Denken is an irregular verb mainly in its stem vowel changes but follows regular patterns in most tenses.
Present
| Pronoun | German Form | English Form | Example (German) | Example (English) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ich | denke | I think | Ich denke oft nach. | I often think. |
| du | denkst | you think | Denkst du daran? | Do you think about it? |
| er/sie/es | denkt | he/she/it thinks | Er denkt viel nach. | He thinks a lot. |
| wir | denken | we think | Wir denken gemeinsam. | We think together. |
| ihr | denkt | you all think | Denkt ihr daran? | Do you all think about it? |
| sie/Sie | denken | they/you think | Sie denken positiv. | They think positively. |
I think often.
Ich denke oft ___. (ich denken)
The first-person singular form of denken is 'denke'.
Simple Past (Präteritum)
| Pronoun | German Form | English Form | Example (German) | Example (English) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ich | dachte | I thought | Ich dachte an dich. | I thought of you. |
| du | dachtest | you thought | Du dachtest richtig. | You thought correctly. |
| er/sie/es | dachte | he/she/it thought | Sie dachte lange nach. | She thought for a long time. |
| wir | dachten | we thought | Wir dachten gemeinsam. | We thought together. |
| ihr | dachtet | you all thought | Ihr dachtet zu kurz. | You all thought too briefly. |
| sie/Sie | dachten | they/you thought | Sie dachten anders. | They thought differently. |
Past Participle
- gedacht
Example: Ich habe lange nachgedacht. — I have thought for a long time.
Perfect Tense (Perfekt)
| Pronoun | German Form | English Form | Example (German) | Example (English) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ich | habe gedacht | I have thought | Ich habe viel gedacht. | I have thought a lot. |
| du | hast gedacht | you have thought | Du hast gut gedacht. | You have thought well. |
| er/sie/es | hat gedacht | he/she/it has thought | Er hat nachgedacht. | He has thought about it. |
| wir | haben gedacht | we have thought | Wir haben zusammen gedacht. | We have thought together. |
| ihr | habt gedacht | you all have thought | Ihr habt schnell gedacht. | You all have thought quickly. |
| sie/Sie | haben gedacht | they/you have thought | Sie haben anders gedacht. | They have thought differently. |
Future Tense (Futur I)
| Pronoun | German Form | English Form | Example (German) | Example (English) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ich | werde denken | I will think | Ich werde morgen denken. | I will think tomorrow. |
| du | wirst denken | you will think | Du wirst bald denken. | You will think soon. |
| er/sie/es | wird denken | he/she/it will think | Sie wird darüber denken. | She will think about it. |
| wir | werden denken | we will think | Wir werden zusammen denken. | We will think together. |
| ihr | werdet denken | you all will think | Ihr werdet viel denken. | You all will think a lot. |
| sie/Sie | werden denken | they/you will think | Sie werden nachdenken. | They will think about it. |
Verse is typically used with the prefix nach- (nachdenken) to mean “to think about” or “to reflect.”
Common Pattern:*
- nachdenken + über + A (to think about sth.)
- Example: Ich denke über das Problem nach. (I think about the problem.)
Subjunctive II (Konjunktiv II — for hypothetical/wishful thinking)
| Pronoun | German Form | English Form | Example (German) | Example (English) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ich | dächte | I would think | Ich dächte anders. | I would think differently. |
| du | dächtest | you would think | Du dächtest mehr nach. | You would think more. |
| er/sie/es | dächte | he/she/it would think | Er dächte gründlicher. | He would think more thoroughly. |
| wir | dächten | we would think | Wir dächten zusammen. | We would think together. |
| ihr | dächtet | you all would think | Ihr dächtet zu viel. | You all would think too much. |
| sie/Sie | dächten | they/you would think | Sie dächten anders. | They would think differently. |
You (plural) would think too much.
Ihr dächtet zu viel. (ihr denken)
In subjunctive II, the second-person plural ends with '-et': 'dächtet'.
Word Formation
- Gedanke (noun): thought
- Nachdenken (verb): to reflect, think about something
- Denkmal (noun): monument (a "thinking place" or memorial)
- denkbar (adj.): conceivable
Usage Tips
- denken an + A — to think of/about someone or something
- denken über + A — to think about (a topic or issue)
- nachdenken über + A — to reflect on/ponder
Common Phrases
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Ich denke an dich. | I think of you. |
| Denk darüber nach! | Think about it! |
| Was denkst du? | What do you think? |
| Ich habe nachgedacht. | I have thought it over. |
Summary
Denken is a versatile verb for expressing mental activity. Most special forms arise from the stem dacht- (simple past and participle) and the prefix nach- (for reflection).
You’ve learned a complete overview of denken including all main tenses and usage patterns. Keep practicing to use all forms confidently!
Flashcards (1 of 34)
- Pronoun: ich
- English Form: I think
- Example (English): I often think.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
