Key takeaways
- German verbs change their ending to match the subject (ich, du, er/sie/es, wir, ihr, sie/Sie).
- Regular present-tense endings are -e, -st, -t, -en, -t, -en, added to the verb stem.
- The stem is the infinitive minus -en (machen becomes mach-).
- sein (to be) and haben (to have) are irregular and worth memorising early.
- Many strong verbs change their stem vowel in the du and er/sie/es forms (fahren becomes du fährst).
Conjugation sounds intimidating, but German present tense runs on a single, simple set of endings plus a few well-defined exceptions. Learn this one system and you can start building real German sentences today. This guide covers regular verbs, the spelling tweaks, stem-changing verbs, and the three irregular verbs you genuinely cannot skip — then lets you test yourself.
What conjugation actually means
To conjugate a verb is to change its ending so it matches the subject — ich, du, er, and so on. Every German verb has a stem (the part that stays) and an ending (the part that changes). Take spielen (to play): drop the -en and you have the stem spiel-, then add the ending for each subject.
Regular verbs: the endings that cover most of German
Here is spielen in the present tense. The same six endings work for the huge majority of German verbs — machen, lernen, wohnen, kaufen, and thousands more.
| Subject | Form | Ending |
|---|---|---|
| ich | spiele | -e |
| du | spielst | -st |
| er / sie / es | spielt | -t |
| wir | spielen | -en |
| ihr | spielt | -t |
| sie / Sie | spielen | -en |
Two small spelling adjustments
- Stems ending in -t or -d add an extra -e- so the word is pronounceable: arbeiten → du arbeitest, er arbeitet; finden → du findest.
- Stems ending in -s, -ss, -ß or -z collapse the du ending to just -t: heißen → du heißt; tanzen → du tanzt.
Stem-changing (strong) verbs
A group of very common verbs change their stem vowel — but only in the du and er/sie/es forms. Everywhere else they are regular. There are three patterns:
- a → ä: fahren → du fährst, er fährt; schlafen → du schläfst.
- e → i: geben → du gibst, er gibt; essen → du isst; helfen → du hilfst.
- e → ie: sehen → du siehst, er sieht; lesen → du liest.
| fahren (a→ä) | geben (e→i) | |
|---|---|---|
| ich | fahre | gebe |
| du | fährst | gibst |
| er/sie/es | fährt | gibt |
| wir | fahren | geben |
| ihr | fahrt | gebt |
| sie/Sie | fahren | geben |
The three verbs you must know cold: sein, haben, werden
These are the most common verbs in German, and they are irregular — but they are also the building blocks for other tenses, so the time you spend here pays off everywhere.
| sein (to be) | haben (to have) | werden (to become) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ich | bin | habe | werde |
| du | bist | hast | wirst |
| er/sie/es | ist | hat | wird |
| wir | sind | haben | werden |
| ihr | seid | habt | werdet |
| sie/Sie | sind | haben | werden |
Modal verbs (können, müssen, wollen…)
Modal verbs change their vowel in the singular and take no ending in the ich and er forms, then go regular in the plural. Example, können (can): ich kann, du kannst, er kann, wir können, ihr könnt, sie können. Note that ich and er are identical — a handy shortcut.
Separable verbs
Some verbs split in two: the prefix detaches and jumps to the end of the clause. aufstehen (to get up) becomes ich stehe auf. Conjugate the main verb normally, then send the prefix to the end.
Beyond the present tense
Once the present is solid, the rest builds on it. The perfect tense (spoken past) uses haben or sein plus a past participle: ich habe gespielt, ich bin gefahren. The future uses werden plus an infinitive: ich werde spielen. That is exactly why sein, haben and werden are worth memorising first.
How to practise conjugation
- Conjugate a few new verbs out loud every day — saying them builds the reflex faster than reading.
- Drill the irregular and stem-changing verbs with spaced repetition.
- Use them in real sentences with someone who corrects you — see the best ways to learn German for how.
Test yourself: the verb conjugation quiz
Choose the correct present-tense form for each subject. Every answer explains the rule — come back and beat your score.
Verb Conjugation Quiz
10 verbs · pick the correct present-tense form
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Get the workbook — $9Frequently asked questions
How many verb endings do I need for the present tense?
Essentially one set of six (-e, -st, -t, -en, -t, -en). Learn that and you can conjugate most German verbs.
Do I have to memorise every irregular verb?
No. Start with sein, haben and werden and the common stem-changers. The rest you will pick up naturally through reading and listening.
Is German conjugation harder than English?
It is different, not harder: more endings, but the patterns are very regular and predictable once you learn them.
Next, lock in the grammar that pairs with your verbs: German cases and noun genders. New here? Start here.