Präsens

The Perfekt is the most used verb tense for referring to past actions in German.

It is constructed with the verb sein or haben and the past participle of the main verb.

Regular verbs

Regular verbs don’t change in the stem: just delete the infinitive ending -en, e.g in leben (to live) and add different endings instead

The singular endings of the regular verbs are e, st, t:

The verb wohnen

The verb wohnen (to live, to reside) is also regular: It takes the same endings as lebel while the stem wohn- is unchanged

The imperative

The singular imperative is based on the present tense of the verb. The subject pronoun (du) disappears. Most verbs take the ending e in the 2nd person singular

However, in most case, the -e is not compulsary:

2nd person pulral(ihr)

All verbs take the ending -t in the 2nd person plural. The pronoun disappears here, too:

1st person plural (wir) and the polite form (Sie)

Here, the subject pronouns are compulsary. wir and sie are necessary in order to know which person of the verb it is

Wachsen and lassen are two irregular verbs like fahren: Complete the sentences

Fahren is an irregular verb. In the 2nd and 3rd person singular forms, the -a in the root changes to an -ä.

This vowel change is failry common. Other verbs which follow the same pattern are: wachsen(to grow) and lassen (to let/to leave).

The verb werden

Werden is a very common verb in German and means become, to get or turn into.

What are modal verbs

A modal verb, in conjunction with another verb, descibes a likelihood, ability, permission or obligaion. There are six modal verbs:

müssen, können, dürfen, sollen, wollen and mögen/möchten

They are generally followed by another verb:

But they can alos be used as verbs in their own right:

How do you use müssen?

Müssen is used to express an obligation coming from someone else.

But it can also be used in order to express an obligation that comes from oneself

Finallly müssen can be used to suppose or assume something

When is sollen used?

Sollen is mostly used to express an obligation coming from someone else. Unlike müssen, sollen can’t express a self-obligation

But it is also used for polite requests

Lastly, sollen can also express a suposition or rumour

wollen vs. möchten

Wollen is stronger than möchten - it expresses a wish or offer more directly

wollen:

möchten:

Möchten is in fact a conditional verb form (would like). The present tense form is mögen (like) However, as a modal verb, möchten is used much often: Ich möchte Kirschen essen (I would like to eat cherries).

Reflexive Pronouns

The reflexive pronoun is always placed directly after the conjugated verb:

Type in forms of the verb anrufen

Separable verbs are made of a verb and a prefix which is added to the verb and modifies its meaning: rufen (to shout) / anrufen (to call, to telephone)

When the verb is in the infinitive, the prefix stays attached to the verb:

When the verb is conjugated, the prefix is seprated from it and moves to the end of the sentence: