German Tenses--An Overview (Part I.1)

Active Tenses, Regular Verb, with “haben”: Indicative Mode

“fragen” is a regular verb which builds its compound tenses with the modal verb “haben” (to have).

Infinitiv == (infinitive)

fragen == (to ask)

Indikativ == Indicative Mode

Präsens == (simple present)

ich frage == I ask

du fragst == you ask

er/sie/es fragt == he/she/it asks

wir fragen == we ask

ihr fragt == you ask

sie/Sie fragen == they ask (you ask—formal address)

Präteritum == (simple past)

ich fragte == I asked

du fragtest == you asked

er/sie/es fragte == he/she/it asked

wir fragten == we asked

ihr fragtet == you asked

sie/Sie fragten == they asked (you asked—formal address)

Perfekt == (present perfect)

ich habe gefragt == I have asked

du hast gefragt == you have asked

er/sie/es hat gefragt == he/she/it has asked

wir haben gefragt == we have asked

ihr habt gefragt == you have asked

sie/Sie haben gefragt == they have asked (you have asked—formal address)

Plusquamperfekt == (past perfect)

ich hatte gefragt == I had asked

du hattest gefragt == you had asked

er/sie/es hatte gefragt == he/she/it had asked

wir hatten gefragt == we had asked

ihr hattet gefragt == you had asked

sie/Sie hatten gefragt == they had asked (you had asked—formal address)

Futur I == (future I)

ich werde fragen == I will ask

du wirst fragen == you will ask

er/sie/es wird fragen == he/she/it will ask

wir werden fragen == we will ask

ihr werdet fragen == you will ask

sie/Sie werden fragen == they will ask (you will ask—formal address)

Futur II == (future II)

ich werde gefragt haben == I will have asked

du wirst gefragt haben == you will have asked

er/sie/es wird gefragt haben == he/she/it will have asked

wir werden gefragt haben == we will have asked

ihr werdet gefragt haben == you will have asked

sie/Sie werden gefragt haben == they will have asked (you will have asked—formal address)


Since I am currently writing up a summary of German verb tenses (and likely more grammar topics to follow) for my sweetheart, who started learning German, I will dedicate Wednesdays to "German Grammar Wednesday" for the time being (read: until I run out of topics). If you have particular questions or want to have a particular grammar topic covered, please let me know.

Next week: Part I.2 (Subjunctive and Imperative of "fragen")