laufen is a dynamic verb at the heart of expressing motion in German, covering everything from jogging to daily commutes on foot. Its meaning shifts with context, making it essential for describing active lifestyles, routines, and even mechanical operations (like a machine running).
- Meaning: to run, to walk (on foot), to go, to function (for machines)
- Usage: Describes physical movement, routines, motion of machines, and figurative progress
- Roots: From Old High German hlauƒan, related to swift movement
*laufen* means to run, to walk (on foot), and can also mean to function (for machines).
*laufen* covers 'to run,' 'to walk (on foot),' and 'to operate' (for machines).
*laufen* is used for running/walking, machines operating, and shows airing—never for eating or sleeping.
Conjugation Pattern: Regular with a Stem Change in Some Senses
laufen is mostly regular but shows a stem vowel change (au → äu) in the present tense for some persons. This makes it a semi-strong verb.
- Infinitive: laufen
- Stem: lauf-
- Present ich/er,sie,es: regular stem (lauf-)
- Present du/wir/ihr/sie: Stem changes to läuf- (except wir and sie pl.)
| Person | Present | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ich | laufe | I run / I am running |
| du | läufst | You run |
| er/sie/es | läuft | He/she/it runs |
| wir | laufen | We run |
| ihr | lauft | You (pl) run |
| sie/Sie | laufen | They/You (formal) run |
- Past (preterite): lief, liefst, lief...
- Past Participle: gelaufen (used with sein)
- Aux Verb: Sein (for movement)
*laufen* uses *sein* as the auxiliary verb in the perfect tense.
The past participle of *laufen* is *gelaufen*.
In present tense for du/er/sie, *laufen* stem changes from *lauf-* to *läuf-*.
Present Tense: Moving Forward
Use laufen when describing someone running or walking, or when even a machine or show is "running."
- Person running or walking: Er läuft jeden Morgen. (He runs every morning.)
- Showing regularity: Wir laufen zur Arbeit. (We walk/run to work.)
- Machine running: Die Maschine läuft gut. (The machine runs well.)
- Show airing: Der Film läuft im Fernsehen. (The movie is on TV.)
| Subject | German | English |
|---|---|---|
| Ich | Ich laufe... | I run / I am running... |
| Du | Du läufst... | You run... |
| Er/Sie/Es | Er läuft... | He/She/It runs... |
| Wir | Wir laufen... | We run... |
| Ihr | Ihr lauft... | You (pl.) run... |
| Sie | Sie laufen... | They run... |
Yes, *laufen* can be used to describe a TV show airing (e.g., 'Die Serie läuft jetzt').
Past Tense (Perfect): Ich bin gelaufen
Because laufen describes movement, it uses sein as its auxiliary verb in the perfect tense.
- Formula: sein (conj.) + gelaufen
- Meaning: "... ran," "... walked" (depending on context)
| Subject | Perfect Tense | English |
|---|---|---|
| Ich | Ich bin gelaufen | I ran / I walked |
| Du | Du bist gelaufen | You ran / walked |
| Er/Sie/Es | Er ist gelaufen | He/She/It ran... |
| Wir | Wir sind gelaufen | We ran / walked |
| Ihr | Ihr seid gelaufen | You (pl.) ran... |
| Sie | Sie sind gelaufen | They ran / walked |
Use *sein*: 'Ich bin gelaufen.'
Use *sein* because *laufen* denotes motion.
Usage in Context
Because laufen can mean both to walk and to run, context clarifies the intended meaning:
- For running, you might see energetic or sport-related contexts: Er läuft im Wettkampf (He runs in competitions).
- For walking, it’s often about regular, casual, or practical movement by foot: Wir laufen jeden Tag zur Schule (We walk to school every day).
Also, laufen can describe something functioning or operating (like a machine or system) or even a broadcast/show airing on TV.
Yes, *laufen* can be used to say a machine is operating.
*laufen* is used for physical movement, machines running, and shows airing—not for eating or sleeping.
Related Expressions
- Es läuft! — It’s working! / It’s going well!
- Der Film läuft. — The movie is playing/running.
- Das Geschäft läuft gut. — Business is running well.
- Lauf! — Run! (imperative)
'Es läuft!' means 'It's working!' or 'It's going well!'
*laufen* is also used for machines running, shows airing, and business progressing.
Das Geschäft läuft gut.
You use *sein* with *laufen* in the perfect tense.
The past participle of *laufen* is *gelaufen*.
For 'er', use 'er läuft'.
*laufen* is used for people (running/walking) and machines (operating).
Conclusion
laufen is more than just "to run"—it covers walking, running, things operating, and even broadcasts. Its stem change and use of sein for perfect make it a key verb for understanding movement and motion in German.
- laufen means to run, walk (on foot), and can describe machines or shows running.
- It conjugates with a stem change (lauf → läuf-) in the present for some forms.
- Use sein + gelaufen for the perfect tense.