabulary

Classroom - English, Classroom - German / By

German Essential Vocabulary

German Essential Vocabulary

Question Words

who wer vehr whom (acc.) wen vain
what was vahs whom (dat.) wem vaim
why warum vah-room how come wieso vee-zo
when wann vahn where from woher vo-hair
where wo voh where to wohin vo-hin
how wie vee which welche/-r/-s velsh-uh/er/es

Learn German in Coimbatore

Some Useful Words in German

and und oont
but aber ah-ber
very sehr zair
or oder oh-der
here hier here
also auch owkh
both beide by-duh
some etwas eht-vahss
only nur noor
again wieder vee-der
hopefully hoffentlich hoh-fent-likh
between zwischen zvish-en
therefore deshalb des-halp
a lot, many viel(e) feel(uh)
really wirklich veerk-lish
together zusammen tsoo-zah-men
all alle ahl-luh
now jetzt yetst
so also al-zoh
another noch ein nohkh ine
already schon shone
isn’t it? nicht wahr? nikht vahr
too bad schade shah-duh
gladly gern gehrn
immediately sofort zoh-fort
sure(ly) sicher(lich) zikh-er-likh
but, rather sondern zohn-dehrn
finally schließlich shleess-likh
right! stimmt shtimt
anyway überhaupt oo-ber-howpt
enough genug guh-nook
exact(ly) genau guh-now
sometimes manchmal mahnch-mal
always immer im-er
never nie nee
often oft ohft
of course klar klahr
perhaps vielleicht fee-likht
a little ein bisschen ine biss-khen
a little ein wenig ine vay-nikh
not at all gar nicht gar nikht
not a bit kein bisschen kine biss-khen
Es gibt is commonly used to mean there is/are and it is always followed by the accusative case.German Classes

Asking Questions in German

1. Simply add a question mark to the end of the statement for yes/no questions

2. Invert the verb and subject for yes/no questions

3. Add nicht wahr? or oder? to the end of the statement for yes/no questions

4. Use a question word + verb + subject for information questions

German Days of the Week / Die Tage

Monday Montag mohn-tahk
Tuesday Dienstag deens-tahk
Wednesday Mittwoch mit-vock
Thursday Donnerstag don-ers-tahk
Friday Freitag fry-tahk
Saturday (N & E Germany) Samstag Sonnabend zahms-tahk zon-nah-bent
Sunday Sonntag zon-tahk
day der Tag (-e) dehr tahk
morning der Morgen (-) mawr-gun
afternoon der Nachmittag (-e) nakh-mih-tahk
evening der Abend (-e) ah-bunt
night die Nacht (ä, -e) nahkt
today heute hoy-tuh
tomorrow morgen mawr-gun
tonight heute Abend hoy-tuh ah-bunt
yesterday gestern geh-stairn
last night gestern Abend geh-stairn ah-bunt
week die Woche (-n) voh-kuh
weekend das Wochenende (-n) voh-ken-en-duh
daily täglich teh-glikh
weekly wöchentlich wer-khent-likh
Learn and Speak German To say on a certain day or the weekend, use am.  Add an -s to the day to express “on Mondays, Tuesdays, etc.”  All days, months and seasons are masculine so they all use the same form of these words:  jeden – every, nächsten – next, letzten – last (as in the last of a series), vorigen – previous.  In der Woche is the expression for “during the week” in Northern and Eastern Germany, while unter der Woche is used in Southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

German Months of the Year / Die Monate

January Januar yah-noo-ahr
(Austria) Jänner yeh-ner
February Februar fay-broo-ahr
March März mehrts
April April ah-pril
May Mai my
June Juni yoo-nee
July Juli yoo-lee
August August ow-goost
September September zehp-tehm-ber
October Oktober ok-toh-ber
November November no-vehm-ber
December Dezember deh-tsem-ber
month der Monat (-e) moh-naht
year das Jahr (-e) yaar
monthly monatlich moh-naht-likh
yearly jährlich jehr-likh
To say in a certain month, use im. Wann hast du Geburtstag? When is your birthday?Best German Classes Mein Geburtstag ist im Mai. My birthday is in May.

German Seasons / Die Jahreszeiten

winter der Winter dehr vin-ter
spring der Frühling dehr frew-ling
summer der Sommer dehr zom-mer
autumn der Herbst dehr hehrpst

Spoken German

Directions / Die Richtungen

right rechts
left links
straight geradeaus
north der Norden
south der Süden
east der Osten
west der Westen

im Norden = in the North nach Osten = to the East aus Westen = from the West

German Colors & Shapes / Die Farben & Die Forme

orange orange square das Viereck
pink rosa circle der Kreis
purple violett / lila triangle das Dreieck
blue blau rectangle das Rechteck
yellow gelb oval das Oval
red rot octagon das Achteck
black schwarz cube der Würfel
brown braun sphere die Kugel
gray grau cone der Kegel
white weiß cylinder der Zylinder
green grün
turquoise türkis
beige beige
silver silber
gold gold

Very Good German Classes in Coimbatore

Because colors are adjectives, they must agree in gender and number with the noun they describe if they are placed before the noun. However, not all adjectives agree, such as colors ending in -a or -e; nor do they agree when they are used as predicate adjectives. To say that a color islight, put hell- before it, and to say that a color is dark, put dunkel- before it.

Das Viereck ist braun. The square is brown. Das Rechteck ist hellblau. The rectange is light blue.

German Time / Die Zeit

What time is it? Wie spät ist es? vee shpayt isst ess
(It is) 2 AM Es ist zwei Uhr nachts ess ist tsvy oor nahkts
2 PM Es ist zwei Uhr nachmittags tsvy oor nahk-mih-tahks
6:20 Es ist sechs Uhr zwanzig zex oor tsvahn-tsikh
half past 3 Es ist halb vier hahlp feer
quarter past 4 Es ist Viertel nach vier feer-tel nahk feer
quarter to 5 Es ist Viertel vor fünf feer-tel for fewnf
10 past 11 Es ist zehn nach elf tsyan nahk elf
20 to 7 Es ist zwanzig vor sieben tsvahn-tsikh for zee-bun
noon Es ist nachmittag nakh-mih-tahk
midnight Es ist mitternacht mih-ter-nahk
in the morning morgens / früh mawr-guns / frew
in the evening abends aah-bunts
It’s exactly… Es ist genau… ess ist guh-now
At 8. Um 8 Uhr. oom akht oor
early(ier) früh(er) frew(er)
late(r) spät(er) shpayt(er)

Official time, such as for bus and train schedules, always uses the 24 hour clock. Notice that halb + number means half to, not half past, so you have to use the hour that comes next.

German Weather / Das Wetter

How’s the weather today? Wie ist das Wetter heute? vie ist dahs vet-ter hoy-tuh
It’s hot Es ist heiß ess isst hise
It’s cold Es ist kalt ess isst kahlt
It’s beautiful Es ist schön ess isst shern
It’s bad Es ist schlecht ess isst shlehkt
It’s clear Es ist klar ess isst klahr
It’s icy Es ist eisig ess isst ise-ikh
It’s warm Es ist warm ess isst varm
It’s sunny Es ist sonnig ess isst zohn-ikh
It’s windy Es ist windig ess isst vin-dikh
It’s cloudy Es ist bewölkt ess isst beh-verlkt
It’s hazy Es ist dunstig ess isst doons-tikh
It’s muggy Es ist schwül ess isst schvool
It’s humid Es ist feucht ess isst foikht
It’s foggy Es ist nebelig ess isst neh-beh-likh
It’s snowing Es schneit ess schnite
It’s raining Es regnet ess rayg-net
It’s freezing Es friert ess freert
It looks like rain. Es sieht nach Regen aus. es seet nahkh ray-gen ows
The weather is clearing Das Wetter klärt sich auf. dahs vett-er klairt sikh owf

German Family / Die Familie

Parents die Eltern Relative der Verwandte (-n)
Mother die Mutter (ü) Man der Mann (ä, -er)
Father der Vater (ä) Sir / Mister der Herr (-en)
Son der Sohn (ö, -e) Woman / Ma’am / Mrs. / Ms. die Frau (-en)
Daughter die Tochter (ö) Husband der Ehemann (ä, -er)
Brother der Bruder (ü) Wife die Ehefrau (-en)
Sister die Schwester (-n) Boy der Junge (-n)
Grandparents die Großeltern Girl das Mädchen (-)
Grandfather der Großvater (ä) Grandpa der Opa (-s)
Grandmother die Großmutter (ü) Grandma die Oma (-s)
Grandchildren die Enkelkinder Dad der Vati
Grandson der Enkel (-) Mom die Mutti
Granddaughter die Enkelin (-nen) Friend (m) der Freund (-e)
Niece die Nichte (-n) Friend (f) die Freundin (-nen)
Nephew der Neffe (-n) Partner / Significant Other (m) der Partner (-)
Cousin (m) der Vetter (-n) Partner / Significant Other (f) die Partnerin (-nen)
Cousin (f) die Kusine (-n) Marital Status der Familienstand
Uncle der Onkel (-) Single ledig
Aunt die Tante (-n) Married verheiratet
Siblings die Geschwister Divorced geschieden
Baby das Baby (-s) Male männlich
Godfather der Pate (-n) Female weiblich
Godmother die Patin (-nen) Child das Kind (-er)
Step- der/die Stief- Toddler das Kleinkind (-er)
-in-law der/die Schwieger- Teenager der Teenager (-)
Brother-in-law der Schwager (ä) Adult der Erwachsene (-n)
Sister-in-law die Schwägerin (-nen) Twin der Zwilling (-e)

The letters in parentheses indicate the plural form of the noun. Notice that sometimes an umlaut is placed over the main vowel of the word in the plural. For example, der Mann is singular (the man) and die Männer is plural (the men). For step- and -in-law relations, just add Stief- orSchwieger- before the main person, except in the case of brother-in-law and sister-in-law noted above. The plurals follow the pattern for the main person, i.e. die Schwiegermutter (singular) and die Schwiegermütter (plural)

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German A1, A2 Exam Preparation:Speaking

Classroom - German, General, Learn German / By

Preparation for A1, A2 German Exams in Coimbatore

German Speaking Test Modal Exam Video German Language Course for Beginners (Level A1) Level A1 (Basic User 1) of the Common European Framework for Reference of Languages. The curriculum for the A1 German language course includes:
  • introducing oneself and others
  • asking for someone’s name and origin
  • greeting someone
  • spelling in German
  • starting a conversation
  • stating and understanding figures, quantities, time and prices
  • ordering and paying in a restaurant
  • naming and asking for things/objects
  • analysing simple graphs
  • describing a flat or house
  • describing a geographical location
  • speaking about countries, cities, their languages
  • making an appointment
  • describing ones holiday
  • talking about hobbies
  • describing people, the clothes they wear
  • understanding weather reports and describing the weather
  • understanding short written messages, public notices and classified advertisements
  • filling in personal details and basic information on forms
  • writing brief personal messages/ Emails,
  • formulating and responding to common everyday queries and requests.
  • answering simple questions relating to everyday life,
  • understanding what one hears in everyday situations, such as simple questions,
  • instructions and messages, as well as messages on an answerphone, public
  • announcements and brief conversations.

How to prepare for the A1 Level Sprechen part?

In the speaking part of the A1 German Examination as the introductory part the participants are led by two teachers who organise the Sprechen part . The exam session may consist of four to five participants. The first part of the speaking test consists of the following framework for the participants to introduce themselves one by one following an example by the presenter who normally may be from Goethe Institut.

1.Name?

2.Alter?

3.Land?

4.Wohnort?

5.Sprachen?

6.Beruf?

7.Hobby?

The participant has to start with giving his name and go on with how old he or she is , where he comes from, where he lives, what languages he speaks, what his profession is and finally what his hobbies are. Well, it is as simple as that! What does A1 mean? It means the proficiency level you have to be at in German, as per the Common European Framework of Reference for Language. You would have reached the A1 proficiency level when you are able to:
  • Understand familiar, concrete expressions necessary to carry out the basic needs of day-to-day life.
  • Introduce yourself to people and give personal details.
  • Maintain limited communication with another person, provided he or she understands your limitations.
So you should be able to do things like ask and tell time, buy goods, order meals, and ask for simple directions. With both the Goethe Exams, there are two portions of the A1 exam:
  • A written examination that tests your listening, reading, and writing skills, which lasts 65 minutes.
  • An oral examination that tests your speaking skills, which lasts 10 to 15 minutes.
So you should be able to do the following at an A1 level namely listening, reading, writing, and speaking. To reach the A1 level, plan for about 75 to 100 total hours of studying. This means that if you study two hours a day, you could be ready in six to eight weeks. When you’re in a German-speaking country, you’re bound to find yourself in a number of situations where you need to ask a lot of questions as you find your way around — for example, where the nearest bank is or how long the train will be delayed — or you may simply need to ask someone to speak more slowly. You many find the following vocabulary useful in various situations. These expressions can help you get the attention of someone, excuse yourself, or ask someone to repeat himself:

  • Entschuldigung! (I’m sorry./Excuse me.)

  • Entschuldigen Sie, bitte! (Excuse me, please./I beg your pardon.)

  • Entschuldigung? (Pardon?)

  • Verzeihung bitte. (Excuse me./Pardon me.)

  • Verzeihung! (Sorry!)

  • Wie bitte? (Pardon?/Sorry?/I beg your pardon?) You use this phrase when you don’t understand what someone has said.

After you get the person’s attention, you may need to follow up with a request for help. The following are some common requests for getting help and asking someone to repeat himself or to speak more slowly:

  • Könnten Sie mir bitte helfen? (Could you help me, please?)

  • Könnten Sie das bitte wiederholen? (Could you repeat that, please?)

  • Könnten Sie bitte langsamer sprechen? (Could you please speak more slowly?)

In a restaurant, you can get service with the following expressions. Just remember to start with Entschuldigen Sie, bitte! (Excuse me, please!)

  • Was würden Sie zum Essen empfehlen? (What would you recommend to eat?)

  • Bringen Sie mir/uns bitte die Speisekarte/die Rechnung. (Please bring me/us the menu/check.)

  • Könnten Sie bitte einen Löffel/eine Serviette bringen? (Could you bring a spoon/a napkin, please?)

  • Ich hätte gern . . . (I’d like . . .) When ordering food or drink, add the item from the menu to the end of this phrase.

When you’re shopping in a department store or other large store, the following may help you navigate it more easily:

  • Wo ist die Schmuckabteilung/Schuhabteilung? (Where is the jewelry/shoe department?)

  • Wo finde ich die Rolltreppe/die Toiletten? (Where do I find the escalator/restrooms?)

  • Haben Sie Lederwaren/Regenschirme? (Do you carry leather goods/umbrellas?)

  • Wie viel kostet das Hemd/die Tasche? (How much does the shirt/bag cost?)

  • Könnten Sie das bitte als Geschenk einpacken? (Could you wrap that as a present, please?)

When you’re walking around town and need directions on the street, the following questions can help you find your way:

  • Wo ist das Hotel Vierjahreszeiten/Hotel Continental? (Where is the Hotel Vierjahreszeiten/Hotel Continental?)

  • Gibt es eine Bank/eine Bushhaltestelle in der Nähe? (Is there a bank/bus stop near here?)

  • Könnten Sie mir bitte sagen, wo die Post/der Park ist? (Could you tell me where the post office/park is, please?)

These questions come in handy when you’re taking public transportation:

  • Wo kann ich eine Fahrkarte kaufen? (Where can I buy a ticket?)

  • Wie viele Haltestellen sind es zum Bahnhof/Kunstmuseum? (How many stops is it to the train station/art museum?)

  • Ist das der Bus/die U-Bahn zum Haydnplatz/Steyerwald? (Is this the bus/subway to Haydnplatz/Steyerwald?)

  • Wie oft fährt die Straßenbahn nach Charlottenburg/Obermenzing?(How often does the streetcar go to Charlottenburg/Obermenzing?)

  • Ich möchte zum Hauptbahnhof. In welche Richtung muss ich fahren?(I’d like to go to the main train station. In which direction do I need to go?)

  • Von welchem Gleis fährt der Zug nach Köln/Paris ab? (Which track does the train to Cologne/Paris leave from?)

Dialogue

Read and listen to the following dialogue between two students:
Dialogue: English language.svg What’s your name? (1st Part) — Flag of Germany and Austria.svg Wie heißt du? (1. Teil)
Franz Hallo, ich bin Franz. Wie heißt du?
Greta Hallo, Franz. Ich heiße Greta. Wie geht’s?
Franz Es geht mir gut. Kennst du den Lehrer?
Greta Ja, er heißt Herr Weiß.
Franz Oh, danke, Greta. Bis dann!
Greta Wiedersehen!
Now try to understand the dialogue with the help of the following list of vocabulary.
Vocabulary: English language.svg What’s your name? (1st Part) — Flag of Germany and Austria.svg Wie heißt du? (1. Teil)
English German
Hello! Hallo!
I ich
I am… Ich bin …
how wie
you du
Your name is… Du heißt …
What is your name? Wie heißt du?
My name is… Ich heiße …
it es
it goes es geht
How is it going? Wie geht’s? (Longer: Wie geht es?)
me mir
good gut
I’m good. Es geht mir gut. (Shorter: Mir geht’s gut. Even shorter: Gut.)
you know du kennst
Do you know…? Kennst du …?
teacher Lehrer
yes ja
he er
His name is… Er heißt …
Mr. Herr
oh oh
thanks danke
until bis
then dann
See you! Bis dann!
on auf
again wieder
(to) see sehen
Goodbye! (Auf) Wiedersehen!
Problems: Working with the dialogue

Hellos and Goodbyes

There are many ways of saying hello and goodbye in German; some of them are:
Vocabulary: English language.svg Greetings — Flag of Germany and Austria.svg Grüße
English German
Hello! Hallo!*
Servus! (used in southern Germany and eastern Austria, informal)
Moin! (used in northern Germany)
Good morning! Moin Moin! (used in northern Germany)
Guten Morgen!*
Morgen! (shorter)
Good day! Guten Tag!*
Tag! (used in Germany, shorter)
Good evening! Guten Abend!*
Hello! Grüß Gott! (used in southern Germany, Austria and South Tyrol)
Goodbye! Auf Wiedersehen!*
Wiedersehen! (shorter)
Bye! Tschüss!*
Tschau! (also spelled “ciao” as in Italian)
Servus! (used in southern Germany and eastern Austria, informal)
See you later! Bis später!*
See you! Bis dann!*
Bis bald!*
See you soon! Bis gleich!
Good night! Gute Nacht!*
*You will need to know each expression with an asterisk (*) after it. The others, of course, would be useful to know if you are traveling to regions where they are used. (As you can see, the different German-speaking regions often have their own ways of saying hello and goodbye. However, you will not be required to know any of these less common phrases for any problems or tests.) The more formal phrases are guten Morgen, guten Tag, and auf Wiedersehen. The less formal ones are tschüss, Tag, servus, and ciao. The others are somewhat neutral on the formal-informal scale.
Mr. and Mrs.
In German, Herr and Frau are used instead of Mr. and Mrs. before a last name; e.g., Mr. Schwarz – Herr Schwarz.
Vocabulary: English language.svg Mr. & Ms. — Flag of Germany and Austria.svg Herr und Frau
English German
Mr. Herr
Mrs. Frau
Frau is used for married and unmarried women. Some people still use Miss – Fräulein in spoken German but it is no longer used in written German since it is considered an inappropriate discrimination of unmarried women. Literally, der Herr means the gentleman and die Frau means the woman. If you use these words without a last name after them, you have to use an article before them; e.g., der Herror die Frau. This is actually just like in English. For example:
  • The woman’s name is Mrs. Weiß – Die Frau heißt Frau Weiß.
Note also that the German translation of the man is der Mann and the lady should be translated to die Dame. Thus, without last names you would rather use these pairs:
  • man and woman – Mann und Frau
  • men and women – Männer und Frauen
  • lady and gentleman – Dame und Herr
  • ladies and gentlemen – Damen und Herren

Replies to Wie geht’s?

There are many ways to reply to the question Wie geht’s? Here are some of them:
Vocabulary: English language.svg How are you? — Flag of Germany and Austria.svg Wie geht’s?
English German
How are you? Wie geht’s? (longer: Wie geht es dir?)*
great prima
good gut
very good sehr gut
miserable miserabel
bad schlecht
not (so) good nicht (so) gut
O.K. ganz gut
all right Es geht so. (Or shorter: Geht so.)
*The more formal form is Wie geht es Ihnen? After replying to the question, you could continue with:
  • And how are you? — Und wie geht es dir? (formal: Und wie geht es Ihnen?)
Or shorter:
  • And you? — Und dir? (or: Und selbst?; or formal: Und Ihnen?)
 Lesson I.2: Wie heißt du? (2. Teil)The dialogue of this lesson is a conversation between two persons: Franz and Mr. Schwarz. While Franz uses the formal Sie to address Mr. Schwarz, the latter uses the informal du to address Franz. We also discuss some grammar: subject pronouns and some important verbs in the present tense.

Dialogue

In this short dialogue Mr. Schwarz uses the informal form you – du. while Franz uses the formal translation of you – Sie. When listening to the dialogue, try to find out how the wordSie is pronounced.
Dialogue: English language.svg What’s your name? (2nd Part) — Flag of Germany and Austria.svg Wie heißt du? (2. Teil)
Franz Guten Morgen. Sind Sie Herr Weiß?
Herr Schwarz Nein, ich bin Herr Schwarz. Wie heißt du?
Franz Ich heiße Franz. Danke, Herr Schwarz. Ich bin spät dran.
Herr Schwarz Bitte, Franz. Ich bin auch spät dran. Bis später!
Franz Auf Wiedersehen!
Problems: Listen carefully!
Vocabulary: English language.svg What’s your name? (2nd Part) — Flag of Germany and Austria.svg Wie heißt du? (2. Teil)
English German
Good morning. Guten Morgen.
you (formal) Sie
You are… (formal) Sie sind …
Are you…? (formal) Sind Sie …?
no nein
late spät
I am late. Ich bin spät dran.
You’re welcome. Bitte.
also auch
later später
See you later. Bis später.

Sie and du

Why is Franz using the formal form of you — Sie while Mr. Schwarz is using the informal ofyou — du? First of all you should realize that Franz addresses Mr. Schwarz with his last name while Mr. Schwarz addresses Franz with his first name. This is probably the most important rule: if you (would) address someone with his or her last name, you should use the formal Sie. On the other hand, if you are using the first name, you should use du. Anything else would sound funny. Sie is the polite form. It is used to foreign people, and in order to testify respect against the interlocutor, for people you would address with Mr and Mrs. So, when do Germans address other people with their first name and say du?
  • Some cases are very clear: children, relatives, and friends are always addressed with du. (Mr. Schwarz uses du because Franz is still a child. Otherwise Mr. Schwarz would either use Sie or Franz would also use du.)
  • Students (at universities etc.) usually say du to other students and everyone else who is of their age or younger.
  • The situation is not so clear for colleagues in companies. Fortunately, there is another rule for grown-ups: any two grown-ups address each other in the same way, either withdu or Sie, but never does only one of them use du and the other Sie. Thus, if in doubt, you can just copy how the other person addresses you.
  • In all other situations you should use Sie. If a German thinks that it would be more appropriate to say du, he or she will be happy to suggest to use du. On the other hand, it is almost always considered impolite to go from du to Sie; thus, you shouldn’t put someone in a position where he or she wants to suggest to use Sie instead of du.
  • Note that mostly the polite form is easier to use. You just have to learn a few forms of auxiliary and modal verbs. The main verb is usually the infinitive. With the familiar address you unfortunately have to consider many more irregular verbs.

Subject Pronouns

A noun is a word that describes a thing or being, e.g. “apple”, “woman”, “man”, etc. Pronounsare the little words that refer to previously mentioned nouns, e.g. “it”, “she”, “he”, or even “we”, “him”, etc. The subject of a sentence is the noun or pronoun that the sentence is about. Usually it is the most active thing or being of the sentence. For example, in the sentence “The woman ate an apple.”, both “woman” and “apple” are nouns, but “woman” is the subject of the sentence because the sentence is about the action performed by the woman. (If you are curious: “apple” is the direct object of the sentence.) If we replace the nouns of the example by pronouns, the sentence becomes: “She ate it.” In this example, “she” and “it” are pronouns. The subject of this sentence is the pronoun “she” and therefore this kind of pronoun is called a subject pronoun. Now that you know about the English subject pronouns, here is a table of them with their German counterparts. Note that you corresponds to three different words in German, depending on whether you address one or more persons and whether you are using a more formal or more familiar way of addressing them.
Grammar: English language.svg Subject Pronouns — Flag of Germany and Austria.svg Subjekt-Pronomina
English German
singular 1st person I ich
2nd person you du, Sie*
3rd person he, she, it er, sie, es
plural 1st person we wir
2nd person you ihr, Sie*
3rd person they sie
*Sie is the formal (polite) version of du and ihr.

Names

To say the name of someone or something you can use to be called — heißen. You have already seen some forms of the verb heißen. Here is a more systematic table with all the forms in the present tense. Note that the subject pronouns are capitalized because they start the sentences.
Grammar: English language.svg Names — Flag of Germany and Austria.svg Namen
English German
My name is… Ich heiße …
His/Her/Its name is… Er/Sie/Es heißt …
Their names are… Sie heißen …
Our names are… Wir heißen …
Your name is… Du heißt …
Your names are… Ihr heißt …
What is your name? Wie heißt du?*
What are your names? Wie heißt ihr?*
*Remember, the formal way to ask someone’s name is to ask Wie heißen Sie? Note: There are possessive pronouns (e.g. “my”, “your”, “his”, her”, …) in German, they just don’t apply here. For instance, native speakers usually don’t say Mein Name ist … (My name is…).

Important Verbs

Verbs are the words that describe the action of a sentence, e.g. (to) run, (to) call, (to) be, etc.Conjugation refers to changing the form of a verb depending on the subject of a sentence. For example, the verb to be – sein has several different forms: (I) am…, (you) are…, (he) is…, etc. Most English verbs, however, have only two forms in the present tense, e.g.,(I/you/we/they) run and (he/she/it) runs. German verbs, on the other hand, have usually several forms in the present tense. You have already learned the forms of one German verb: to be called – heißen.
Verb: English language.svg to be called — Flag of Germany and Austria.svg heißen
English German
singular 1st person I am called ich heiße
2nd person you are called du heißt
3rd person he/she/it is called er/sie/es heißt
plural 1st person we are called wir heißen
2nd person you are called ihr heißt
3rd person they are called sie heißen*
*The form of verbs for you (polite) — Sie is exactly the same as for the plural, 3rd person pronoun they — sie. Two extremely common verbs are to be — sein and to have — haben. They are conjugated like this:
Verb: English language.svg to be — Flag of Germany and Austria.svg sein
English German
singular 1st person I am ich bin
2nd person you are du bist
3rd person he/she/it is er/sie/es ist
plural 1st person we are wir sind
2nd person you are ihr seid
3rd person they are sie sind*
*Don’t forget that the form for you (polite) — Sie is the same as for the plural, 3rd person pronoun they — sie.
Verb: English language.svg to have — Flag of Germany and Austria.svg haben
English German
singular 1st person I have ich habe
2nd person you have du hast
3rd person he/she/it has er/sie/es hat
plural 1st person we have wir haben
2nd person you have ihr habt
3rd person they have sie haben*
*This is also the form for you (polite) — Sie.
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Learn German-German Articles

Classroom - German, Learn German / By

  • Prepare for Goethe Exams at one of the best German Language Institutes in Coimbatore

    German Language Classes

    Introduction

    German has three words — der, die and das — for the definite article the. To make matters more confusing for someone learning German, these three definite articles change spelling according to the case of the noun that they appear with in a sentence. The same is true for the indefinite articles. Just as English has two indefinite articles — a and an — that you use with singular nouns, German also has two indefinite articles (in the nominative case): ein for masculine- and neuter-gender words and eine for feminine-gender words. Another similarity with English is that the German indefinite article ein/eine doesn’t have a plural form. Depending on how you’re describing something plural, you may or may not need to use the plural definite article. Consider the following generalized statement, which requires no article: In Zermatt sind Autos verboten. (Cars are forbidden in Zermatt [Switzerland].) The following table shows you the definite articles and the corresponding indefinite articles (nominative case):
    Gender/Number Definite (the) Indefinite (a/an)
    Masculine der ein
    Feminine die eine
    Neuter das ein
    Plural die (no plural form)
    In German language, there are three definite articles for nouns in singular: der for masculine nouns, die for feminine nouns and das neutral nouns. German native speakers know mostly intuitively what the article of each noun is. However, non-native speakers need to memorize the articles. There are several rules and guidelines determining the articles of some categories of nouns. But there are a lot of exceptions.
  • Rules for Article ‘Der’
    The following nouns have the article der:
    • Nouns for masculine persons and functions/professions: Vater, Pilot, Arzt;
    • Names of seasons: Frühling, Sommer, Herbst, Winter;
    • Names of months: Januar, Juli, Dezember;
    • Names of days of the week: Montag, Dienstag, Sonntag;
    • Names of compass directions: Nordwest(en), Süd(en);
    • Names of precipitations: Regen, Schnee, Hagel;
    • Names of car brands: Audi, BMW, Mercedes;
    • Names of trains: IC;
    • Nouns derived from verbs without suffix: Gang, Fang;
    The following categories of nouns have mainly the article der:
    • Names of alcoholic beverages: Cognac, Wein, Whiskey; exceptions: das Bier;
    • Names of rivers outside Europe: Amazonas, Mississippi;
    • Names of mountains: Mont Blanc, Kilimanjaro; exception: die Zugspitze;
    Furthermore, nouns with the suffixes below have the article der:
    • –er (nouns derived from verbs): Fahrer, Lehrer;
    • –ismus: Kapitalismus, Journalismus;
    Most of nouns with the following suffixes have the article der:
    • –ant: Demonstrant, Elefant; exceptions: das Croissant, das Restaurant;
    • –ling: Lehrling, Schützling; exceptions: das Dribbling, das Bowling;
    • –ner: Rentner, Schaffner, Zöllner; exceptions: das Banner, die Wiener (Wurst);
    • –or: Motor, Traktor; exceptions: das Gegentor, das Chlor;

    Watch out: this is applicable only to nouns in singular. All nouns in plural have the article die.

    Watch out: diminutives have always the article das: der Kopf → das Köpfchen.

    Rules for Article ‘Die’

    The following nouns have the article die:
    • Nouns for feminine persons and functions/professions: Mutter, Friseuse, Ärztin;
    • Names of motorcycle brands: Harley Davidson, BMW (only motorcycle), Yamaha;
    • Names of planes and ships: Boeing 747, Titanic;
    • Cardinal numbers: Eins, Drei;
    The following categories of nouns have mainly the article die:
    • Names of plants and trees: Birke, Chrysantheme, Rose; exceptions: der Ahorn, das Veilchen;
    Furthermore, nouns with the suffixes below have the article die:
    • –falt: Vielfalt;
    • –heit: Freiheit, Sicherheit;
    • –keit: Möglichkeit, Schnelligkeit;
    • –schaft: Freundschaft, Mannschaft;
    • –t (nouns derived from verbs): Fahrt, Tat;
    • –ung: Leitung, Zeitung;
    Foreign nouns with the suffixes below have the article die:
    • –ade: Hitparade, Marmelade;
    • –age: Garage, Passage;
    • –anz: Eleganz, Dominanz;
    • –enz: Existenz, Tendenz;
    • –ik: Kritik, Musik;
    • –ion: Diskussion, Koalition;
    • –tät: Identität, Qualität;
    • –ur: Agentur, Reparatur;
    Most of nouns with the following suffixes have the article die:
    • –e: Grenze, Lampe; exceptions: der Junge, der Friede;
    • –ei: Abtei, Metzgerei; exceptions: das Ei, der Papagei;
    • –ie: Diplomatie, Psychologie; exceptions: der Junkie, der Hippie;
    • –in: Ärztin, Studentin; exceptions: das Benzin, der Harlekin;

    Beware: diminutives have always the article das: die Hand → das Händchen.

  • Rules for Article ‘Das’
    The following nouns have the article das:
    • Diminutives (–chen, –lein): Kaninchen, Fräulein;
    • Nouns derived from infinitives: Essen, Schreiben;
    • Nouns derived from adjectives: Gute, Böse;
    • Names of colors: Rot, Gelb, Blau;
    The following categories of nouns have the article das:
    • Almost all of the 112 known chemical elements: Aluminium, Kupfer, Uran; 6 exceptions: der Kohlenstoff, der Sauerstoff, der Stickstoff, der Wasserstoff, der Phosphor, der Schwefel;
    • Names of metals: Blei, Messing, Zinn; exceptions: die Bronze, der Stahl;
    • Fractions: Drittel (⅓), Viertel (¼); exception: die Hälfte (½);
    Furthermore, nouns with the suffixes below have the article das:
    • –ial: Material, Potenzial;
    Most of nouns with the following suffixes have the article das:
    • –ment: Instrument, Parlament; exceptions: der Konsument, der Zement;
    • –nis: Ergebnis, Tennis; exceptions: die Fahrerlaubnis, die Wildnis;
    • –o: Auto, Konto; exceptions: die Avocado, der Euro;
    • –tum: Quantum, Ultimatum; exceptions: der Reichtum, der Irrtum;
    • –um (nouns of Latin origin): Publikum, Museum, Stadium;

    Beware: this is applicable only to nouns in singular. All nouns in plural have the article die.

    • German Definite Articles by Gender (Nominative Case)
    German Definite Article (English meaning) Gender (Abbreviation Seen in Dictionaries) German Example (English meaning)
    der (the) masculine (m) der Löffel (the spoon)
    die (the) feminine (f) die Gabel (the fork)
    das (the) neuter (n or nt) das Messer (the knife)
    die (the) plural (pl) die Menschen (the people)
    Some categories of nouns are consistently masculine, feminine, or neuter. For instance, noun gender usually follows the gender of people: der Onkel (the uncle) and die Schwester (the sister). In many other cases, the noun categories have to do with the ending of the noun. The following two tables provide some fairly reliable categories of nouns and their genders.
    Common Genders by Noun Ending (Or Beginning)
    Usually Masculine (der) Usually Feminine (die) Usually Neuter (das)
    -er (especially when referring to male people/jobs) -ade, -age, -anz, -enz, -ette, -ine, -ion, -tur (if foreign/borrowed from another language) -chen
    -ich -e -ium
    -ismus -ei -lein
    -ist -heit -ment (if foreign/borrowed from another language)
    -ner -ie -o
    -ik -tum or -um
    -in (when referring to female people/occupations) Ge-
    -keit
    -schaft
    -tät
    -ung
    Common Genders by Noun Subject
    Usually Masculine (der) Usually Feminine (die) Usually Neuter (das)
    Days, months, and seasons: der Freitag(Friday) Many flowers: die Rose (the rose) Colors (adjectives) used as nouns: grün (green) das Grün (the green)
    Map locations: der Süd(en) (the south) Many trees: die Buche (the beech) Geographic place names: das Europa(Europe)
    Names of cars and trains: der Audi (the Audi) and der ICE(the Intercity Express) Names of aircraft and ships: die Boeing 767 (the Boeing 767), die Titanic (the Titanic) Infinitives used as nouns (gerunds): schwimmen(to swim) das Schwimmen(swimming)
    Nationalities and words showing citizenship: der Amerikaner (the American) Cardinal numbers:eine Drei (a three) Young people and animals: das Baby (the baby)
    Occupations: der Arzt(the doctor) Almost all the chemical elements and most metals: das Aluminium(aluminum) and das Blei(lead)
    Names of most mountains and lakes:der Großglockner(the highest mountain in Austria)
    Most rivers outside of Europe: der Amazonas (the Amazon)
     ]]>

    German Modal Verbs

    Classroom - German / By

    Modal verbs help you convey your attitude or explain how you feel about an action in German. They usually accompany another verb and appear in the second position of a sentence. The verb they assist generally appears at the end of the clause. The following table shows each German modal verb in infinitive form along with the English translation, followed by a statement using the modal verb. Look at the various ways of modifying the statement Ich lerne Deutsch (I learn German) with the modal verbs. Notice that the modal verb is in second position in the sentence, and the main verb gets booted to the end.

    German Modal Verb Translation Example English Equivalent
    dürfen may, to be allowed to Ich darf Deutsch lernen. l may/am allowed to learn German.
    können can, to be able to Ich kann Deutsch lernen. l can/am able to learn German.
    mögen to like to Ich mag Deutsch lernen. l like to learn German.
    möchten would like to Ich möchte Deutsch lernen. l would like to learn German.
    müssen must, to have to Ich muss Deutsch lernen. l must/have to learn German.
    sollen should, to besupposed to Ich soll Deutsch lernen. I’m supposed to/should learn German.
    wollen to want to Ich will Deutsch lernen. I want to learn German.
    These verbs all have regular verb endings in their plural forms (wir, ihr, sie,and Sie). Most of them also have irregular verb changes, some of which you can see in the examples in the table.
    1.DÜRFEN : to be allowed
    Ich: darf Wir: dürfen
    Du: darfst Ihr: dürft
    Er: darf Sie: dürfen
    2. HABEN : to have
    Ich: habe Wir: haben
    Du: hast Ihr: habt
    Er: hat Sie: haben
    3. KÖNNEN : to be able to
    Ich: kann Wir: können
    Du: kannst Ihr: könnt
    Er: kann Sie: können
    4. MÖGEN : to like
    Ich: mag Wir: mögen
    Du: magst Ihr: mögt
    Er: mag Sie: mögen
    5. MÜSSEN : to have to
    Ich: muss Wir: müssen
    Du: musst Ihr: müsst
    Er: muss Sie: müssen
    6. SOLLEN : suppose to
    Ich: soll Wir: sollen
    Du: sollst Ihr: sollt
    Er: soll Sie: sollen
    7. WERDEN : to become
    Ich: werde Wir: werden
    Du: wirst Ihr: werdet
    Er: wird Sie: werden
    8. WOLLEN : to want
    Ich: will Wir: wollen
    Du: willst Ihr: wollt
    Er: will Sie: wollen
       ]]>

    German Classroom-Separable Verbs

    Classroom - German / By

      One of the things that is the most surprising (and exasperating) when you start learning German is the idea of a separable verb. We’re going to look at what they are and how to conjugate them in more detail. They are similar to phrasal verbs in English. A characteristic feature of German is its ability to create verbs with new meanings through the addition of prefixes to nouns, adjectives, or other verbs. For example:

    • aus + gehen = ausgehen – to go out
    • ver + kaufen = verkaufen – to sell
    German has two categories of prefixes: inseparable prefixes and separable prefixes. However, few prefixes exist that can be used in either catgory. Also, a verb could have more than one prefix, each giving a new verb with a different meaning than the others. Take the verb ‘kommen‘ for example:
    Verb Definition
    kommen to come
    ankommen to arrive
    mitkommen to come along
    weiterkommen to get on
    hereinkommen to come in
    herauskommen to come out
    nachkommen to come later
    zurückkommen to come back

    Inseparable Prefixes

    These prefixes are always attached to the front end of a verb and are never removed from it no matter the tense or form of the verb. When pronouncing a verb with an inseparable prefix, the stress is always on the stem of the verb. The table below shows these prefixes, along with some examples:
    Prefix Verb Definition
    be- bekommen to get/receive
    besuchen to visit/attend
    emp- empfehlen to recommend
    empfinden to feel
    ent- entlassen to discharge/fire
    entscheiden to decide/determine
    er- erfinden to invent/make-up
    erwarten to expect/anticipate
    ge- gehorchen to obey
    gestatten to permit/allow
    miss- missachtest to disobey/disregard
    misstrauen to mistrust/suspect
    ver- vergessen to forget
    verstehen to understand
    zer- zerstören to destroy
    zerkratzen to scratch
    The inseparable prefix remains attached to the verb when its conjugated. Notice the position of the inseparable prefix in the following examples:
    • Ich verstehe sehr gut Deutsch – I understant very good German
    • Ich besuche meine Eltern jeden Tag – I visit my parents everyday
    Learn German

    Separable Prefixes

    Separable prefixes are adverbs and prepositions that are detached from the verb when it is conjugated. It would be completely impractical to list all of those prefixes; as there are many. When pronouncing a verb with a separable prefix, the stress is always on the separable prefix. The table below shows the most common ones along with some examples:
    Prefix Verb Definition
    an- ankommen to arrive
    anrufen to phone somebody
    auf- aufstehen to wake up
    aufhören to stop/cease
    aus- ausgehen to go out
    aussprechen to pronounce
    bei- beibringen to teach
    beitragen to add/contribute
    ein- einkaufen to go shopping
    einladen to invite
    fort- fortfahren to continue/proceed
    fortgehen to go away
    mit- mitgehen to go along
    mitarbeiten to collaborate
    nach- nachahmen to imitate/copy
    nacharbeiten to rework/revise
    vor- vorstellen to present/introduce
    vorbereiten to prepare/set up
    weg- wegfahren to drive away
    weglaufen to run away
    zu- zuhören to listen
    zunehmen to increase/grow
    As already mentioned, when a verb with a separable prefix is conjugated in the present tense, the separable prefix is detached from it. The prefix is moved to the end of its clause. Notice the position of the inseparable prefix in the following examples:
    • Herr Bauer ruft seine Frau an – Mr Bauer is calling his wife
    • Ich gehe mit meinen Freunden jeden Tag aus – I go out with my friends everyday
    • Sie kauft im Supermarkt ein – She is shopping in the supermark

    Prefixes that can be Separable or Inseparable

    A few prefixes exist that can be either separable or inseparable, depending on the way the verb is pronounced. When the stress is on the prefix itself, the prefix is separable. But when the stress is on the stem of the verb, it’s a strong signal that the prefix is an inseparable one. A few examples are shown in the next table:
    Prefix Separable Verb Inseparable Verb
    durch- durchfallen durchdringen
    um- umsteigen umarmen
    wieder- wiedergeben wiederholen
    Of course, the verb conjugation depends on whether the prefix is separable or inseparable, as shown in the next example:
    • Wir steigen in Berlin um (umsteigen) – We change (busses) in Berlin
    • Wir umarmen uns (umarmen) – We embrace ourselves
    That brings us to the end of this lesson. Make sure to solve the exercises associated with this lesson before proceeding to the next ones.
    Handout: Separable and Inseparable Prefixes
    As you know, German verbs can have separable prefixes. These prefixes change the meaning of the original verb, and make a new word. In the present tense, separable prefixes are separated from the verb and placed at the end of the sentence bracket. The separation rule also applies in the imperative. When used in the infinitive, however (e.g. with a modal auxiliary), separable prefix verbs are not divided. As you will shortly learn, the participle forms in the past tense are also combined.
    Hans steht jeden Tag um 9.00 Uhr auf. Hans gets up every day at 9:00.
    Hans, steh jetzt auf! Hans, get up now!
    Hans muss jeden Tag um 9.00 Uhr aufstehen. Hans has to get up every day at 9:00.

    Common separable prefixes. Remember that this list is only a rough guide to the meanings of prefixes, since their use is highly idiomatic.  
    ab= off, down abholen to pick up
    abnehmen to take off
    an = an , at anfangen to start, to begin
    anrufen to call, to telephone
    anziehen to put on, to dress
    auf = up aufhören to stop
    aufräumen to clean up
    aufstehen to get up, to stand up
    aus = out ausgehen to go out
    aussehen to seem, to appear
    ein = in, into einkaufen to shop
    einschlafen to go to sleep
    fern = far fernsehen to watch TV
    fort = away fortgehen to leave , to go away
    her = ‘hither’, to here herholen to fetch
    herkommen to come from
    hin = ‘thither’, to there hinstellen to put, to place
    mit = with, along mitbringen to bring along
    mitkommen to come along
    mitnehmen to take along
    nach = after nachdenken to think, to reflect
    nachfragen to inquire, ask after
    um = around, at umsehen to look around
    vor = before vorhaben to have planned
    vorstellen to introduce
    vorbei = by, past vorbeikommen to come by
    weg = away weggehen to go away, leave
    wegnehmen to take away
    zu = to, closed zuhören to listen
    zumachen to close
    zurück = back zurückgeben to give back
    zurückkommen to come back
    zusammen = together zusammenkommen to come together
    Separable Verbs
    1.ABHOLEN : to fetch/pick up
    Ich: hole ab Wir: holen ab
    Du: holst ab Ihr: holt ab
    Er: holt ab Sie: holen ab
    2. ANFANGEN : to begin
    Ich: fange an Wir: fangen an
    Du: fängst an Ihr: fangt an
    Er: fängt an Sie: fangen an
    3. ANKOMMEN : to arrive
    Ich: komme an Wir: kommen an
    Du: kommst an Ihr: kommt an
    Er: kommt an Sie: kommen an
    4. ANRUFEN : to call up
    Ich: rufe an Wir: rufen an
    Du: rufst an Ihr: ruft an
    Er: ruft an Sie: rufen an
    5. AUFHÖREN : to stop/be over
    Ich: höre auf Wir: hören auf
    Du: hörst auf Ihr: hört auf
    Er: hört auf Sie: hören auf
    6. AUFPASSEN : to watch out or pay attention
    Ich: passe auf Wir: passen auf
    Du: passt auf Ihr: passt auf
    Er: passt auf Sie: passen auf
    7. AUFRÄUMEN : to clean up/tidy up
    Ich: räume auf Wir: räumen auf
    Du: räumst auf Ihr: räumt auf
    Er: räumt auf Sie: räumen auf
    8. AUFSTEHEN : to stand up
    Ich: stehe auf Wir: stehen auf
    Du: stehst auf Ihr: steht auf
    Er: steht auf Sie: stehen auf
    9. AUSFÜLLEN : to fill out
    Ich: fülle aus Wir: füllen aus
    Du: füllst aus Ihr: füllt aus
    Er: füllt aus Sie: füllen aus
    10. AUSGEHEN : to go out
    Ich: gehe aus Wir: gehen aus
    Du: gehst aus Ihr: geht aus
    Er: geht aus Sie: gehen aus
    11. AUSSEHEN : to look or to appear
    Ich: sehe aus Wir: sehen aus
    Du: siehst aus Ihr: seht aus
    Er: sieht aus Sie: sehen aus
    12. EINKAUFEN : to go shopping
    Ich: kaufe ein Wir: kaufen ein
    Du: kaufst ein Ihr: kauft ein
    Er: kauft ein Sie: kaufen ein
    13. EINLADEN : to invite
    Ich: lade ein Wir: laden ein
    Du: lädst ein Ihr: ladet ein
    Er: lädt ein Sie: laden ein
    14. EINPACKEN : to pack up
    Ich: packe ein Wir: packen ein
    Du: packst ein Ihr: packt ein
    Er: packt ein Sie: packen ein
    15. RADFAHREN : to ride a bicycle
    Ich: fahre rad Wir: fahren rad
    Du: fährst rad Ihr: fahrt rad
    Er: fährt rad Sie: fahren rad
    16. VORBEIGEHEN : to go past
    Ich: gehe vorbei Wir: gehen vorbei
    Du: gehst vorbei Ihr: geht vorbei
    Er: geht vorbei Sie: gehen vorbei
    17. VORHABEN : to have plans
    Ich: habe vor Wir: haben vor
    Du: hast vor Ihr: habt vor
    Er: hat vor Sie: haben vor

    Introduction to Separable Verbs

    For these verbs, the particle is separated and placed at the end of the clause for simple verb tenses (as long as the clause is not subordinate or relative). Let´s look at the separable verb “absagen” (cancel) as an example. The verb is formed by the particle ab and the verb sagen. “Sagen” alone means to say, but together with the particle “ab” it means “cancel”.

    Er sagt ein Konzert ab He cancelled the concert

    As you can observe in this example, the particle “ab” is placed at the end of the clause. This property of separating only takes place in verb tenses that do not have an auxiliary verb (helping verb). In German, they are:
    • Präsens
    • Präteritum
    • Imperativ

    Präsens (present)

    Person Conjugation Translation
    ich sag-e […] ab I cancel
    du sag-st […] ab you cancel
    er/sie/es sag-t […] ab he/she/it cancels
    wir sag-en […] ab we cancel
    ihr sag-t […] ab you cancel (speaking to a group)
    sie sag-en […] ab they cancel

    Präteritum (past simple)

    Person Conjugation Translation
    ich sag-t-e […] ab I cancelled
    du sag-te-st[…] ab you cancelled
    er/sie/es sag-t-e […] ab he/she/it cancelled
    wir sag-t-en […] ab we cancelled
    ihr sag-te-t […] ab you cancelled
    sie sag-t-en […] ab they cancelled

    Imperativ (Imperative)

    Person Conjugation Translation
    2nd person singular sag […] ab cancel
    1st person plural sag-en wir […] ab Let’s cancel
    2nd person plural sag-t […] ab cancel
    polite form (Sie) sag-en Sie […] ab cancel

    The construction of the “Partizip II”

    To make the Partizip II for the separable verb, you do the same as you would for the “Partizip II” for verbs that are not separted and add the particle as a prefix.
    Infinitive Partizip II Translation
    absagen abgesagt cancelled
    aufmachen aufgemacht opened
    umsteigen umgestiegen changed
    zumachen zugemacht closed

    Separable Verbs in Subordinate Clauses

    For subordinate clauses, separable verbs behave like normal verbs, meaning that they aren´t separate:

    Sie hat erzählt, dass er ein Konzert absagt She said that he’s cancelling a concert

    Separable Verbs in Relative Clauses

    In relative clauses the separable verbs do not split:

    Ich schickte dir eine SMS, die nie ankam I sent you a text that never arrived

    Separable verbs in Clauses “(um)” + “zu”

    Compound clauses with “(um) + zu”, the separable verbs are split by placing the preposition zu between the particle and the verb:

    Es ist schwer, das Spiel wegzulegen It’s difficult to put down this game

    Separable particles

    Sometimes, particles change the meaning of the verb they accompany just slightly, other times drastically. Separable particles are: absagen [cancel]“ab-”
    • abschrauben [unscrew]
    • absegeln [sail away]
    • abbiegen [turn]

    “an-“

    • anleiten [guide]
    • anmelden [register]
    • anrufen [call]
    • anfangen [start]
    • anhalten [stop]
    • ankommen [arrive]
    • anbieten [offer]
    • anpassen [adapt]
    • anschließen [connect]

    “auf-“

    • aufheizen [heat up]
    • aufhaben [wear]
    • aufstehen [to stand up]

    “aus-“

    • aussteigen [to get off/to exit (the bus)]
    • aussehen [to look/to apear] (Ex: “She looks beautiful” NOT “She looks at a map)”

    “auseinander-“

    • auseinandersetzen to deal with/to argue with]

    “bei-“

    • beitragen [contribute]

    “dar-“

    • darstellen [to represent]

    “durch-“

    • durchlesen [to read through]
    • durchgehen [to pass through]
    The particle “durch-” is sometimes not separable. For example: durchqueren[to traverse]

    “ein-“

    • einsteigen [to step into/to enter (on the bus)]
    • einkaufen [to go shopping]
    • einschalten [to turn on]
    • einladen [to invite] It is not always separable

    “entgegen-“

    • entgegenstellen [to oppose]

    “entlang-“

    • entlangfahren [to drive along]

    “fehl-“

    • fehlschlagen [to backfire]

    “fest-“

    • festlegen [to determine]

    “her-“

    • herstellen [to manufacture]

    “herein-“

    • hereintreten [to step in]

    “los-“

    • losgehen [to get going]

    “mit-“

    • mitmachen [to participate]

    “nach-“

    • nacharbeiten [to rework]

    “über-“

    • überstreifen [to shuffle on/slip over]
    The particle “über” is normally not separable. For example: überdenken [reconsider]

    “um-“

    • umsteigen [change (trains)]

    “unter-“

    • unterlegen [to place underneath]
    The particle “unter-” is sometimes not separable.

    “vor-“

    • vorlesen [to read aloud]
    • vorsehen [to provide]

    “vorbei-“

    • vorbeimarschieren [to march by]

    “weg-“

    • wegnehmen [to take away]

    “weiter-“

    • weiterentwickeln [to perfect/improve]

    “wieder-“

    • wiedergeben [to return (something)] It is not always separable: wiederholen [to repeat] (not separable)

    “zu-“

    • zumachen [to close]

    “zurück-“

    • zurückkommen [to come back]

    The special case of particle placement

    As we said, the separable particle of the verb is placed at the end of the sentence:

    Geht er ins Kino mit? Is he also going to the movie theater?

    But if a complement is taken for granted (it doesn’t provide new information) in street German (although this is not correct) is placed at the end, leaving the particle inside the sentence so that we hear:

    Geht er mit ins Kino? Is he also going to the movie theater?

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