AÜM: Basic Steps to Conjugating a Verb

Swimming.jpgBasic Steps to Conjugating a Verb

Once again, the infinitive form (original form) of the regular verbs in German always ends with a -en. Before you add any endings, drop the final -en. What you are left with is called the stem or root. Just add the corresponding German endings. Let's look at the verb schwimmen (to swim). Let's create a simple sentence like I swim.

Steps to Conjugating schwimmen

Drop the final -en in schwimmen to obtain the stem:

  • schwimmen - en =
    • schwimm-
schwimmen - to swim
Person Singular Plural
1st Person - I, We
  • Ich schwimm+e =
    • Ich schwimme.
    • I swim. 
  • Wir schwimm + en
    • Wir schwimmen.
    • We swim.
2nd Person - You (singular and plural)
  • Du schwimm+st =
    • Du schwimmst.
    • You swim.
  • Ihr schwimm + t
    • Wir schwimmt.
    • You (plural) swim.
3rd Person - He, she, it, they
  • Er schwimm+t =
    • Er schwimmt.
    • He swims.
  • Sie schwimm + en
    • Sie schwimmen.*
    • They swim.

*Sie schwimmen is also the 2nd person (singular and plural) formal form = You (formal) swim.

Exceptions: -d or -t

If the verb stem ends in a -d or -t, the endings -st and -t expand to -est and -et.

  • arbeiten (to work) -
    • du arbeitest
    • er/sie/es arbeitet
  • warten (to wait) -
    • du wartest
    • er/sie/es wartet

Exceptions: -s, -ss, -ß or -z

If the verb stem ends in a (s, ss, ß, z), the -st contracts to -t.

  • heißen (to be called) -
    • du heißt

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