Weak Verbs in German – Present Tense

Welcome to this beginner German grammar lesson! Here we will learn about weak verbs, also known as regular verbs, and how to conjugate them in the present tense. Weak verbs follow a clear and predictable pattern, making them the best place to start when learning German verb conjugation.

By mastering weak verbs such as machen (to do), spielen (to play), and lernen (to learn), you’ll be able to form hundreds of useful sentences in everyday German.

🎯 Main Uses of Weak Verbs in German

In German, weak verbs (also called regular verbs) are verbs that follow a predictable pattern when conjugated. This makes them easier for beginners to learn.

Main uses:

• They describe everyday actions such as machen (to do), spielen (to play), lernen (to learn).
• They are the majority of German verbs, so mastering them gives you access to thousands of words.
• They follow the same endings regardless of the verb stem, unlike strong (irregular) verbs.

Tip: Always remove the -en ending from the infinitive and add the correct ending for each subject pronoun.

📖 Grammar & Rules

To conjugate weak verbs in the present tense:

1. Remove the infinitive ending -en (sometimes -n).
2. Add the appropriate personal ending.

Endings for weak verbs in the present tense:

Examples with other weak verbs

spielen (to play)

• ich spiele – I play
• du spielst – you play
• er/sie/es spielt – he/she/it plays
• wir spielen – we play
• ihr spielt – you (plural) play
• sie/Sie spielen – they/You (formal) play

lernen (to learn)

• ich lerne – I learn
• du lernst – you learn
• er/sie/es lernt – he/she/it learns
• wir lernen – we learn
• ihr lernt – you (plural) learn
• sie/Sie lernen – they/You (formal) learn

Key Notes:

• All weak verbs use the same endings.
• No vowel changes occur (unlike strong verbs).
• Be careful with du and er/sie/es forms, as they often confuse beginners (-st and -t endings).

Special Case: Verbs with -t, -d, -m, -n before the ending

When the verb stem ends in -t or -d (or sometimes after -m or -n), German adds an extra -e- before certain endings to make pronunciation easier.

Example: warten (to wait)

Other verbs with this rule:

• arbeiten → du arbeitest, er arbeitet
• zeichnen → du zeichnest, er zeichnet
• öffnen → du öffnest, er öffnet

Key Notes:

• Most weak verbs follow the standard endings.
• For stems ending in -t / -d, add an extra -e- before -st / -t / -n.
• No vowel changes occur (unlike strong verbs).

🎯 Practice & Exercises

Let’s practice conjugating weak verbs in the present tense, including those that need an extra -e-.

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks (arbeiten)

Complete the sentences with the correct form of arbeiten (to work):

• Ich __________ in Berlin.
• Du __________ viel heute.
• Er __________ bei Siemens.
• Wir __________ zusammen im Büro.
• Ihr __________ am Wochenende.
• Sie __________ in einer Schule.

Exercise 2: Conjugation table (warten)

Fill in the correct forms of warten (to wait):

Exercise 3: Choose the correct form (öffnen)

Select the right conjugation of öffnen (to open):

1. Du _______ die Tür.
   • a) öffnest
   • b) öffnenst
2. Er _______ das Fenster.
   • a) öffnet
   • b) öffnetet
3. Wir _______ das Geschäft um 9 Uhr.
   • a) öffnen
   • b) öffnent

📚 Summary & Tips

In this lesson, you have learned how to conjugate weak (regular) verbs in the present tense. Here’s a quick recap:

• Remove the infinitive ending -en (or sometimes -n) to get the verb stem.
• Add the correct personal ending according to the subject pronoun:

Pronoun	Ending
ich	-e
du	-st
er/sie/es	-t
wir	-en
ihr	-t
sie/Sie	-en

• Most weak verbs follow this standard pattern (e.g., machen, spielen, lernen).
• For verbs whose stem ends in -t or -d (and sometimes after -m or -n), add an extra -e- before certain endings: warten, arbeiten, öffnen.
• Remember: weak verbs do not change their stem vowel in the present tense.

Tips to remember:

• Always pay attention to the -st and -t endings for du and er/sie/es.
• Practice by conjugating common verbs like machen, spielen, lernen, arbeiten, warten, öffnen.
• Use these verbs in simple sentences to reinforce both vocabulary and grammar.

Once you feel confident with weak verbs, you’re ready to test your knowledge in the Quiz section!

📝 Quiz

Exercise 1: Multiple Choice (Choose the correct form)

1. Du _______ viel. (arbeiten)

• A) arbeitest
• B) arbeitet
• C) arbeiten

2. Wir _______ im Park. (warten)

• A) wartet
• B) warten
• C) wartest

Exercise 2: True / False

• 1. The verb stem changes in weak verbs in the present tense.
• 2. Verbs like arbeiten and warten add an extra -e- for du and er/sie/es forms.
• 3. All weak verbs use the same endings regardless of the stem.
• 4. You never add -e- intercalaire for stems ending in -t or -d.

Exercise 3: Fill in the blanks

• Ich _______ jeden Tag Deutsch. (lernen)
• Du _______ die Tür. (öffnen)
• Er _______ auf den Bus. (warten)
• Wir _______ zusammen. (spielen)
• Ihr _______ viel im Büro. (arbeiten)

Exercise 4: Translate into German

• I work in a school.
• You (informal singular) wait for the train.
• He plays football.
• We learn German.