In German we distinguish between two past tenses: Präteritum and Perfekt. The difference in meaning between these tenses is very small. In some cases, they can be used interchangeably (especially in colloquial speech). It is worth learning both tenses to be able to use them freely in different situations.
- The Präteritum tense is called the simple past tense. We use this tense mainly to describe events that took place in the past, in formal speech, literature and in written accounts of history.
- The past perfect tense is a compound tense. It is most often used to express events that took place in the past and are related to the present. It is formed using the verb haben or sein (depending on the verb) and the infinitive of the main verb in the Partizip II form. In colloquial speech, Perfekt is used more often and sounds more natural (except for modal verbs and the verbs haben and sein, which are usually used in the Präteritum tense).
I thought for a long time about how to make it easier for you to remember the verbs in the table, and after carefully analyzing the list, I managed to see the repeating patterns. I’m sure that by repeating verbs in such groups they will “enter” your head much more easily. The good news is also that verbs often rhyme. So it’s a good idea to repeat them out loud. Here are the patterns that were repeated most often.
Changing the subject: e – a – o
| Verb | Präteritum | Perfekt | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| befehlen | befahl | befohlen | order |
| brechen | brach | gebrochen | break |
| empfehlen | empfahl | empfohlen | recommend |
| erschrecken | erschrak | erschrocken | frighten |
| gelten | galt | gegolten | apply |
| helfen | half | geholfen | help |
| nehmen | nahm | genommen | take |
| sprechen | sprach | gesprochen | say |
| stechen | stach | gestochen | sting |
| stehlen | stahl | gestohlen | steal |
| sterben | starb | gestorben | die |
| treffen | traf | getroffen | meet |
| werben | warb | geworben | recruit/ advertise |
| werfen | warf | geworfen | throw |
Changing the subject: e – a – e
| Verb | Präteritum | Perfekt | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| fressen | fraß | gefressen | eat (about animals) |
| geben | gab | gegeben | give |
| geschehen | geschah | geschehen | happen |
| lesen | las | gelesen | read |
| messen | maß | gemessen | measure |
| sehen | sah | gesehen | see |
| treten | trat | getreten | come up, step |
| vergessen | vergaß | vergessen | forget |
Changing the subject: ie – o – o
| Verb | Präteritum | Perfekt | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| fliegen | flog | geflogen | fly |
| fliehen | floh | geflohen | escape |
| fließen | floss | geflossen | swim |
| frieren | fror | gefroren | freeze |
| genießen | genoss | genossen | delight |
| gießen | goss | gegossen | water |
| riechen | roch | gerochen | smell |
| wiegen | wog | gewogen | weight |
| ziehen | zog | gezogen | pull |
Changing the subject: ei – ie – ie
| Verb | Präteritum | Perfekt | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| bleiben | blieb | geblieben | remain |
| gedeihen | gedieh | gediehen | develop |
| leihen | lieh | geliehen | borrow |
| meiden | mied | gemieden | avoid |
| scheiden | schied | geschieden | divorce |
| scheinen | schien | geschienen | shine |
| schreiben | schrieb | geschrieben | write |
| steigen | stieg | gestiegen | ascend, climb |
| treiben | trieb | getrieben | lead, cultivate |
| verzeihen | verzieh | verziehen | forgive |
| weisen | wies | gewiesen | point to |
As you study, you are sure to find more similar patterns. You will see that despite the irregularity of the verbs, there are still similarities between them. With time, you will get a feel for them and use these similarities even subconsciously.
Note: In German, there are compound verbs, consisting of a verb and a prefix. Such verbs include, for example, versprechen (to promise) and besprechen (to discuss). They are conjugated in the same way as the verb sprechen (to speak). See how simple it is:
| sprechen | sprach | gesprochen |
| versprechen | versprach | versprochen |
| besprechen | besprach | besprochen |
You can apply this rule to all compound verbs.
If you’d like to learn more about this topic, take a look at our article on trivia in modal verbs (where you’ll find a full table with three forms), and information on the conjugation of irregular verbs in the present tense.
