Let’s LearnDeutsch

Lesson 5 of 69 · A1, Unit 2: Building blocks

The present tense

A German verb takes a different ending for each person. Take the stem (the infinitive minus -en: lern-) and add -e, -st, -t, -en, -t, -en. Once you know the six endings you can use hundreds of regular verbs.

The present tense also covers English 'I'm doing' and often the future: Ich lerne Deutsch means 'I learn German', 'I'm learning German', and, with a time word, 'I'll learn German'.

By the end you can:

  • conjugate regular verbs for all six persons
  • keep the verb in second position in a statement
  • handle common verbs that change their vowel with du and er/sie/es

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