The verb werden is one of the most important and irregular verbs in German. It serves three key functions:
- To become — indicating a change or transformation.
- To form the future tense — used with a main verb in the infinitive to express "will" or "shall."
- To form the passive voice — combined with a past participle to express that something is being done.
Conjugation Patterns
Werden is irregular in the present and simple past (preterite) tenses, and it uses its stem würd- in the subjunctive mood.
| Pronoun | Present (werden) | Simple Past (wurde) | Past Participle (geworden) | Subjunctive II (würde) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ich | werde | wurde | geworden | würde |
| du | wirst | wurdest | geworden | würdest |
| er/sie/es | wird | wurde | geworden | würde |
| wir | werden | wurden | geworden | würden |
| ihr | werdet | wurdet | geworden | würdet |
| sie/Sie | werden | wurden | geworden | würden |
Usage Notes:
- Use geworden with the auxiliary sein (e.g., ist geworden) for perfect tense.
- The subjunctive form würde + infinitive is commonly used to express conditional or hypothetical statements.
Usage
. Become
Werden expresses change or transformation.
| German Example | English Example |
|---|---|
| Er wird müde. | He is becoming tired. |
| Sie wird Ärztin. | She is becoming a doctor. |
| Das Wetter wird schlecht. | The weather is getting bad. |
. Future
Werden forms the future tense by appearing before the main verb in its infinitive form.
| German Example | English Example |
|---|---|
| Ich werde gehen. | I will go. |
| Wir werden gewinnen. | We will win. |
| Sie wird kommen. | She will come. |
. Passive
Werden is combined with a past participle to form the passive voice.
| German Example | English Example |
|---|---|
| Der Brief wird geschrieben. | The letter is being written. |
| Die Fenster werden geputzt. | The windows are being cleaned. |
| Das Haus wird gebaut. | The house is being built. |
. Subjunctive and Conditional
Use the subjunctive stem würde + infinitive to form conditional or polite statements.
| German Example | English Example |
|---|---|
| Ich würde gehen, wenn ich Zeit hätte. | I would go if I had time. |
| Würden Sie bitte helfen? | Would you please help? |
| Wenn er mehr arbeiten würde… | If he worked more… |
In the sentence "Ich würde gehen, wenn ich Zeit hätte.", what role does "würde" play?
Expresses a hypothetical or conditional situation
"würde gehen" forms a conditional mood, meaning "I would go if I had time."
How does "werden" function in the sentence "Ich werde gehen."?
Forms the future tense
In "Ich werde gehen," werden combines with the infinitive gehen to express the future tense: "I will go."
Example Sentences
| Usage | German Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|
| Become | Ich werde 30 Jahre alt. | I am becoming 30 years old. |
| Future | Wir werden bald essen. | We will eat soon. |
| Passive | Der Kuchen wird gebacken. | The cake is being baked. |
| Subjunctive | Ich würde schlafen. | I would sleep. |
Summary
- Werden means "to become" and indicates change.
- It forms the future tense (e.g., Ich werde gehen = "I will go").
- It forms the passive voice (e.g., Der Brief wird geschrieben = "The letter is being written").
- The irregular stems are wird- (present), wur- (past), and würd- (subjunctive).
- Past participle is geworden (with auxiliary sein).
- The subjunctive form würde + infinitive is common for conditional sentences.
Flashcards (1 of 16)
- English Example: He is becoming tired.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
