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Verbs Verbs are the heartbeat of language. They are words that describe action or state—what we do, how we feel, or where we exist. In German, verbs are divided into two main categories based on what they express: “tun-Verben” (doing verbs) and “sein-Verben” (being verbs). Action Verbs (tun-Verben) These verbs describe actions or activities. They tell us what something or someone is doing. For example, “laufen” (to run) is a “tun-Verb” because it expresses the physical act of running. Verbs like “essen” (to eat), “schreiben” (to write), and “lernen” (to learn) are also action verbs. They convey what the subject is actively doing, creating movement, change, or progress. Action verbs are typically followed by the Akkusativ (accusative) case when they take a direct object, because they describe an action that affects or moves something. These verbs express actions that you perform, and the object of that action (if there is one) usually takes the accusative case. You are meeting your friend – du triffst deinen Freund. The possesive pronoun (deinen) is in the accusative case. Essen (to eat) – Ich esse gerne Pizza. (I like to eat pizza.) Lesen (to read) – Sie liest ein Buch. (She is reading a book.) Spielen (to play) – Wir spielen Fußball im Park. (We are playing soccer in the park.)   Being Verbs (sein-Verben) In contrast, “sein-Verben” describe a state of being, existence, or identity. These verbs don’t describe physical actions, but instead focus on how something is, rather than what it does. The most important being verb in German is “sein” (to be), which is used to describe identity, condition, or state of existence. For example, “Ich bin müde” (I am tired) or “Er ist ein Lehrer” (He is a teacher). Being verbs (especially “sein” – to be) usually do not take a direct object in the traditional sense. Instead, they often introduce a predicate nominative, meaning the subject is linked to a noun or adjective that describes or identifies it. This type of construction typically requires the Nominativ (nominative) case. Sein (to be) – Du bist mein bester Freund. (You are my best friend – male form.) The adjective (bester) is in the nominative case Sein (to be) – Ich bin Lehrer. (I am a teacher) Werden (to become) – Er wird Arzt. (He will become a doctor.) Bleiben (to stay) – Sie bleibt zu Hause. (She is staying at home.)   The verbs change their form depending on the Pronoun before the verb. These are words like I, me, she, you, it, they, and us. In English we use I am hungry but he is hungry. In German all verbs change depending on the pronoun, not just the sein (is/am) Hilfsverb.Examples of relative pronouns are: which, that, whose, whoever, whomever, who and whom, and many Pronoun Verb haben (have) Hillfsverb Verb sein (is)Hillfsverb Verb komme Vollverb Verb wollen (want to) Modalverb Ich (I) habe bin komme will du (you) hast bist kommst willst er, sie, es (he, she, it) hat ist kommt will wir (we) haben sind kommen wollen Ihr (you) habt seid kommt wollt Sie (they) haben sind kommen wollen Sie (Formal you) haben sind kommen wollen Conjugation Verb conjugation is the process of changing a verb to indicate different aspects such as tense, mood, voice, aspect, person, and number. In essence, it involves altering the form of a verb to match the subject of the sentence. This helps to convey information about when an action is taking place, who is performing the action, and other details.  For example, in English, the verb “to be” conjugates as follows: I am You are He/she/it is We are You are They are Conjugated verbs are used to express the characteristics of person, number, tense, voice and mode in the German language. Conjugation is the creation of derived forms of a verb. Conjugated verbs are used to express the characteristics of person, number, tense, voice and mode in the German language. https://www.verbformen.com/conjugation/ In the German conjugation (Konjugation) system one can distinguish three main types of verbs: 1. Regelmäßige/Schwachen Verben (Regular verbs) Regular verbs in German follow a predictable conjugation pattern based on their infinitive form (the basic form of the verb, like “sprechen” – to speak). When conjugated in different tenses or with different subjects, regular verbs undergo consistent changes, but the root of the verb generally remains the same. The key to regular verb conjugation is the way endings are added to the verb stem (the part of the verb without the “en” at the end). The root vowel in regular verbs does not change during conjugation, unlike irregular verbs (which often have vowel shifts). Tense Verb Conjugation (Ich) Translation Präsens (Present) Ich mache I make / I am making Präteritum (Simple Past) Ich machte I made / I did Perfekt (Present Perfect) Ich habe gemacht I have made / I did Plusquamperfekt (Past Perfect) Ich hatte gemacht I had made Futur I (Future) Ich werde machen I will make / I will be making Futur II (Future Perfect) Ich werde gemacht haben I will have made Unregelmäßige/Starke Verben (Irregular verbs) Irregular verbs in German do not follow the typical verb conjugation pattern, so they require special attention when learning the language.  They often change their stem vowel in the past tense and sometimes in the present tense. Their endings can also vary.ich gehe – ich ging – ich bin gegangenHere are a few examples of irregular verbs in German with their infinitive form, simple past form, and past participle form: Sein (to be) Infinitive: sein Simple Past: war Past Participle: gewesen Haben (to have)  Infinitive: haben Simple Past: hatte Past Participle: gehabt  Gehen (to go) Infinitive: gehen Simple Past: ging Past Participle: gegangen  Sehen (to see) Infinitive: sehen Simple Past: sah Past Participle: gesehen 3. Gemischte Verben (mixed conjugation) Mixed Verbs also change the root vowel, but have regular endings.ich denke – ich dachte – ich habe gedacht Comparing Regular vs. Irregular Verbs: Regular Verb Example: machen (to make) Präsens: Ich mache, Du machst, Er macht Präteritum: Ich machte, Du machtest, Er machte Perfekt:

Präpositionen

German Grammar and Language Settling into life in Germany starts with one essential skill: learning the language. Whether you’re tackling tricky grammar rules or simply trying to remember which article goes with which noun, we’ve gathered a set of easy-to-follow resources to help you feel more confident with each lesson.   Here, you’ll find: Where to Learn German – from Volkshochschulen to online courses, we list practical options that fit your lifestyle. Grammar Rules Made Simple – we break down the logic behind the language. Kasus (Cases) – understand nominative, accusative, dative, and genitive without the headaches. Articles (der, die, das) – we help you crack the code. Adjektivendung (Adjective Endings) – make your German sound natural and correct. Pronouns – learn to speak about yourself and others like a local. Verbs – master the heart of any sentence with tenses, conjugations, and irregulars. Think of this page as your map through the forest of German grammar — not everything at once, but one useful trail at a time. Pick a topic below and begin when you’re ready. Please notify us if you find any errors. Where to learn German Looking for the right place to start your German journey? This page offers a handpicked collection of both online and in-person learning options. From local language schools to mobile apps you can use on the go, you’ll find practical tools to suit your schedule and style. Basic Grammar This page covers the building blocks of the language — what a verb is, how pronouns work, and how to put together a basic sentence. If grammar terms feel like a foreign language themselves, don’t worry — we keep it simple, clear, and beginner-friendly. Kasus / Cases German has four grammatical cases — Nominativ, Akkusativ, Dativ, and Genitiv — and each one changes how words behave in a sentence. Sound complicated? It can be at first, but this page breaks it down with simple explanations and examples. You’ll learn when to use each case, how to spot them, and how they shape sentence meaning. Artikel German articles do more than just point to a noun — they tell you the gender, number, and sometimes even the case. On this page, we explain the difference between definite (der, die, das) and indefinite (ein, eine) articles, and how to choose the right one. With tips, tables, and examples, you’ll start to make sense of one of the most essential parts of German grammar. Adjektivendung In English, an adjective is just red. But in German, it could be rote, roter, roten, rotes, or rotem — depending on what it’s describing and where it sits in the sentence. Confused yet? Don’t worry. This page walks you through it all with helpful tables and clear explanations to make adjective endings less intimidating and a lot more manageable. Pronouns I, you, he, she, it — pronouns are the little words that do big work in any language. In German, they come with their own set of rules, especially when the cases get involved. This page introduces you to the different types of pronouns, shows you how they change depending on their role in a sentence, and gives you tips to use them with confidence. Verbs Verbs bring your sentences to life — whether you’re going, doing, thinking, or being. On this page, we cover the basics of German verbs: how to conjugate them, when to use regular vs. irregular forms, and what to do with those tricky separable verbs. It’s all explained with beginner-friendly examples to help you start speaking (and understanding) with confidence. Some helpful Tips The Building Blocks of a Sentence A typical German sentence includes a Subject, a Verb, a Direct Object, and sometimes an Indirect Object.Each of these plays a specific role and can appear in a different grammatical case. Subjects Are Always in the Nominative Case The subject is the “doer” of the action, and it’s always in the Nominative case.Example: Der Mann schläft. (The man is sleeping.) Direct Objects Usually Take the Accusative Case The Direct Object answers What? or Whom? (German: Wen?) and is usually in the Accusative case.Some prepositions or verbs can change this, but for most verbs, accusative is the go-to.Example: Der Mann isst den Apfel. Indirect Objects Usually Take the Dative Case The Indirect Object answers To whom? or For whom? (German: Wem?) and usually takes the Dative case.Again, certain verbs or prepositions may influence this.Example: Das Kind gibt der Mutter einen Kuss. Standard Word Order: S–V–O (With a Twist) When you only have a subject and a direct object, the basic order is:Subject – Verb – Accusative➡️ Der Mann isst den Apfel. When both dative and accusative objects are present (and both are nouns):Subject – Verb – Dative – Accusative➡️ Das Kind gibt der Mutter einen Kuss. Pronouns Can Flip the Order When both the dative and accusative objects are pronouns, the accusative comes first:➡️ Ich gebe ihn ihr. (I give him to her.) If one is a pronoun and the other is a noun, the pronoun usually comes before the noun, regardless of case:➡️ Ich gebe ihn der Mutter. (I give him to the mother.) Some Verbs and Prepositions Change the Rules Certain verbs always take a specific case, regardless of sentence structure: helfen (to help) ➝ Dative danken (to thank) ➝ Dative brauchen (to need) ➝ Accusative Prepositions can also lock in a case: mit ➝ Dative für ➝ Accusative aus ➝ Dative um ➝ Accusative wegen ➝ typically Genitive Start Simple and Grow From There Don’t dive into complex sentences right away.Master basic subject-verb-object structures first. Add in the dative once you’re confident, then explore prepositions and more complex syntax. Practice Makes Permanent It’s not about perfection — it’s about repetition.Reading, listening, and speaking German regularly will help patterns become second nature. Mistakes are part of the journey, not signs of failure.