10.11 Verbs in "-el", "-er" and new irregular verbs
Verbs whose stem ends in "-el" and "-er"
Regular verbs whose stem ends in "-el" or "-er" differ from the general pattern of present tense endings in the following respects:
- The infinitive of such verbs ends in "-n", not "-en".
- The first and third person plural of the present tense, along with the polite "Sie" form,
also end in "-n", not "-en".
- In the "ich" form of the present tense, the "-e-" of the stem is always dropped with verbs in "-el" - e.g. ich sammle. This "-e-" is also occasionally dropped with verbs ending in "-er", although this is more common in spoken German than in written German - e.g. ich wand(e)re.
Here is the present tense of two such verbs which we have encountered in this chapter: sammeln (= to collect) and wandern (= to ramble; to hike).
Grammar 11: Present tense of "sammeln" (= to collect) |
Singular |
|
|
ich sammle |
I collect |
|
du sammelst Sie sammeln |
You collect (informal/formal) |
|
er/sie/es sammelt |
He/she/it collects |
Plural |
|
|
wir sammeln |
We collect |
|
ihr sammelt
Sie sammeln |
You collect (informal/formal) |
|
sie sammeln |
They collect |
|
Grammar 12: The present tense of "wandern" (= to ramble) |
Singular |
|
|
ich wand(e)re |
I ramble |
|
du wanderst
Sie wandern |
You ramble (informal/formal) |
|
er/sie/es wandert |
He/she/it rambles |
Plural |
|
|
wir wandern |
We ramble |
|
ihr wandert
Sie wandern |
You ramble (informal/formal) |
|
sie wandern |
They ramble |
|
New irregular verbs
Here is the present tense of the new irregular verbs which we have met in this chapter. You can also click here for our full verb tables for German regular and irregular verbs.
Grammar 13: Present tense of "essen" (= to eat) |
Singular |
|
|
ich esse |
I eat |
|
du isst
Sie essen |
You eat (informal/formal) |
|
er/sie/es isst |
He/she/it eats |
Plural |
|
|
wir essen |
We eat |
|
ihr esst
Sie essen |
You eat (informal/formal) |
|
sie essen |
They eat |
|
Grammar 14: The present tense of "lesen" (= to read) |
Singular |
|
|
ich lese |
I read |
|
du liest
Sie lesen |
You read (informal/formal) |
|
er/sie/es liest |
He/she/it reads |
Plural |
|
|
wir lesen |
We read |
|
ihr lest
Sie lesen |
You read (informal/formal) |
|
sie lesen |
They read |
|
Grammar 15: Present tense of "tragen" (= to wear, carry) |
Singular |
|
|
ich trage |
I wear |
|
du trägst
Sie tragen |
You wear (informal/formal) |
|
er/sie/es trägt |
He/she/it wears |
Plural |
|
|
wir tragen |
We wear |
|
ihr tragt
Sie tragen |
You wear (informal/formal) |
|
sie tragen |
They wear |
|
Grammar 16: Present tense of "treffen" (= to meet) |
Singular |
|
|
ich treffe |
I meet |
|
du triffst
Sie treffen |
You meet (informal/formal) |
|
er/sie/es trifft |
He/she/it meets |
Plural |
|
|
wir treffen |
We meet |
|
ihr trefft
Sie treffen |
You meet (informal/formal) |
|
sie treffen |
They meet |
|
Grammar 17: Present tense of "verlassen" (= to leave) |
Singular |
|
|
ich verlasse |
I leave |
|
du verlässt
Sie verlassen |
You leave (informal/formal) |
|
er/sie/es verlässt |
He/she/it leaves |
Plural |
|
|
wir verlassen |
We leave |
|
ihr verlasst
Sie verlassen |
You leave (informal/formal) |
|
sie verlassen |
They leave |
|
Grammar 18: Present tense of "waschen" (= to wash) |
Singular |
|
|
ich wasche |
I wash |
|
du wäschst
Sie waschen |
You wash (informal/formal) |
|
er/sie/es wäscht |
He/she/it washes |
Plural |
|
|
wir waschen |
We wash |
|
ihr wascht
Sie waschen |
You wash (informal/formal) |
|
sie waschen |
They wash |
|
Grammar 19: Present tense of "wissen" (= to know) |
Singular |
|
|
ich weiß |
I know |
|
du weißt
Sie wissen |
You know (informal/formal) |
|
er/sie/es weiß |
He/she/it knows |
Plural |
|
|
wir wissen |
We know |
|
ihr wisst
Sie wissen |
You know (informal/formal) |
|
sie wissen |
They know |
|
Chapter 10.12: Compound verbs
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