German Regular Verbs

In German, verbs are divided into two categories: regular and irregular. Regular verbs follow a set of rules when they are conjugated. These rules are applied by adding endings to the verb stem.

Endings for regular verbs

• Present tense (Präsens)

  • 1st person singular: -e
  • 2nd person singular: -st
  • 3rd person singular: -t
  • 1st person plural: -en
  • 2nd person plural: -t
  • 3rd person plural: -en

• Past tense (Präteritum)

  • 1st person singular: -te
  • 2nd person singular: -test
  • 3rd person singular: -te
  • 1st person plural: -ten
  • 2nd person plural: -tet
  • 3rd person plural: -ten

• Future tense (Futur I)

  • 1st person singular: -e
  • 2nd person singular: -st
  • 3rd person singular: -t
  • 1st person plural: -en
  • 2nd person plural: -t
  • 3rd person plural: -en

Examples:

• sprechen (to speak)

• Indicative mood

  • Ich spreche (I speak)
  • Du sprichst (You speak)
  • Er/Sie/Es spricht (He/She/It speaks)
  • Wir sprechen (We speak)
  • Ihr sprecht (You speak)
  • Sie/Sie sprechen (They speak)

• Past tense

  • Ich sprach (I spoke)
  • Du sprachst (You spoke)
  • Er/Sie/Es sprach (He/She/It spoke)
  • Wir sprachen (We spoke)
  • Ihr spracht (You spoke)
  • Sie/Sie sprachen (They spoke)

• Future tense

  • Ich werde sprechen (I will speak)
  • Du wirst sprechen (You will speak)
  • Er/Sie/Es wird sprechen (He/She/It will speak)
  • Wir werden sprechen (We will speak)
  • Ihr werdet sprechen (You will speak)
  • Sie/Sie werden sprechen (They will speak)

Tips for learning regular verb conjugations

• Identify the verb stem. The stem is the part of the verb that remains the same when it is conjugated. The endings are added to the stem.
• Pay attention to the final letter of the stem. The final letter of the stem determines the type of ending that is added.
• Use the endings that correspond to the final letter of the stem. For example, the verb sprechen has a stem that ends in -t. The endings for verbs with a stem that ends in -t are -e, -est, -t, -en, -t, -en.

By following these tips, you can learn regular verb conjugations more easily and quickly.