Lesson 7: Verb Conjugation Basics
Verbs are action words. In German they change with the subject — but the pattern is simple.
What is a verb?
A verb is an action word — something you do.
- gehen = to go
- essen = to eat
- trinken = to drink
Verbs change with the subject
👉 In German, the verb takes a different ending depending on who is doing the action.
Example: gehen (to go)
- ich gehe — I go
- du gehst — you go
- er/sie geht — he/she goes
Three more essential verbs
Just 3 forms each — keep it simple.
- ichgehe
- dugehst
- er/siegeht
Follows the regular pattern ✓
- ichbin
- dubist
- er/sieist
- ichhabe
- duhast
- er/siehat
- ichtrinke
- dutrinkst
- er/sietrinkt
Follows the regular pattern ✓
The simple pattern
Most regular German verbs follow the same easy rule.
- ich → base (no extra ending or just -e)
- du → add -st
- er/sie → add -t
- ichlerne
- dulernst
- er/sielernt
- ichspiele
- duspielst
- er/siespielt
- ichmache
- dumachst
- er/siemacht
Practice
Fill the blanks and translate. Score: 0 / 8
Fill the blank
- ich ___ (gehen)ich form
- du ___ (trinken)du form
- er ___ (haben)er/sie form
- ich ___ (sein)ich form
Translate to German
- I drink
- You go
- He has
- I am
Use it in real sentences
Mini Quiz
Score: 0 / 6
1. What does "ich gehe" mean?
2. Choose the correct form: "du ___" (haben)
3. Choose the correct form: "er ___" (sein)
4. Conjugate "trinken" for "wir" — wait, focus on "ich":
5. Which sentence is correct?
6. Identify the correct conjugation of "lernen" for "du":
Common mistakes to avoid
- ❌ Use the same verb form for everyone (ich gehst, du gehst, er gehst).
- ❌ Forget the -st after "du".
- ❌ Mix up bin / bist / ist.
- ✅ Always match the verb to the subject.
- ✅ Memorize sein and haben by heart — they're irregular.
- ✅ Use the regular pattern (-e / -st / -t) for new verbs.
Practice today
- 📝 Practice 3 verbs daily (start with sein, haben, gehen).
- 🔊 Speak each form aloud — ich, du, er/sie.
- ✍️ Write 3 simple sentences about yourself using these verbs.
About German verb conjugation
German verb conjugation is the foundation of beginner German grammar. In this German verbs A1 lesson, you learn how regular verbs like gehen, trinken and lernen follow a clear, repeatable pattern: -e for ich, -st for du and -t for er/sie/es. You also meet the two most important irregular verbs — sein (to be) and haben (to have) — which appear in nearly every German sentence. With short examples, audio practice and a mini quiz, this beginner German grammar lesson helps you speak and write your first real sentences with confidence.