Auxiliary verbs (Hilfsverben) are essential for forming various tenses and grammatical structures. The three main auxiliary verbs in German are haben (to have), sein (to be), and werden (to become/will).
Haben (to have)
Haben is primarily used to form the perfect tenses with most German verbs.
Present Tense Conjugation of haben
ich habe | I have |
du hast | you have (informal singular) |
er/sie/es hat | he/she/it has |
wir haben | we have |
ihr habt | you have (informal plural) |
sie/Sie haben | they/you have (formal) |
Usage of haben:
- Perfect tense formation: Used with most transitive (verbs that take a direct object) and many intransitive verbs (verbs that don't take a direct object)
- Ich habe einen Brief geschrieben. (I have written a letter.)
- Sie haben viel gelernt. (They have learned a lot.)
Example:
Sein (to be)
Sein serves two main functions: as a linking verb and as an auxiliary verb for certain intransitive verbs in perfect tenses.
Present Tense Conjugation of sein:
ich bin | I am |
du bist | you are (informal singular) |
er/sie/es ist | he/she/it is |
wir sind | we are |
ihr seid | you are (informal plural) |
sie/Sie sind | they/you are (formal) |
Usage of sein:
- Perfect tense formation: Used with intransitive verbs indicating movement or change of state
- Er ist nach Berlin gefahren. (He has gone to Berlin.)
- Sie ist gestern angekommen. (She arrived yesterday.)
Example:
- As a linking verb:
- Sie ist Lehrerin. (She is a teacher.)
- Wir sind müde. (We are tired.)
Example:
A linking verb is a verb that connects the subject of a sentence with a subject complement, which describes or identifies the subject.
Werden (to become/will)
Werden has multiple functions in German, including forming the future tense and passive voice.
Present Tense Conjugation of werden:
ich werde | I become/will |
du wirst | you become/will (informal singular) |
er/sie/es wird | he/she/it becomes/will |
wir werden | we become/will |
ihr werdet | you become/will (informal plural) |
sie/Sie werden | they/you become/will (formal) |
Usage of werden:
- Future tense formation: Used with the infinitive form of the main verb
- Ich werde morgen kommen. (I will come tomorrow.)
- Sie werden den Film sehen. (They will see the movie.)
Example:
- Passive voice formation: Used with the past participle of the main verb
- Der Brief wird geschrieben. (The letter is being written.)
- Die Ergebnisse werden veröffentlicht. (The results are being published.)
Example:
- As a full verb: Expresses a change of state or condition
- Er wird Arzt. (He is becoming a doctor.)
- Das Wetter wird kälter. (The weather is getting colder.)
Example:
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