The Präteritum, also known as the simple past tense, is one of the main past tenses in German. Its primary function is to describe actions, events, or states that took place and were completed in the past. It is commonly used in written German, such as in novels, reports, and journalistic writing. Additionally, it is frequently used in spoken German for modal verbs and the verbs sein (to be), haben (to have), and werden (to become).
- Describes past actions, events, or states that are completed
- Common in written narratives, reports, and formal speech
- Frequently used in spoken German for modal verbs and auxiliaries (sein, haben, werden)
Predicates
The main role of the Präteritum is to express completed actions or states in the past. It can describe:
- Single events: Ich ging nach Hause. (I went home.)
- Sequential actions: Er stand auf, frühstückte und ging zur Arbeit. (He got up, had breakfast, and went to work.)
- Descriptions of past states: Früher hatte ich viel Zeit. (I used to have a lot of time.)
- Sarting or ending points in the past: Das Konzert begann um acht. (The concert started at eight.)
- Background information in stories: Es war einmal ein König. (Once upon a time, there was a king.)
Explanation
Regular Verb Conjugation
For most verbs, the Präteritum is formed by adding specific endings to the verb stem (the infinitive minus -en). The stem remains unchanged for regular verbs.
Conjugation pattern for machen (to do/make):
| Person | German Pronoun | Präteritum Form | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| st singular | ich | machte | I did/made |
| nd singular | du | machtest | you did/made |
| rd singular | er/sie/es | machte | he/she/it did/made |
| st plural | wir | machten | we did/made |
| nd plural | ihr | machtet | you (pl.) did/made |
| rd plural | sie/Sie | machten | they/you (formal) did/made |
Irregular Verb Conjugation
Irregular (strong) verbs often change their stem vowel and take a simplified set of endings (-, -st, -, -en, -t, -en).
Example: gehen (to go)
| Person | German Pronoun | Präteritum Form | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| st singular | ich | ging | I went |
| nd singular | du | gingst | you went |
| rd singular | er/sie/es | ging | he/she/it went |
| st plural | wir | gingen | we went |
| nd plural | ihr | gingt | you (pl.) went |
| rd plural | sie/Sie | gingen | they/you (formal) went |
Modal Verbs
Modal verbs (können, müssen, dürfen, wollen, sollen, mögen) follow irregular patterns similar to strong verbs but have unique endings.
Example: können (can)
| Person | German Pronoun | Präteritum Form | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| st singular | ich | konnte | I could |
| nd singular | du | konntest | you could |
| rd singular | er/sie/es | konnte | he/she/it could |
| st plural | wir | konnten | we could |
| nd plural | ihr | konntet | you (pl.) could |
| rd plural | sie/Sie | konnten | they/you (formal) could |
Auxiliary Verbs
The auxiliaries sein, haben, and werden are important in German and have unique, highly irregular Präteritum forms.
| German Verb | st Singular | rd Singular | English Example | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| sein | ich war | er war | Ich war müde. | I was tired. |
| haben | ich hatte | er hatte | Wir hatten Zeit. | We had time. |
| werden | ich wurde | sie wurde | Er wurde Arzt. | He became a doctor. |
How do modal verbs behave in the Präteritum?
They follow irregular stem vowel changes and take endings similar to strong verbs.
Modal verbs have unique stem changes and take simplified endings in the Präteritum, reflecting their origin as strong verbs.
Uses
- Narration in written German: Stories, novels, and reports often use Präteritum to describe past events.
- Spoken German with certain verbs: Modal verbs and auxiliaries (sein, haben, werden) commonly appear in Präteritum in conversation.
- Formal writing and speeches: More formal or literary contexts prefer Präteritum over Perfekt.
Flashcards (1 of 21)
- Person: 1st singular
- Präteritum Form: machte
- English Translation: I did/made
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
