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Past Tense - Regular Forms |
What you should know about regular verbs in the Past Tense:
For the forms of the Past Tense of the regular verbs (also called "weak verbs") we take the stem of the verb and attach the following endings at the end of the verb stem:
Form | German | Endings | Phonetic Script | English |
infinitive | lernen | ['lɛrnən] | to learn | |
1. person singular | ich lernte | -te | [ɪç 'lɛrntə] | I learned/learnt |
2. person singular (familiar) | du lerntest | -test | [du: 'lɛrntəst] | you learned/learnt |
3. person singular | er/sie/es lernte | -te | [e:ɐ/zi:/ɛs 'lɛrntə] | he/she/it learned/learnt |
1. person plural | wir lernten | -ten | [vi:ə 'lɛrntən] | we learned/learnt |
2. person plural (familiar) | ihr lerntet | -tet | [i:ə 'lɛrntət] | you learned/learnt |
3. person plural | sie lernten | -ten | [zi: 'lɛrntən] | they learned/learnt |
polite form (singular + plural) | Sie lernten | -ten | [zi: 'lɛrntən] | you learned/learnt |
As you can see, the 1. and 3. person have the same forms, the singular as well as the plural forms.
Especially in the spoken language, the forms of the 2. person singular and the 2. person plural are not used very often in the Past Tense. The only exception are the verbs to be, to have, the auxiliary verbs and some other verbs as they are easier to form in the Past Tense than in the Present Perfect.
Exceptions:
1. Verbs whose stem ends in -d, -t, -m or -n
If the verb stem ends in -d, -t, -m or -n, an additional e is often (not always) put between the verb stem and the ending, as otherwise, the pronunciation would be difficult.
Examples: | ||||
Form | German | Phonetic Script | English | |
infinitive | reden | ['re:dən] | to talk | |
1. person singular | ich redete | [ɪç 're:dətə] | I talked | |
2. person singular (familiar) | du redetest | [du: 're:dətəst] | you talked | |
3. person singular | er/sie/es redete | [e:ɐ/zi:/ɛs 're:dətə] | he/she/it talked | |
1. person plural | wir redeten | [vi:ə 're:dətən] | we talked | |
2. person plural (familiar) | ihr redetet | [i:ə 're:dətət] | you talked | |
3. person plural | sie redeten | [zi: 're:dətən] | they talked | |
polite form (singular + plural) | Sie redeten | [zi: 're:dətən] | you talked | |
Form | German | Phonetic Script | English | |
infinitive | arbeiten | ['arbaitən] | to work | |
1. person singular | ich arbeitete | [ɪç 'arbaitətə] | I worked | |
2. person singular (familiar) | du arbeitetest | [du: 'arbaitətəst] | you worked | |
3. person singular | er/sie/es arbeitete | [e:ɐ/zi:/ɛs 'arbaitətə] | he/she/it worked | |
1. person plural | wir arbeiteten | [vi:ə 'arbaitətən] | we worked | |
2. person plural (familiar) | ihr arbeitetet | [i:ə 'arbaitətət] | you worked | |
3. person plural | sie arbeiteten | [zi: 'arbaitətən] | they worked | |
polite form (singular + plural) | Sie arbeiteten | [zi: 'arbaitətən] | you worked | |
Form | German | Phonetic Script | English | |
infinitive | atmen | ['a:tmən] | to breathe | |
1. person singular | ich atmete | [ɪç 'a:tmətə] | I breathed | |
2. person singular (familiar) | du atmestest | [du: 'a:tmətəst] | you breathed | |
3. person singular | er/sie/es atmete | [e:ɐ/zi:/ɛs 'a:tmətə] | he/she/it breathed | |
1. person plural | wir atmeten | [vi:ə 'a:tmətən] | we breathed | |
2. person plural (familiar) | ihr atmetet | [i:ə 'a:tmətət] | you breathed | |
3. person plural | sie atmeten | [zi: 'a:tmətən] | they breathed | |
polite form (singular + plural) | Sie atmeten | [zi: 'a:tmətən] | you breathed | |
Form | German | Phonetic Script | English | |
infinitive | öffnen | ['œfnən] | to open | |
1. person singular | ich öffnete | [ɪç 'œfnətə] | I opened | |
2. person singular (familiar) | du öffnetest | [du: 'œfnətəst] | you opened | |
3. person singular | er/sie/es öffnete | [e:ɐ/zi:/ɛs 'œfnətə] | he/she/it opened | |
1. person plural | wir öffneten | [vi:ə 'œfnətən] | we opened | |
2. person plural (familiar) | ihr öffnetet | [i:ə 'œfnətət] | you opened | |
3. person plural | sie öffneten | [zi: 'œfnətən] | they opened | |
polite form (singular + plural) | Sie öffneten | [zi: 'œfnətən] | you opened |
However, there are also exceptions where no additional e is inserted because we do not have any problems with the pronunciation, e.g. the verb wohnen (ich wohnte).
2. Verbs of which the Past Tense forms are also used in the spoken language
Though in the spoken language the Germans use the Present Perfect most of the time, there are some verbs whose Past Tense forms are also used in the spoken language very often. So it is better to learn the forms of the following verbs:
Form | German | Phonetic Script | English | |
infinitive | sein | [zain] | to be | |
1. person singular | ich war | [ɪç va:ɐ] | I was | |
2. person singular (familiar) | du warst | [du: va:ɐst] | you were | |
3. person singular | er/sie/es war | [e:ɐ/zi:/ɛs va:ɐ] | he/she/it was | |
1. person plural | wir waren | [vi:ə 'va:rən] | we were | |
2. person plural (familiar) | ihr wart | [i:ə va:ɐt] | you were | |
3. person plural | sie waren | [zi: 'va:rən] | they were | |
polite form (singular + plural) | Sie waren | [zi: 'va:rən] | you were | |
Form | German | Phonetic Script | English | |
infinitive | haben | ['ha:bən] | to have | |
1. person singular | ich hatte | [ɪç 'hatə] | I had | |
2. person singular (familiar) | du hattest | [du: 'hatəst] | you had | |
3. person singular | er/sie/es hatte | [e:ɐ/zi:/ɛs 'hatə] | he/she/it had | |
1. person plural | wir hatten | [vi:ə 'hatən] | we had | |
2. person plural (familiar) | ihr hattet | [i:ə 'hatət] | you had | |
3. person plural | sie hatten | [zi: 'hatən] | they had | |
polite form (singular + plural) | Sie hatten | [zi: 'hatən] | you had | |
Form | German | Phonetic Script | English | |
infinitive | denken | ['dɛŋkən] | to think | |
1. person singular | ich dachte | [ɪç 'daxtə] | I thought | |
2. person singular (familiar) | du dachtest | [du: 'daxtəst] | you thought | |
3. person singular | er/sie/es dachte | [e:ɐ/zi:/ɛs 'daxtə] | he/she/it thought | |
1. person plural | wir dachten | [vi:ə 'daxtən] | we thought | |
2. person plural (familiar) | ihr dachtet | [i:ə 'daxtət] | you thought | |
3. person plural | sie dachten | [zi: 'daxtən] | they thought | |
polite form (singular + plural) | Sie dachten | [zi: 'daxtən] | you thought | |
Form | German | Phonetic Script | English | |
infinitive | werden | ['vɛ:ɐdən] | to become | |
1. person singular | ich wurde | [ɪç 'vʊrdə] | I became | |
2. person singular (familiar) | du wurdest | [du: 'vʊrdəst] | you became | |
3. person singular | er/sie/es wurde | [e:ɐ/zi:/ɛs 'vʊrdə] | he/she/it became | |
1. person plural | wir wurden | [vi:ə 'vʊrdən] | we became | |
2. person plural (familiar) | ihr wurdet | [i:ə 'vʊrdət] | you became | |
3. person plural | sie wurden | [zi: 'vʊrdən] | they became | |
polite form (singular + plural) | Sie wurden | [zi: 'vʊrdən] | you became | |
Form | German | Phonetic Script | English | |
infinitive | wissen | ['vɪsən] | to know | |
1. person singular | ich wusste | [ɪç 'vʊstə] | I knew | |
2. person singular (familiar) | du wusstest | [du: 'vʊstəst] | you knew | |
3. person singular | er/sie/es wusste | [e:ɐ/zi:/ɛs 'vʊstə] | he/she/it knew | |
1. person plural | wir wussten | [vi:ə 'vʊstən] | we knew | |
2. person plural (familiar) | ihr wusstet | [i:ə 'vʊstət] | you knew | |
3. person plural | sie wussten | [zi: 'vʊstən] | they knew | |
polite form (singular + plural) | Sie wussten | [zi: 'vʊstən] | you knew |
As all these verbs have irregular forms in the Past Tense, you find them in the list of the irregular verbs when you click the button "Irregular Forms" above.
3. Modal verbs
As already mentioned, the modal verbs also belong to those verbs of which the Past Tense forms are very often used in the spoken language:
Form | German | Phonetic Script | English | |
infinitive | dürfen | ['dʏrfən] | to be allowed to | |
1. person singular | ich durfte | [ɪç 'dʊrftə] | I was allowed to | |
2. person singular (familiar) | du durftest | [du: 'dʊrftəst] | you were allowed to | |
3. person singular | er/sie/es durfte | [e:ɐ/zi:/ɛs 'dʊrftə] | he/she/it was allowed to | |
1. person plural | wir durften | [vi:ə 'dʊrftən] | we were allowed to | |
2. person plural (familiar) | ihr durftet | [i:ə 'dʊrftət] | you were allowed to | |
3. person plural | sie durften | [zi: 'dʊrftən] | they were allowed to | |
polite form (singular + plural) | Sie durften | [zi: 'dʊrftən] | you were allowed to | |
Form | German | Phonetic Script | English | |
infinitive | können | ['kœnən] | to be able to | |
1. person singular | ich konnte | [ɪç 'kɔntə] | I could | |
2. person singular (familiar) | du konntest | [du: 'kɔntəst] | you could | |
3. person singular | er/sie/es konnte | [e:ɐ/zi:/ɛs 'kɔntə] | he/she/it could | |
1. person plural | wir konnten | [vi:ə 'kɔntən] | we could | |
2. person plural (familiar) | ihr konntet | [i:ə 'kɔntət] | you could | |
3. person plural | sie konnten | [zi: 'kɔntən] | they could | |
polite form (singular + plural) | Sie konnten | [zi: 'kɔntən] | you could | |
Form | German | Phonetic Script | English | |
infinitive | mögen | ['mø:gən] | to like | |
1. person singular | ich mochte | [ɪç 'mɔxtə] | I liked | |
2. person singular (familiar) | du mochtest | [du: 'mɔxtəst] | you liked | |
3. person singular | er/sie/es mochte | [e:ɐ/zi:/ɛs 'mɔxtə] | he/she/it liked | |
1. person plural | wir mochten | [vi:ə 'mɔxtən] | we liked | |
2. person plural (familiar) | ihr mochtet | [i:ə 'mɔxtət] | you liked | |
3. person plural | sie mochten | [zi: 'mɔxtən] | they liked | |
polite form (singular + plural) | Sie mochten | [zi: 'mɔxtən] | you liked | |
Form | German | Phonetic Script | English | |
infinitive | müssen | ['mʏsən] | to have to do | |
1. person singular | ich musste | [ɪç 'mʊstə] | I had to | |
2. person singular (familiar) | du musstest | [du: 'mʊstəst] | you had to | |
3. person singular | er/sie/es musste | [e:ɐ/zi:/ɛs 'mʊstə] | he/she/it had to | |
1. person plural | wir mussten | [vi:ə 'mʊstən] | we had to | |
2. person plural (familiar) | ihr musstet | [i:ə 'mʊstət] | you had to | |
3. person plural | sie musten | [zi: 'mʊstən] | they had to | |
polite form (singular + plural) | Sie mussten | [zi: 'mʊstən] | you had to | |
Form | German | Phonetic Script | English | |
infinitive | sollen | ['zɔlən] | to be to do sth | |
1. person singular | ich sollte | [ɪç 'zɔltə] | I was to do sth | |
2. person singular (familiar) | du solltest | [du: 'zɔltəst] | you were to do sth | |
3. person singular | er/sie/es sollte | [e:ɐ/zi:/ɛs 'zɔltə] | he/she/it was to do sth | |
1. person plural | wir sollten | [vi:ə 'zɔltən] | we were to do sth | |
2. person plural (familiar) | ihr solltet | [i:ə 'zɔltət] | you were to do sth | |
3. person plural | sie sollten | [zi: 'zɔltən] | they were to do sth | |
polite form (singular + plural) | Sie sollten | [zi: 'zɔltən] | you were to do sth | |
Form | German | Phonetic Script | English | |
infinitive | wollen | ['vɔlən] | to want | |
1. person singular | ich wollte | [ɪç 'vɔltə] | I wanted | |
2. person singular (familiar) | du wolltest | [du: 'vɔltəst] | you wanted | |
3. person singular | er/sie/es wollte | [e:ɐ/zi:/ɛs 'vɔltə] | he/she/it wanted | |
1. person plural | wir wollten | [vi:ə 'vɔltən] | we wanted | |
2. person plural (familiar) | ihr wolltet | [i:ə 'vɔltət] | you wanted | |
3. person plural | sie wollten | [zi: 'vɔltən] | they wanted | |
polite form (singular + plural) | Sie wollten | [zi: 'vɔltən] | you wanted |
As you can see, many strong and mixed verbs change their stem in the Past Tense. These verbs are called strong verbs (="irregular verbs"). You will find a list of those verbs if you click on the button "Irregular Forms" above.