German grammar · Beginner (A1)
The present tense
How to form the German present tense: regular endings, small spelling changes, and verbs that change their vowel.
Regular endings
The dictionary form of a verb is the infinitive, and it usually ends in -en: (to live). Take off -en to get the stem (wohn-), then add the ending for each person.
| Person | Ending | English | |
|---|---|---|---|
| -e | I live | ||
| -st | you live | ||
| / / | -t | he / she / it lives | |
| -en | we live | ||
| -t | you (all) live | ||
| / | -en | they live / you live |
Small spelling changes
If the stem ends in -t or -d, add an extra e before -st and -t so the word is easy to say: , .
If the stem ends in -s, -ß or -z, the form adds only -t: , .
- Er arbeitet in einer Bank.He works in a bank.
- Wie findest du das?What do you think of that?
- Wie heißt du?What's your name?
Verbs that change their vowel
Some irregular verbs change the vowel of the stem, but only with and / / . All the other forms are regular.
| Change | Infinitive | / / | |
|---|---|---|---|
| e → i | (to speak) | ||
| e → i | (to take) | ||
| e → i | (to eat) | ||
| e → ie | (to see) | ||
| e → ie | (to read) | ||
| a → ä | (to drive, to go) | ||
| a → ä | (to sleep) |
One tense, several meanings
German has no separate “-ing” form. means both “I work” and “I am working”.
The present tense is also used for the future when a time word makes it clear, and with for something that started in the past and is still going on.
- Ich koche gerade.I'm cooking right now.
- Morgen fahre ich nach Berlin.I'm going to Berlin tomorrow.
- Ich wohne seit zwei Jahren in Leipzig.I've been living in Leipzig for two years.