Verb Conjugation in the Present Tense

German verbs can have different endings when used in the Present Tense. Let's take a look at how different weak and strong verbs are conjugated.

Weak Verbs

Rule 1: Weak verbs are mostly regular. To conjugate them, you take the main part of the verb (its stem) and add:

- for singular forms: -e (1st person), -st (2nd person), -t (3rd person)

- for plural forms: -en (1st person), -t (2nd person), -en (3rd person).

Let's take a look at the example with the verb "spielen" (to play):

However, some weak verbs have irregularities when used in the present tense.

Present of weak verbs with "d" or "t"

Rule 3: For weak verbs that have their stem ending in t or d, we add a "e" before the endings -st and -t in the present tense. It helps with pronunciation.

Present of weak verbs with "s", "ß", "x" or "z"

Rule 4: For weak verbs that have their stem ending in s, ß, x or z, the "-s" in the ending is omitted in the 2nd person singular:

Present of weak verbs with "-eln" or "-ern"

Rule 5: For weak verbs that have their infinitive in eln or ern:

- the endings in first and third person plural (wir/sie/Sie) is "-n" and not "-en"

- the "e" in the stem is sometime omitted in the first person singular:

Strong Verbs

Rule 6: Starke Verben (strong verbs) are only irregular in the 2nd and 3rd person singular forms in the present tense. The endings are the same (-e, -st, -t, -en, -t, -en) but some verbs in this group can change the vowel in their stem:

- either "a" becomes "ä"

- -or "e" becomes "i" or "ie"