Irregular verbs in German, known as starke Verben (strong verbs), are verbs that do not follow the regular conjugation patterns. Instead, they undergo changes in their stem vowels when conjugated in different tenses, such as the present, past (preterite), and past participle forms. This vowel change is a hallmark of irregular verbs and is crucial for proper conjugation and understanding.
- German irregular verbs are called starke Verben (strong verbs).
- They change their stem vowels in various tenses (e.g., fahren: ich fahre, du fährst, er fuhr, gefahren).
- They differ from regular (weak) verbs, which have predictable endings and no stem vowel changes.
Stem vowel changes occur for irregular (strong) verbs.
Irregular verbs have stem vowel changes and unique past forms.
Typical Patterns for Irregular Verbs
Many irregular verbs follow recognizable vowel-change patterns in their stems. Some common patterns include:
| Infinitive | Present Tense You/He (du/er) | Simple Past (er/sie/es) | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|---|
| -fahren (to drive) | du fährst / er fährt (a→ä) | er fuhr | gefahren |
| -sehen (to see) | du siehst / er sieht (e→ie) | er sah | gesehen |
| -geben (to give) | du gibst / er gibt (e→i) | er gab | gegeben |
| -nehmen (to take) | du nimmst / er nimmt (e→i) | er nahm | genommen |
- Typical vowel changes in the present for "du/er" are:
- a → ä (fahren → fährst)
- e → ie (sehen → siehst)
- e → i (geben/nehmen → gibst/nimmst)
- Past (preterite) and past participle forms often use different vowels:
- fahren: fuhr / gefahren
- sehen: sah / gesehen
- geben: gab / gegeben
Common changes are a→ä, e→ie, and e→i.
The stem vowel of 'sehen' changes from e to ie for du/er (siehst, sieht).
Examples of Frequent Irregular Verbs
| Verb (Infinitive) | Meaning | Present (du/er) | Past (er) | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| fahren | to drive | du fährst / er fährt | er fuhr | gefahren |
| sehen | to see | du siehst / er sieht | er sah | gesehen |
| geben | to give | du gibst / er gibt | er gab | gegeben |
| nehmen | to take | du nimmst / er nimmt | er nahm | genommen |
| sprechen | to speak | du sprichst / er spricht | er sprach | gesprochen |
| essen | to eat | du isst / er isst | er aß | gegessen |
- fahren: fährst/fährt, fuhr, gefahren
- sehen: siehst/sieht, sah, gesehen
- geben: gibst/gibt, gab, gegeben
- nehmen: nimmst/nimmt, nahm, genommen
- sprechen: sprichst/spricht, sprach, gesprochen
- essen: isst/isst, aß, gegessen
fahren, sehen, geben, nehmen are irregular; machen and spielen are regular.
How Irregular Verbs Affect the Future Tense
In the future tense (using werden + infinitive), irregular verbs do NOT change their stem—only the auxiliary werden is conjugated. You use the infinitive form of the verb, so no irregularity appears in the future stem.
Example with fahren:
- Ich werde fahren. (I will drive.)
- Du wirst fahren. (You will drive.)
- Er wird fahren. (He will drive.)
This makes the future tense simpler for irregular verbs!
- Future tense uses werden + infinitive (no stem change in main verb).
- This applies to ALL verbs, regular or irregular.
- You only learn the infinitive for future: ... werden fahren / sehen / geben...
Use 'werden' with the infinitive verb for the future.
The verb stays as an infinitive; only 'werden' is conjugated.
Conclusion
Irregular verbs are vital to mastering German and show their unique vowel changes in present and past forms, while in the future only werden is conjugated.
- Irregular (strong) verbs change their stem vowels in some tenses.
- Typical patterns include a→ä, e→ie, and e→i for du/er in present tense.
- In the future, only werden changes; the verb stays in its infinitive form.
'Starke Verben' are irregular verbs with stem vowel changes.
Common irregular verbs include fahren, sehen, geben, nehmen.
You say 'Du wirst sehen' using 'werden' + infinitive.