tun — to do
Usage:
- Tun is used to express doing something, often in a general sense.
- It can also function as an auxiliary verb for emphasis or to form negatives/questions.
- Common in phrases like etwas tun (to do something).
Conjugation:
- Present: ich tue, du tust, er/sie/es tut, wir tun, ihr tut, sie/Sie tun
- Simple past: ich tat, du tatest, er/sie/es tat, wir taten, ihr tatet, sie/Sie taten
- Past participle: getan
Example Sentences:
- Ich tue mein Bestes. (I do my best.)
- Was tust du? (What are you doing?)
- Sie tun viel für die Gemeinschaft. (They do a lot for the community.)
- Er hat viel getan, um zu helfen. (He did a lot to help.)
'tun' means 'to do.'
'tun' is used for doing something and sometimes as an auxiliary for emphasis.
The past participle of 'tun' is 'getan.'
The correct present tense forms include tue, tust, tut, tun.
Yes, 'tun' is also used for emphasis and in some set expressions.
Regular verb endings, some irregular forms
- Present: ich tue, du tust, er/sie/es tut, wir tun, ihr tut, sie/Sie tun
- Präteritum (simple past): ich tat, du tatest, er/sie/es tat, wir taten, ihr tatet, sie/Sie taten
- Partizip II: getan
- Ich tue mein Bestes. (I do my best.)
- Was tust du? (What are you doing?)
- Wir tun, was wir können. (We do what we can.)
- Sie haben viel getan. (They have done a lot.)
'tun' is usually used for actions in a general sense.
Common expressions include etwas tun (to do something), nichts tun (to do nothing), das Richtige tun (to do the right thing).
Conjugation table for tun
| Person | Present | Simple Past | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|---|
| ich | tue | tat | getan |
| du | tust | tatest | getan |
| er/sie/es | tut | tat | getan |
| wir | tun | taten | getan |
| ihr | tut | tatet | getan |
| sie/Sie | tun | taten | getan |
Infinitive is 'tun' and past participle is 'getan'.
Correct present forms are tue, tust, tut, tun.
The verb tun is essential for expressing actions in a general way in German and appears in many useful phrases. Its irregular past forms and participle make it important to study alongside regular verbs.
- to do (tun) is used for general actions and sometimes for emphasis
- Important forms: tue, tust, tut, tun / tat... / getan
- Common phrases: etwas tun (to do something), nichts tun (to do nothing)