The perfect tense with sein (AQA GCSE German): Revision Notes
The perfect tense with sein
Introduction
In German, most verbs form the perfect tense using the auxiliary verb "haben" (to have). However, certain verbs use "sein" (to be) instead as their auxiliary verb. Understanding which verbs take "sein" and how to use them correctly is essential for mastering German grammar.
The perfect tense in German is used to describe completed actions in the past, similar to both the present perfect and simple past tenses in English.
The perfect tense with sein follows this pattern: sein (conjugated) + past participle
Which verbs use sein in the perfect tense
Verbs of movement
These verbs describe movement from one place to another. When you physically travel or go somewhere, these verbs typically use "sein" as their auxiliary verb.
Key movement verbs:
- ankommen (to arrive)
- fahren (to travel/drive)
- fliegen (to fly)
- gehen (to go/walk)
- kommen (to come)
- laufen (to run)
Worked Example: Movement Verb
German: Ich bin nach Berlin gefahren. English: I travelled to Berlin.
Notice how "fahren" (to travel) uses "sein" because it describes movement from one place to another.
Verbs describing a change of state
These verbs indicate that something or someone has changed from one condition to another. The change represents a transition that has been completed.
Key change of state verbs:
- bleiben (to stay/remain)
- sein (to be)
- werden (to become)
Worked Example: Change of State
German: Er ist krank geworden. English: He became ill.
Here "werden" (to become) shows a change from healthy to ill.
Verbs meaning "to happen"
These verbs describe events that occur or take place, often unexpectedly.
Key "happening" verbs:
- passieren (to happen)
- geschehen (to happen)
Worked Example: Happening Verb
German: Was ist passiert? English: What happened?
"Passieren" describes an event that occurred.
Important grammar rules
Past participles with sein verbs
Most verbs that take "sein" are irregular and have past participles ending in "-en". Common examples include "gekommen" (come), "gelaufen" (run), and "geblieben" (stayed). When using separable verbs, the "-ge-" element appears between the prefix and the main verb stem.
Critical Rule: Direct Objects and Auxiliary Verb Choice
A crucial rule to remember is that verbs without direct objects typically use "sein". However, if the same verb can take a direct object, then it forms its perfect tense with "haben" instead. This is why some verbs can use either auxiliary depending on how they're used in the sentence.
Verbs ending in "-ieren"
All regular verbs ending in "-ieren" never add the "-ge-" prefix to their past participle, but they still follow the normal rules for auxiliary verb selection.
Word order in the perfect tense
The word order rules for perfect tense sentences with "sein" follow the same patterns as those with "haben". Understanding these patterns is essential for constructing correct German sentences.
Standard word order
In a simple statement, the conjugated form of "sein" appears in second position, while the past participle goes to the end of the sentence.
Worked Example: Standard Word Order
German: Ich bin letzte Woche nach Berlin geflogen. English: I flew to Berlin last week.
Structure: Subject + sein (2nd position) + other elements + past participle (end)
Word order with time expressions
When a sentence begins with a time expression, the verb and subject positions swap (inversion), but the past participle remains at the end.
Worked Example: Time Expression Inversion
German: Letzte Woche bin ich mit dem Zug nach Berlin gefahren. English: Last week I went to Berlin by train.
Structure: Time expression + sein + subject + other elements + past participle
Word order after conjunctions
After subordinating conjunctions like "als" (when), the main verb moves to the end of the clause, appearing immediately before the past participle.
Worked Example: Subordinate Clause Word Order
German: Als ich nach Berlin geflogen bin, bin ich krank geworden. English: When I flew to Berlin, I became ill.
Structure in subordinate clause: conjunction + subject + other elements + sein + past participle
Useful vocabulary
This table shows the most common verbs that use "sein" in the perfect tense. Learning these by heart will significantly improve your German fluency.
| German | English | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|
| ankommen | to arrive | angekommen |
| fahren | to travel/drive | gefahren |
| fliegen | to fly | geflogen |
| gehen | to go/walk | gegangen |
| kommen | to come | gekommen |
| laufen | to run | gelaufen |
| bleiben | to stay/remain | geblieben |
| werden | to become | geworden |
| passieren | to happen | passiert |
| geschehen | to happen | geschehen |
Example sentences
Worked Examples: German to English Translation
-
Mein Bruder ist mit dem Flugzeug nach Frankreich geflogen. (My brother flew to France by plane.)
-
Das Flugzeug war schmutzig, als ich gestern nach Berlin geflogen bin. (The plane was dirty when I flew to Berlin yesterday.)
Worked Examples: English to German Translation
-
I became ill when I travelled to Berlin. → Ich bin krank geworden, als ich nach Berlin gefahren bin.
-
What happened yesterday? → Was ist gestern passiert?
Grammar and pronunciation tips
Key Grammar Points to Remember:
- Remember that "sein" is irregular: ich bin, du bist, er/sie/es ist, wir sind, ihr seid, sie sind
- The past participle always goes to the end of the main clause
- Time expressions that begin a sentence cause subject-verb inversion
Pronunciation Tip:
When pronouncing past participles, stress typically falls on the first syllable: gekommen, gefahren
Translation practice
Practice Exercise: German to English
- Wann ist er gestern angekommen?
- Die Schüler sind nach Köln geflogen.
Practice Exercise: English to German
- I travelled to Switzerland last summer.
- His grandfather became ill yesterday.
Answers:
- When did he arrive yesterday?
- The pupils flew to Cologne.
- Ich bin letzten Sommer in die Schweiz gefahren.
- Sein Opa ist gestern krank geworden.
Remember!
Key Points to Remember:
- Verbs of movement, change of state, and "happening" typically use sein in the perfect tense
- The past participle always goes to the end of the main clause
- Most sein verbs are irregular with past participles ending in -en
- Verbs without direct objects usually take sein, but the same verb with a direct object takes haben
- Time expressions at the beginning of sentences cause inversion of subject and verb