German Spelling Changes in Regular Verbs

Learn spelling changes in regular verb conjugations in German

     

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German Spelling Changes in Regular Verbs

1) Some verbs require an umlaut over the a in the 2nd and 3rd person singular.

Fahren-to travel

fahre	fahren
fährst	fahrt
fährt	fahren

Examples: fallen-to fall, schlafen-to sleep, tragen-to carry, waschen-to wash, laufen-to run

2) Some verbs change the e to ie in the 2nd and 3rd person singular.

Sehen-to see

sehe	sehen
siehst	seht
sieht	sehen

Examples: lesen- to read, befehlen-to command, empfehlen-to recommend, geschehen-to happen, stehlen-to steal

3) Some verbs change the e to an i in the 2nd and 3rd person singular.

Geben-to give

gebe	geben
gibst	gebt
gibt	geben

Examples: brechen-to break, essen-to eat, helfen-to help, sprechen-to speak, sterben-to die, treffen-to meet, werfen-to throw
*nehmen has another irregularity:  it doubles the m and drops the h*

nehme	nehmen
nimmst	nehmt
nimmt	nehmen

4) Verb stems ending -d or -t, add an e before three endings.

Reden-to speak

rede	reden
redest	redet
redet	reden

5) Verb stems ending in an s or z sound, have -t for du form ending instead of -st.

Sitzen-to sit

sitze	sitzen
sitzt	sitzt
sitzt	sitzen

6) Infinitives ending in -n (not -en) only have -n ending for wir and sie forms.  Infinitive stems ending in -el or -er can drop the e in the ich form.

Tun-to do / Segeln-to sail

tue	tun	segle	segeln
tust	tut	segelst	segelt
tut	tun	segelt	segeln

 

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