The German present tense, or Präsens, is central to expressing actions that occur in the present, habitual actions, general truths, and even future events. Its systematic use covers both regular and irregular verbs, each with distinct conjugation patterns.
- Describes actions happening now, routines, and general truths.
- Also used for near future events.
- Applies to all main verbs with specific endings for each verb type.
Regular Verbs
The standard endings for regular verbs in Präsens are -e, -st, -t, -en, -t, -en.
Regular verbs in German follow a predictable pattern. Start with the verb stem (infinitive minus -en) and add the endings: -e, -st, -t, -en, -t, -en for ich, du, er/sie/es, wir, ihr, sie/Sie respectively.
- Infinitive ends in -en (e.g., machen).
- Remove -en to get the stem (mach-).
- Attach endings: ich mache, du machst, er/sie/es macht, wir machen, ihr macht, sie machen.
Singen → sing-
Example: machen (to do/make)
| Subject | Form |
|---|---|
| ich | mache |
| du | machst |
| er/sie/es | macht |
| wir | machen |
| ihr | macht |
| sie/Sie | machen |
Present tense is used for current actions and general truths.
Uses:
- Actions happening now or around now.
- Routines/habits.
- General truths.
- Future (contextual).
Irregular Verbs
Irregular verbs may have stem-vowel changes or unique forms for 'sein' and 'haben'.
Irregular verbs (starke/veränderliche Verben) often modify their stem vowels in the du and er/sie/es forms. Common changes include a → ä, e → i, e → ie. Some verbs are fully irregular (sein, haben, werden).
- Stem vowel changes for certain verbs (fahren: du fährst, er fährt).
- Some verbs drop the familiar endings (haben: du hast, er hat).
- Others (sein) are totally irregular.
Example: fahren (to drive/go)
| Subject | Form |
|---|---|
| ich | fahre |
| du | fährst |
| er/sie/es | fährt |
| wir | fahren |
| ihr | fahrt |
| sie/Sie | fahren |
Example: sein (to be)
| Subject | Form |
|---|---|
| ich | bin |
| du | bist |
| er/sie/es | ist |
| wir | sind |
| ihr | seid |
| sie/Sie | sind |
Example: haben (to have)
| Subject | Form |
|---|---|
| ich | habe |
| du | hast |
| er/sie/es | hat |
| wir | haben |
| ihr | habt |
| sie/Sie | haben |
*sein* is a fully irregular verb.
Conclusion
German's present tense is versatile, covering more than just “now” and requiring attention to regular and irregular verb patterns.
- Use for present actions, routines, truths, and near future.
- Regular verbs follow a neat pattern; irregulars often change their stems.
- Mastery of both types unlocks most everyday verb use in German.