CLASS 5 · LEARNING KNOWLEDGE
Verbs and tenses – basics and application
How it works
Verbs denote activities, processes, or states. They can occur in different tenses (tempora). In class 5, ‹Präsens›, ‹Präteritum›, ‹Perfekt› and ‹Futur I› are especially important. With these tenses, one expresses when something happens, for example ‹ich spiele›, ‹ich spielte›, ‹ich habe gespielt› or ‹ich werde spielen›. Verbs are conjugated according to person, number, and tense. Some verbs are regular, others irregular. Recognizing and forming the tenses is an important skill in German lessons.
Note
To determine or form the tense of a verb, first pay attention to when the action takes place. Then check the verb form: ‹ich spiele› is in the present tense, ‹ich spielte› in the past tense, ‹ich habe gespielt› in the present perfect, and ‹ich werde spielen› in the future I. Also pay attention to who is acting so that the personal form is correct.
To determine or form the tense of a verb, first pay attention to when the action takes place. Then check the verb form: ‹ich spiele› is in the present tense, ‹ich spielte› in the past tense, ‹ich habe gespielt› in the present perfect, and ‹ich werde spielen› in the future I. Also pay attention to who is acting so that the personal form is correct.
An example
In which tense is the verb in the following sentence: ‹Ich lese ein Buch.›?
The verb ‹lese› is in the present tense because it describes an action in the present. The present tense is formed with the appropriate personal form of the verb.
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50 Exercises
To the learning unit →Own explanation and own practice exercises by AmyMath. Subject reference framework: German. The topic assignment may vary by federal state.