In German, the concept of verbal aspects is not as explicitly marked as in some other languages like Russian. However, German conveys aspects primarily through context, verb prefixes, and the use of different tenses.
- Imperfective Aspect: Describes ongoing, habitual, or repeated actions. In German, the simple past (Präteritum) or present tense can express this, depending on context.
- Perfective Aspect: Indicates completed actions. The perfect tense (Perfekt) is commonly used in spoken German to describe past events that are viewed as complete.
- Resultative Aspect: Emphasizes the result of an action, often conveyed through the perfect tense as well.
- Inceptive and Terminative Aspects: German can express the beginning or end of an action using verbs like anfangen (to begin) or aufhören (to stop), or with prefixes like los-.
Understanding these aspects helps in grasping the nuances of German verb usage and improving overall fluency.
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Table of Contents
- Use of Perfekt/Präteritum
Differences between Perfekt and Präteritum in German and how to use each form correctly.
- Progressive (am-Verb-ing)
The German progressive form that describes ongoing actions using the formula am + Verb-ing (equivalent to English "I am verb-ing"). This construction emphasizes activity in progress.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
