The present tense (Edexcel GCSE German): Revision Notes
The present tense
Overview of German present tense
German verbs in the present tense can be regular, irregular (with vowel changes), or very irregular. Understanding how to conjugate these verbs correctly is essential for communicating about current actions and states.
The present tense in German serves multiple purposes:
- Describing actions happening now
- Expressing habitual actions
- Indicating future actions when used with time expressions
Regular verbs
Regular verbs follow a predictable pattern when conjugated. They maintain the same stem throughout all forms, with only the endings changing to match the subject.
Formation process
To conjugate regular verbs:
- Remove the -en ending from the infinitive to create the stem
- Add the appropriate personal endings to this stem
Worked Example: Creating the stem
spielen (to play) → stem: spiel
Conjugation table
| Person | Ending | Conjugated form | English translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ich | -e | spiele | I play/am playing |
| du | -st | spielst | you play/are playing |
| er/sie/es | -t | spielt | he/she/it plays |
| wir | -en | spielen | we play/are playing |
| ihr | -t | spielt | you play/are playing |
| Sie/sie | -en | spielen | you/they play/are playing |
Using present tense with time expressions
The present tense becomes more versatile when combined with time expressions:
Common time expressions:
- heute (today), jetzt (now), jeden Tag (every day) - for current or regular actions
- im Moment (at the moment), am Wochenende (at the weekend) - for ongoing situations
You can also use present tense with future time expressions to indicate upcoming actions:
- Nächste Woche arbeite ich (I'll be working next week)
When using seit (since/for) with a present tense verb, you're expressing how long something has been happening:
- Ich warte seit einer Stunde (I've been waiting for an hour)
Verbs with vowel changes
Some German verbs undergo vowel changes in certain forms, but the endings remain the same as regular verbs. These changes typically occur in the du and er/sie/es forms only.
Verbs adding umlauts
Certain verbs add an umlaut to their stem vowel in the du and er/sie/es forms.
Worked Example: fahren (to drive/travel)
| Person | Form | Person | Form |
|---|---|---|---|
| ich | fahre | wir | fahren |
| du | fährst | ihr | fahrt |
| er/sie/es | fährt | Sie/sie | fahren |
Other verbs following this pattern: laufen, schlafen, tragen
Verbs changing vowels
Some verbs change their vowel completely rather than adding an umlaut.
Worked Example: sehen (to see)
| Person | Form | Person | Form |
|---|---|---|---|
| ich | sehe | wir | sehen |
| du | siehst | ihr | seht |
| er/sie/es | sieht | Sie/sie | sehen |
Worked Example: geben (to give)
| Person | Form | Person | Form |
|---|---|---|---|
| ich | gebe | wir | geben |
| du | gibst | ihr | gebt |
| er/sie/es | gibt | Sie/sie | geben |
Other verbs following these patterns: essen, helfen, sprechen, treffen, vergessen, werden, werfen
Memory tip: The pronoun man (one/you/people) always uses the er/sie/es form, and lesen (to read) follows the same vowel change pattern as sehen.
The imperative
The imperative is used to give instructions or commands. German has three different imperative forms depending on who you're addressing.
Formation rules
Worked Example: Imperative forms of kommen (to come)
Sie form (formal):
- Invert the present tense verb and subject
- Kommen Sie bitte mit! (Please come with me!)
Ihr form (informal plural):
- Use the present tense verb form without the subject pronoun
- Kommt mit! (Come with me!)
Du form (informal singular):
- Use the present tense verb form without the -st ending and without du
- Komm mit! (Come with me!)
Special notes for irregular verbs
Rules for irregular verbs in imperative:
- The du form may sometimes add -e: Spiele Basketball! (Play basketball!)
- When an irregular verb has a vowel change, this appears in the du form imperative: Gib mir das Buch! (Give me the book!)
- When an irregular verb adds an umlaut, this change disappears in the du form imperative: Schlaf gut! (Sleep well!)
Practice exercises
Complete each sentence with the correct present tense form:
- Ich _____ morgen nach Hause. (fahren)
- _____ du gern ein Instrument? (spielen)
- Mein Vater _____ mir oft Geschenke. (geben)
- Wir _____ in die Stadt. (gehen)
- Das Mädchen _____ krank aus. (sehen)
- Was _____ ihr am Wochenende? (machen)
- Wo _____ Sie, Frau Hecht? (wohnen)
- Die Klasse _____ klassische Musik. (hören)
Answers:
- fahre, 2. Spielst, 3. gibt, 4. gehen, 5. sieht, 6. macht, 7. wohnen, 8. hört
Key Points to Remember:
- Regular verbs follow the pattern: stem + personal ending (-e, -st, -t, -en, -t, -en)
- Vowel changes only occur in the du and er/sie/es forms of irregular verbs
- The imperative has three forms: Sie (formal), ihr (informal plural), du (informal singular)
- Present tense can express current actions, habits, and future plans when used with time expressions
- Seit + present tense expresses duration of ongoing actions