The present tense is one of the most important tenses in German. It is used to talk about actions happening now, habitual actions, and sometimes future actions. In this lesson, you will learn how to conjugate regular verbs in the present tense and use them in sentences.
What You Will Learn
- How to recognize and conjugate regular verbs in the present tense.
- The personal pronouns in German.
- Common sentence structures with regular verbs.
- Practical examples and exercises to build your confidence.
Personal Pronouns in German
To conjugate verbs, you need to know the subject pronouns. Here are the German pronouns:
| Pronoun | Translation |
|---|---|
| ich | I |
| du | you (informal) |
| er | he |
| sie | she |
| es | it |
| wir | we |
| ihr | you (plural/informal) |
| sie | they |
| Sie | you (formal) |
Conjugating Regular Verbs
Regular verbs in German follow a predictable pattern. To conjugate, remove the infinitive ending (-en or -n) and add the appropriate endings based on the subject pronoun.
Example: Verb “machen” (to do, to make)
| Pronoun | Conjugation | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| ich | mache | Ich mache Hausaufgaben. (I do homework.) |
| du | machst | Du machst das gut. (You do that well.) |
| er/sie/es | macht | Er macht Musik. (He makes music.) |
| wir | machen | Wir machen eine Pause. (We are taking a break.) |
| ihr | macht | Ihr macht Fotos. (You are taking pictures.) |
| sie/Sie | machen | Sie machen Sport. (They are doing sports.) |
Steps to Conjugate Regular Verbs:
- Remove the -en or -n from the infinitive to find the verb stem.
- Example: machen -> mach
- Add the appropriate ending for each pronoun:
- ich: -e
- du: -st
- er/sie/es: -t
- wir: -en
- ihr: -t
- sie/Sie: -en
Common Regular Verbs
Here are some commonly used regular verbs:
| Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| lernen | to learn |
| spielen | to play |
| arbeiten | to work |
| kaufen | to buy |
| fragen | to ask |
Example Sentences:
- Ich lerne Deutsch. (I am learning German.)
- Wir spielen Fußball. (We are playing soccer.)
- Sie arbeitet im Büro. (She works in the office.)
- Er kauft ein Auto. (He is buying a car.)
- Du fragst den Lehrer. (You are asking the teacher.)
Sentence Structures with Regular Verbs
Basic Sentence:
- Subject + Verb + Object
- Example: Ich lerne Deutsch. (I am learning German.)
Yes/No Questions:
- Verb + Subject + Object
- Example: Lernst du Deutsch? (Are you learning German?)
W-Questions (Question Words):
- Question Word + Verb + Subject + Object
- Example: Was machst du? (What are you doing?)
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Conjugate the Verbs
Conjugate the following verbs in the present tense for all pronouns:
- lernen (to learn)
- spielen (to play)
- arbeiten (to work)
Exercise 2: Fill in the Blanks
Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in parentheses:
- Ich __________ (machen) meine Hausaufgaben.
- Wir __________ (spielen) Tennis im Park.
- Er __________ (lernen) Deutsch in der Schule.
- Ihr __________ (kaufen) Obst im Supermarkt.
- Sie __________ (fragen) die Lehrerin.
Exercise 3: Translate the Sentences
Translate these sentences into German:
- I am learning German.
- They are playing soccer.
- Are you working today?
- What are you buying?
- She is asking a question.
Summary
In this lesson, you learned:
- How to conjugate regular verbs in the present tense.
- The personal pronouns in German.
- Basic sentence structures with regular verbs.
Homework
- Write five sentences using different regular verbs.
- Practice conjugating 10 regular verbs.
- Record yourself saying the sentences aloud to practice pronunciation.