Here are the key grammatical details and usage rules for schlafen.
Conjugation Patterns
Schlafen changes its stem vowel a → ä in the du (you singular) and er/sie/es (he/she/it) forms. In other forms, it retains the original vowel a.
Present Tense (-en Endings)
| German Pronoun | German Form | English Form |
|---|---|---|
| ich | schlafe | I sleep |
| du | schläfst | you sleep (singular) |
| er/sie/es | schläft | he/she/it sleeps |
| wir | schlafen | we sleep |
| ihr | schlaft | you sleep (plural) |
| sie/Sie | schlafen | they/you (formal) sleep |
Simple Past (Präteritum)
Schlafen is irregular in the past tense, using the stem schlief-. No umlauts appear here.
| German Pronoun | German Form | English Form |
|---|---|---|
| ich | schlief | I slept |
| du | schliefst | you slept (singular) |
| er/sie/es | schlief | he/she/it slept |
| wir | schliefen | we slept |
| ihr | schlieft | you slept (plural) |
| sie/Sie | schliefen | they/you (formal) slept |
Past Participle
The past participle is formed with ge- ... -en and uses the stem schlaf-. This form is used with the auxiliary verb haben in the Perfekt tense (present perfect).
| German Pronoun | German Participle | Complete Example |
|---|---|---|
| ich | geschlafen | Ich habe geschlafen. (I have slept.) |
| — | — | — |
Usage Rules
- schlafen is a transitive verb that takes either no object or an object introduced by a preposition (e.g., schlafen in meaning "to sleep in").
- Use schlafen when referring to the actual act of sleeping or resting.
- To express "fall asleep," use the reflexive verb einschlafen.
Common Phrases
| German Phrase | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Ich schlafe acht Stunden. | I sleep eight hours. |
| Schlaf gut! | Sleep well! |
| Er schläft tief. | He sleeps deeply. |
Summary
- schlafen = to sleep
- Irregular stem vowel change a → ä in du and er/sie/es forms
- Past stem schlief- (e.g., ich schlief)
- Past participle geschlafen (used with haben)
- Use einschlafen to say "fall asleep"
Flashcards (1 of 17)
- English Form: I sleep
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
