The present tense describes habitual actions, current situations, and near-future events. This guide focuses on the Präsens and includes key signal words to help you recognize when to use it.
Usage
The present tense Präsens is used for routines, general truths, and actions happening right now. It can also express planned events and make narratives more vivid when telling stories.
Regular Verbs
Regular verbs follow predictable patterns in their endings, making them reliable to learn. This section shows typical conjugations for the three main verb groups so you can form sentences easily.
-en Verbs
Verbs ending in -en follow a consistent pattern when conjugated in the present tense. Here is the conjugation of lernen (to learn) as an example.
| Person | German Conjugation | English Translation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ich | lerne | I learn / I am learning | |
| du | lernst | you learn / you are learning | |
| er/sie/es | lernt | he/she/it learns | |
| wir | lernen | we learn | |
| ihr | lernt | you (pl) learn | |
| sie/Sie | lernen | they/you (formal) learn |
-eln Verbs
Some verbs ending in -eln drop the e in certain forms for smoother pronunciation. This table shows handeln (to act / to deal) with the optional e omitted in the second person singular.
| Person | German Conjugation | English Translation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ich | handle | I act / I am acting | |
| du | handelst | you act / you are acting | |
| er/sie/es | handelt | he/she/it acts | |
| wir | handeln | we act | |
| ihr | handelt | you (pl) act | |
| sie/Sie | handeln | they/you (formal) act |
-ieren Verbs
Verbs ending in -ieren keep the stem unchanged and add endings directly, without the extra e before -st or -t. Here is studieren (to study) as an example.
| Person | German Conjugation | English Translation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ich | studiere | I study / I am studying | |
| du | studierst | you study | |
| er/sie/es | studiert | he/she/it studies | |
| wir | studieren | we study | |
| ihr | studiert | you (pl) study | |
| sie/Sie | studieren | they/you (formal) study |
Common Irregular Verbs
Some high-frequency verbs change their stem vowel in certain forms, so it helps to learn these patterns for fluent speech. This section covers typical irregular verbs you will use every day.
sein (to be)
Sein is essential for describing identity, location, and states, and it is irregular in all persons. Here is its present tense conjugation.
| Person | German Conjugation | English Translation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ich | bin | I am | |
| du | bist | you are | |
| er/sie/es | ist | he/she/it is | |
| wir | sind | we are | |
| ihr | seid | you (pl) are | |
| sie/Sie | sind | they/you (formal) are |
haben (to have)
Haben is used for possession, age, and many idiomatic expressions. It is irregular in the second person singular and useful to master. Here is its conjugation.
| Person | German Conjugation | English Translation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ich | habe | I have | |
| du | hast | you have | |
| er/sie/es | hat | he/she/it has | |
| wir | haben | we have | |
| ihr | habt | you (pl) have | |
| sie/Sie | haben | they/you (formal) have |
werden (to become / will)
Werden serves both as "to become" and as the future auxiliary, so its present forms are important. It is irregular and changes in the second person singular. Here is the conjugation.
| Person | German Conjugation | English Translation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ich | werde | I become / I will | |
| du | wirst | you become / you will | |
| er/sie/es | wird | he/she/it becomes | |
| wir | werden | we become / we will | |
| ihr | werdet | you (pl) become | |
| sie/Sie | werden | they/you (formal) become |
Signal Words
Words like heute, immer, and jetzt often appear with the present tense and cue you into its typical uses. These signal words help you time an action and decide whether to use Präsens or another tense.
| German Word | English Word | |
|---|---|---|
| heute | today | |
| jetzt | now | |
| immer | always | |
| normalerweise | normally | |
| jeden Tag | every day |
Summary
The present tense Präsens describes habitual actions, current events, and near plans. Regular -en, -eln, and -ieren verbs follow predictable patterns, while common irregulars like sein, haben, and werden must be learned. Signal words such as heute and jetzt guide you in choosing the tense.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025