Principal parts of verbs & verb groups
In English, the principle parts of verbs are Infinitive/Present, Past, Past Participle. Examples: sing, sang, sung;
write, wrote, written; learn, learned, learned; bring, brought, brought. In German they are the same: kommen, kam, ist
gekommen; singen, sang, gesungen; spielen, spielte, gespielt; bringen, brachte, gebracht; ziehen, zog, gezogen.
Additionally, for those verbs that change the du- and er/sie/es/man-form in the present tense, this form is cited
after the infin-pres: lesen, liest, las, gelesen; halten, hält, hielt, gehalten. If only three forms are listed, they are
ALWAYS the same principle parts as in English. If four, the 2nd is always the du/er-vowel of the present tense.
It is helpful to group verbs that are conjugated similarly as a memory aid. (Remember: The more of these that
can be memorized ASAP, the better off you’ll be. Keep reviewing once you have learned them, too!).
In this chart, underlined forms have consonant or other slight changes to keep in mind. Variants of the basic
verb are ALWAYS conjugated the same way: stehen, verstehen, bestehen, vorstehen, auferstehen; stand, verstand,
bestand, stand vor, erstand auf; hat gestanden, hat verstanden, hat bestanden, hat vorgestanden, ist auferstanden; etc.
etc. etc. Some variants you may know are listed under basic verbs in the list. Note that choice of haben or sein
depends on MEANING (sein for change of location or condition by subject) and may not be the same as the
basic verb (cf. IST auferstanden = rose up from the dead: change of condition). Sein-verbs have ist before their
past participle in the list; all others can be assumed to be haben-verbs. (* See p. 3 for verbs with ß vs. ss.)
STRONG (Irregular) Verbs/STARKE (unregelmäßige) Verben
ALL have vowel changes but NEVER have t-endings in past (use -ø,-st,-ø; -en,-t,-en)
a-ä-u-a
backen, bäckt, backte (buk is archaic), gebacken
fahren, fährt, fuhr, ist gefahren
Í mitfahren; abfahren; einfahren; hinfahren
laden, lädt, lud, geladen
Í einladen
schlagen, schlägt, schlug, geschlagen
tragen, trägt, trug, getragen
wachsen, wächst, wuchs, ist gewachsen
Í aufwachsen
waschen, wäscht, wusch, gewaschen
Í abwaschen
bake
go (by vehicle)/drive
Í go along; leave/drive off; arrive/roll in; go there
load
Í invite
hit/strike/beat
carry/wear
grow/wax (as the moon)
Í grow up/reach adulthood
wash
Í wash up/do dishes
a - ä - ie/i - a; au - äu - ie - au
braten, brät, briet, gebraten
fallen, fällt, fiel, ist gefallen
Í hinfallen; gefallen
fangen, fängt, fing, gefangen
Í anfangen
halten, hält, hielt, gehalten
Í anhalten; erhalten
hängen (older: hangen), hing, gehangen
lassen, lässt, ließ, gelassen*
Í zurücklassen; verlassen*
laufen, läuft, lief, ist gelaufen
Í weglaufen; zurücklaufen
raten, rät, riet, geraten
Í beraten
schlafen, schläft, schlief, geschlafen
Í einschlafen
roast/fry
fall
Í fall down; be pleasing
catch
Í begin/start
hold/keep/stop
Í stop; receive
hang/be hanging (intransitive)
let/leave/allow/permit
Í leave behind; leave (sthg or someone)
run/go on foot/walk
Í run away; run back
give counsel/give advice
Í advise (someone)
sleep
Q ui z 1: wk vbs (p. 5)
Í fall asleep
& this page to here
2
ei - ie/i - ie/i (past & p.p. always the same)
beißen, biss, gebissen*
bleiben, blieb, ist geblieben
Í übrigbleiben
leihen, lieh, geliehen
reiten, ritt, ist geritten
scheiden, schied, geschieden
scheinen, schien, geschienen
schneiden, schnitt, geschnitten
Í abschneiden; wegschneiden
schreiben, schrieb, geschrieben
Í beschreiben; abschreiben; vorschreiben
steigen, stieg, ist gestiegen
Í aufsteigen; einsteigen, aussteigen
(vehicles)
streiten, stritt, gestritten
treiben, trieb, getrieben
vergleichen, verglich, verglichen
Exception!: heißen, hieß, geheißen*
bite
stay/remain
DISTINGUISH:
Í be left over
ie & ei !!
lend
ride (a horse)
separate/divorce
shine/seem/appear
cut
Í cut off; cut away
write
Í describe; copy/cheat (on tests); proscribe
go up/climb/rise
Í climb up/mount; get in, get out
fight/argue
drive/force/do (sports)
compare
be called/call/name
i-a-o
beginnen, begann, begonnen
gewinnen, gewann, gewonnen
schwimmen, schwamm, ist geschwommen
begin/start
win/gain
swim
i-a-u
binden, band, gebunden
Í verbinden
finden, fand, gefunden
klingen, klang, geklungen
singen, sang, gesungen
sinken, sank, ist gesunken
Í versinken
springen, sprang, ist gesprungen
stinken, stank, gestunken
trinken, trank, getrunken
Í ertrinken; austrinken
verschwinden, verschwand, ist verschwunden
bind/tie/fasten
Í connect
find/consider
sound/ring/resound
sing
sink/go down (sun)
Í sink/go under (ship)
jump/spring/hop
stink/reek
drink
Í drown; drink up
disappear
i/ie - a - e
bitten, bat, gebeten
sitzen, saß, gesessen*
Í besitzen; herumsitzen
liegen, lag, gelegen
ask/request
sit/be sitting (intransitive)
Í own/possess; sit around
lie/be lying (intransitive)
ie/e - o - o
biegen, bog, gebogen
Í abbiegen; einbiegen
bieten, bot, geboten
Í anbieten; gebieten; verbieten
fliegen, flog, ist geflogen
Í abfliegen; wegfliegen; hinfliegen
Q ui z 2 to here
bend/arch/bow
Í turn off (a road); turn into (a road)
offer/make an offer
Í offer; command/order; forbid/not allow
fly
Í leave/fly off; fly away; go there (by air)
Q ui z 3 to here
3
ie/e - o - o (continued)
fliehen, floh, ist geflohen
fließen, floss, ist geflossen*
frieren, fror, gefroren
gießen, goss, gegossen*
heben, hob, gehoben
riechen, roch, gerochen
schießen, schoss, geschossen*
schließen, schloss, geschlossen*
Í beschließen; ab-; zuschließen; verschließen
verlieren, verlor, verloren
e - i/ie - a - e
essen, isst, aß, gegessen*
fressen, frisst, fraß, gefressen*
people)
geben, gibt, gab, gegeben
Í mitgeben; vergeben
geschehen, geschieht, geschah, ist geschehen
lesen, liest, las, gelesen
sehen, sieht, sah, gesehen
Í ansehen; zusehen; übersehen (insep.)
vergessen, vergisst, vergaß, vergessen*
flee/run away
flow/run/course
freeze/be cold
pour/water
lift/heave
smell
shoot
close/end
Í decide; close off/finish; lock; close up/lock
lose
eat
eat (said of animals), pig out/“scarf” (of
give (es gibt + Acc = there is/are)
Í hand out/give to take along; forgive
happen/occur
read
see
Í look at; watch/spectate; overlook
forget
* Reminder about -ß and -ss-: According to the new spelling law that recently went into effect, ss is written after ALL
short vowels in any position, ß ONLY after long vowels/diphthongs. See verbs marked with * in list for examples;
pronounce them accordingly, with a long or short vowel! (Formerly, the rule was: between two vowels, one wrote -ss- if
the first was short; one wrote ß if first vowel was long or a diphthong; always ß at end of word/syllable or before a consonant
(usually t). Easier to remember is this: One ALWAYS wrote ß EXCEPT between two vowels when first vowel was short.)
e - i/ie - a – o
brechen, bricht, brach, gebrochen
empfehlen, empfiehlt, empfahl, empfohlen
helfen, hilft, half, geholfen
nehmen, nimmt, nahm, genommen
sprechen, spricht, sprach, gesprochen
Í besprechen; versprechen
stehlen, stiehlt, stahl, gestohlen
sterben, stirbt, starb, ist gestorben
Í aussterben
treffen, trifft, traf, getroffen
Í betreffen
werden, wird, wurde, ist geworden
(ward is archaic but common in older texts)
Exceptions!:
Q ui z 4 to here
break
recommend
help/aid/give assistance
take
speak/talk
Í discuss; promise
steal
die
Í die out/become extinct
meet/encounter/run into
Í concern/be of concern to
become/get
gehen, ging, ist gegangen
go/walk
Í weggehen; mitgehen, etc.
Í go away; go along, etc.
stehen, stand, gestanden
stand/be standing
Í verstehen; bestehen; bestehen aus
Í understand; exist; consist of
4
Miscellaneous group (learn individually!)
kommen, kam, ist gekommen
come/arrive
Í bekommen; ankommen; hinkommen; mitkommen
Í get/receive; arrive; get to/get there; come along
rufen, rief, hat gerufen
call/yell/cry out
Í anrufen; zurückrufen; ausrufen
Í call up/phone; call back; exclaim/cry out
sein, ist, war, ist gewesen
be (am/is/are; was/were; has been)
stoßen, stößt, stieß, gestoßen*
bump/strike/hit
Í zusammenstoßen*
Í collide
tun, tat, getan
do
ziehen, zog, ist/hat gezogen
(with haben:) pull/draw
Í einziehen; ausziehen; umziehen; anziehen
Í pull in; pull out; pull around; pull on
(last 3, for clothing:) take off; change; put on
(with sein:) move
Í (1st 3) move in; move out; move (chg residence)
Q ui z 5 to here
MIXED Verbs/GEMISCHTE (unregelmäßige schwache) Verben
DO have vowel change, but ALWAYS T-endings in past (-te,-test,-te; -ten,-tet,-ten)
(Note: modals have present form given too)
brennen, brannte, gebrannt
Í verbrennen
bringen, brachte, gebracht
Í verbringen
denken, dachte, gedacht
dürfen, darf, durfte, gedurft
haben, hat, hatte, gehabt (changes vowel in subjunctive)
kennen, kannte, gekannt
können, kann, konnte, gekonnt
mögen, mag, mochte, gemocht
müssen, muss, musste, gemusst*
nennen, nannte, genannt
rennen, rannte, ist gerannt
senden, sandte, gesandt (also weak)
sollen, soll, sollte, gesollt (no vowel change: actually weak)
wissen, weiß, wusste, gewusst* (similar to modals)
wollen, will, wollte, gewollt
burn/be on fire
Í burn up
bring/provide
Í spend (time)
think
be allowed/may/can/be permitted
have
know/be familiar with
be able/can/know how to
like/may
have to/must
name/call
run
send
be supposed to/should/ought to
know (a fact, know that…)
want to/intend to/claim to
Note that the vowel and any consonant changes are in BOTH the past and the past participle (except
for irregular haben). The change is the same in the past as in the past participle.
This group is VERY LIMITED. If you know the above, there are very few others you will ever have
to learn that fit in this category.
Q ui z 6 to here
Last one!
WEAK (Regular) VERBS/SCHWACHE (regelmäßige) Verben
5
NEVER change vowels, ALWAYS T-endings in past (-te,-test,-te; -ten,-tet,-ten)
These verbs are ToTally predicTable
The pattern is ALWAYS: …-en, …-(e)te, ge-…-(e)t (Extra -e- if stem ends in -t, -d, consonant cluster.
See items marked with # in list below for examples.)
(Quiz 1 includes WEAK VBS)
lernen, lernte, gelernt
learn/study
Í kennenlernen
Í to meet/get to know/become acquainted
besuchen, besuchte, besucht
visit
spielen, spielte, gespielt
play
Í mitspielen
Í play along
schulden, schuldete, geschuldet #
owe
baden, badete, gebadet #
bathe/swim
zeichnen, zeichnete, gezeichnet #
draw/sketch
Í auszeichnen #
Í distinguish
füllen, füllte, gefüllt
fill
Í ausfüllen
Í fill out/complete (a form)
räumen, räumte, geräumt
clear/make room
Í aufräumen; abräumen
Í straighten up (room); clear away
erzählen, erzählte, erzählt
tell/relate/recount
reisen, reiste, ist gereist
travel
Í abreisen; verreisen
Í leave on a trip; go/be on a trip
antworten, antwortete, geantwortet #
answer/give a response
enden, endete, geendet #
end/finish
passieren, passierte, ist passiert*
happen/occur
studieren, studierte, studiert
N.B. NO ge- !
go to the university/study (as a major)
finanzieren, finanzierte, finanziert
finance
ETC. ETC. ETC.
Note: ALL -ieren verbs omit the ge- from the past participle.
NEVER, EVER change vowels in weak verbs ! They wouldn’t be regular (predictable) if you did.
Assume all verbs are weak (like -ed verbs in English) unless you’ve learned them as being strong or
mixed. So: if a verb or its compound is not in this list, assume it’s weak unless told otherwise.
GOOD TIP: You can generally assume any verb that has an umlaut in the infinitive form takes Tendings. All of these are weak except for the modals dürfen, können, mögen, müssen. (Another
apparent exception is hängen ‘to be hanging’, but this used to be plain hangen in older German. It is a
strong verb. There is also a weak version of hängen meaning ‘to hang [something]’. It takes the
regular T-endings with no vowel changes.)
FOR VERBS OF ANY TYPE: Remember that you must look up the base verb if a compound verb is
involved. E.g., say you find ENTSTEHEN (to emerge, originate, come into being). You’d look up its
base verb, STEHEN, and find stehen, stand, hat gestanden. Make the same changes for entstehen:
entstehen, entstand, ist entstanden. (Note: You use sein with entstehen because its meaning indicates
a change of condition; no ge- in past participle because ent- is an inseparable prefix.)