Regular Verbs (Present) in German

Overview

Regular verbs in German follow a predictable pattern in the present tense, making them one of the most approachable grammar topics at the A1 level. Once you learn the pattern, you can conjugate hundreds of verbs correctly. The key is simple: take the verb stem (the infinitive minus -en), then add the appropriate ending for each pronoun.

German verbs in their dictionary form (the infinitive) almost always end in -en: machen (to make/do), spielen (to play), lernen (to learn), arbeiten (to work). The stem is what remains when you remove that -en ending. From there, you attach a specific suffix for each subject pronoun.

A small adjustment applies to verbs whose stems end in -t, -d, -n, or -m (when preceded by a consonant other than l or r): they add an extra -e- before the endings -st and -t to make pronunciation easier. For example, arbeiten becomes du arbeitest (not du arbeitst).

How It Works

Standard conjugation pattern:

Pronoun	Ending	Example: machen (to do)	Example: spielen (to play)
ich	-e	mache	spiele
du	-st	machst	spielst
er/sie/es	-t	macht	spielt
wir	-en	machen	spielen
ihr	-t	macht	spielt
sie/Sie	-en	machen	spielen

Verbs with stems ending in -t or -d (e.g., arbeiten, finden):

Pronoun	Form
ich	arbeite
du	arbeitest
er/sie/es	arbeitet
wir	arbeiten
ihr	arbeitet
sie/Sie	arbeiten

Key points:

• The wir, sie (they), and Sie (formal) forms are always identical to the infinitive
• The er/sie/es and ihr forms share the same ending: -t
• Verbs ending in -eln (like sammeln) drop the e in the ich form: ich sammle

Examples in Context

German	English	Note
Ich mache Sport.	I do sports.	Standard pattern
Du spielst Gitarre.	You play guitar.	-st ending
Sie arbeitet in München.	She works in Munich.	Extra -e- before -t
Wir lernen Deutsch.	We are learning German.	Same as infinitive
Ihr wohnt in Hamburg.	You all live in Hamburg.	-t ending
Sie trinken Kaffee.	They drink coffee.	Same as infinitive
Er kauft Brot.	He buys bread.	-t ending
Ich öffne das Fenster.	I open the window.	Standard pattern
Du findest es gut?	You find it good?	Extra -e- (stem ends in -d)
Wir kochen zusammen.	We cook together.	Everyday activity

Common Mistakes

Forgetting the extra -e- with stems ending in -t or -d

• Wrong: Er arbeitt viel. or Du arbeitst morgen.
• Right: Er arbeitet viel. / Du arbeitest morgen.
• Why: When the stem ends in -t or -d, an extra -e- is inserted before -st and -t endings for pronunciation.

Confusing the endings for "er/sie/es" and "ihr"

• Wrong: Er spielen Fußball.
• Right: Er spielt Fußball.
• Why: er/sie/es takes -t, not -en. The -en ending belongs to wir/sie/Sie.

Adding -en instead of -e for "ich"

• Wrong: Ich machen das.
• Right: Ich mache das.
• Why: The first person singular always ends in -e. The -en form is for wir, sie, or Sie.

Practice Tips

1. Verb of the day: Pick one new regular verb each day and write it out in all six forms. By the end of the month, you will have thirty verbs locked in.
2. Daily routine narrative: Describe your entire day using regular verbs: "Ich frühstücke um sieben. Ich arbeite bis fünf. Ich koche abends."
3. Pattern recognition: When you encounter a new verb, first check if it is regular. If so, you already know all six forms — just apply the pattern.

Related Concepts

• Parent: Subject Pronouns (Nominative) — the pronouns that determine verb endings
• Stem-Changing Verbs — verbs that break the regular pattern
• Word Order (Main Clause) — where the conjugated verb sits in a sentence
• Modal Verbs: können, müssen — verbs with special conjugation and sentence structure
• Separable Verbs (Present) — verbs with prefixes that split off
• Imperative (Commands) — command forms derived from present tense
• Expressing Preferences (gern) — using gern with regular verbs
• Future Tense (Futur I) — future formed with werden + infinitive
• Infinitive with zu — infinitive constructions
• Causative with lassen — using lassen with infinitives
• Function Verb Structures — verb-noun combinations
• Inseparable Prefix Verbs — verbs with non-separable prefixes
• Verb 'wissen' (Present) — an irregular verb similar to modals