Weak Verbs
Weak verbs (regelmäßige Verben / schwache Verben) are the most regular and predictable verb type in German. They follow consistent patterns when conjugated in different tenses.
Key characteristics:
- Form the simple past (Präteritum) by adding -te to the verb stem
- Form the past participle (Partizip II) with ge- + stem + -t
- The verb stem does not change in any tense
Examples:
Infinitive | Simple Past (Präteritum) | Past Participle (Partizip II) |
spielen (to play) | spielte | gespielt |
kaufen (to buy) | kaufte | gekauft |
arbeiten (to work) | arbeitete | gearbeitet |
lernen (to learn) | lernte | gelernt |
Think of weak verbs as similar to regular verbs in English that form the past tense by adding “-ed” (e.g., play → played).
Strong Verbs
Strong verbs (unregelmäßige Verben / starke Verben) change their stem vowel in different tenses, making them more challenging to learn. They don't follow a single pattern and must be memorized.
Key characteristics:
- Form the simple past by changing the stem vowel (without adding -te)
- Form the past participle with ge- + changed stem + -en
- Often have vowel changes in the present tense for du/er/sie/es forms
Examples:
Infinitive | Simple Past (Präteritum) | Past Participle (Partizip II) |
finden (to find) | fand | gefunden |
trinken (to drink) | trank | getrunken |
singen (to sing) | sang | gesungen |
fahren (to drive) | fuhr | gefahren |
Strong verbs are comparable to irregular verbs in English like “sing → sang → sung” or “drink → drank → drunk” that change their vowels rather than simply adding an ending.
Mixed Verbs
Mixed verbs (gemischte Verben) combine characteristics of both weak and strong verbs, following a hybrid pattern.
Key characteristics:
- Change the stem vowel in the simple past like strong verbs
- Add -te in the simple past like weak verbs
- Form the past participle with ge- + stem (possibly changed) + -t (like weak verbs)
Examples:
Infinitive | Simple Past (Präteritum) | Past Participle (Partizip II) |
bringen (to bring) | brachte | gebracht |
denken (to think) | dachte | gedacht |
kennen (to know) | kannte | gekannt |
brennen (to burn) | brannte | gebrannt |
There are only about 30 mixed verbs in German, making them a relatively small group to learn.