The imperfect tense (AQA GCSE German): Revision Notes
The imperfect tense
The imperfect tense is essential for describing and telling stories about past events in German. Unlike English, which often uses different constructions, German uses the imperfect tense frequently, especially in written German and with certain common verbs in spoken language.
When to use the imperfect tense
The imperfect tense helps you narrate past events and describe what was happening or what used to happen. It's particularly useful when you want to set the scene in a story or describe ongoing past actions.
The imperfect tense is your go-to choice for storytelling and describing past states or ongoing actions. Think of it as the equivalent of English "was doing" or "used to do" constructions.
Forming the imperfect tense with regular verbs
Creating the imperfect tense with regular verbs follows a straightforward pattern that once learned, can be applied to hundreds of German verbs.
Worked Example: Forming the Imperfect with Regular Verbs
Let's take the verb hören (to hear):
Step 1: Start with the infinitive form: hören Step 2: Remove the -en ending: hör Step 3: Add the imperfect endings: hör + te = hörte
Final result: ich hörte (I heard/was hearing)
Regular imperfect endings
The endings follow a consistent pattern across all regular verbs:
| Person | Ending | Example (hören) | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| ich | -te | ich hörte | I heard/was hearing |
| du | -test | du hörtest | you heard/were hearing |
| er/sie/es/man | -te | er/sie/es hörte | he/she/it heard/was hearing |
| wir | -ten | wir hörten | we heard/were hearing |
| ihr | -tet | ihr hörtet | you heard/were hearing |
| Sie/sie | -ten | Sie/sie hörten | you/they heard/were hearing |
Essential irregular verbs: haben and sein
The verbs haben (to have) and sein (to be) are used constantly in German, making their imperfect forms absolutely crucial for communication.
Critical to memorise: These two verbs appear in virtually every German conversation and text. Since they're irregular, there's no pattern to follow - you must learn them by heart!
Haben (to have) in the imperfect
| Person | German | English |
|---|---|---|
| ich | hatte | I had |
| du | hattest | you had |
| er/sie/es/man | hatte | he/she/it/one had |
| wir | hatten | we had |
| ihr | hattet | you had |
| Sie/sie | hatten | you/they had |
Example: Ich hatte Glück. (I was lucky.)
Sein (to be) in the imperfect
| Person | German | English |
|---|---|---|
| ich | war | I was |
| du | warst | you were |
| er/sie/es/man | war | he/she/it/one was |
| wir | waren | we were |
| ihr | wart | you were |
| Sie/sie | waren | you/they were |
Example: Es war teuer. (It was expensive.) Example: Die Musik war sehr laut! (The music was very loud!)
Irregular verbs in the imperfect tense
Many common German verbs have irregular imperfect forms that don't follow the regular pattern. These often involve vowel changes and must be memorised individually.
No shortcuts here: Unlike regular verbs, irregular verbs don't follow a predictable pattern. Each one must be learned separately, but the good news is that the most common verbs are the ones you'll use most frequently!
Common irregular verbs
| Infinitive | Imperfect stem | English |
|---|---|---|
| fahren | fuhr | drove/travelled |
| gehen | ging | went/walked |
| nehmen | nahm | took |
| schreiben | schrieb | wrote |
| sprechen | sprach | spoke |
| tragen | trug | wore/carried |
| wissen | wusste | knew |
Special note about "gab"
The verb geben (to give) becomes gab in the imperfect. An important point to remember is that es gab (there was/were) doesn't change its ending even when referring to plural items.
Example: Es gab viele Leute. (There were a lot of people.)
Modal verbs in the imperfect tense
Modal verbs also have irregular imperfect forms, but they're particularly valuable for expressing past abilities, permissions, and obligations in German.
Modal verbs in the imperfect are extremely useful for describing what you could do, had to do, or wanted to do in the past. They're essential for storytelling and explaining past situations.
Key modal verbs
| Infinitive | Imperfect | English |
|---|---|---|
| dürfen | durfte | was allowed to |
| können | konnte | could/was able to |
| mögen | mochte | liked |
| müssen | musste | had to |
| sollen | sollte | ought to/should |
| wollen | wollte | wanted to |
Worked Example: Using Modal Verbs in Context
Ich wollte mit meiner Freundin ausgehen, aber ich musste meine Hausaufgaben machen.
Translation: I wanted to go out with my girlfriend, but I had to do my homework.
Notice how the modal verbs wollte (wanted to) and musste (had to) express past desires and obligations.
Useful vocabulary
| German | English |
|---|---|
| teuer | expensive |
| laut | loud |
| Glück haben | to be lucky |
| Musik | music |
| Freundin | girlfriend |
| ausgehen | to go out |
| Hausaufgaben | homework |
| machen | to do/make |
| viele Leute | many people |
| E-Mails | emails |
| jeden Tag | every day |
Grammar and pronunciation tips
Understanding these key points will help you use the imperfect tense more effectively in both spoken and written German.
Essential Rules to Remember:
- When forming the imperfect with regular verbs, the stress usually stays on the same syllable as in the infinitive
- Irregular verb forms need to be memorised - there's no pattern you can rely on
- The imperfect is more common in written German, but certain verbs (haben, sein, and modal verbs) are frequently used in the imperfect even in spoken German
- Remember that es gab stays the same whether referring to singular or plural items
Translation practice
Practice makes perfect! Try these translations to test your understanding of the imperfect tense.
Translation Practice: German to English
- Ich kaufe etwas zu essen. → I was buying something to eat.
- Er spielt in einer Band. → He was playing in a band.
Translation Practice: English to German
- My girlfriend was driving to Berlin. → Meine Freundin fuhr nach Berlin.
- My boss was writing many emails. → Mein Chef schrieb viele E-Mails.
Answers:
- Ich kaufte etwas zu essen.
- Er spielte in einer Band.
- Meine Freundin fuhr nach Berlin.
- Mein Chef schrieb viele E-Mails.
- Ich sprach jeden Tag mit ihr.
Key Points to Remember:
- The imperfect tense describes past events and is essential for storytelling in German
- Regular verbs follow the pattern: remove -en and add -te, -test, -te, -ten, -tet, -ten
- Haben and sein are irregular but frequently used - learn their forms by heart
- Many common verbs have irregular imperfect forms that must be memorised
- Modal verbs in the imperfect are particularly useful for expressing past abilities and obligations