German Tenses—an Overview Part III.1

Active Tenses, Irregular Verb, with “sein”

Today, we will have a look at one of German's many irregular verbs. I picked one that builds its compound tenses with "sein" (to be), since German verbs don't always build them with "haben" (to have). Instead, when you learn German, you have to remember which verb uses "haben" and which verb uses "sein".

“gehen” is an irregular verb which builds its compound tenses with the modal verb “sein” (to be).

Infinitiv == (infinitive)

gehen == (to go)

Indikativ == Indicative Mode

Präsens == (simple present)

ich gehe == I go

du gehst == you go

er/sie/es geht == he/she/it goes

wir gehen == we go

ihr geht == you go

sie/Sie gehen == they go (you go—formal address)

Präteritum == (simple past)

ich ging == I went

du gingst == you went

er/sie/es ging == he/she/it went

wir gingen == we went

ihr gingt == you went

sie/Sie gingen == they went (you went—formal address)

Perfekt == (present perfect)

ich bin gegangen == I have gone

du bist gegangen == you have gone

er/sie/es ist gegangen == he/she/it has gone

wir sind gegangen == we have gone

ihr seid gegangen == you have gone

sie/Sie sind gegangen == they have gone (you have gone—formal address)

Plusquamperfekt == (past perfect)

ich war gegangen == I had gone

du warst gegangen == you had gone

er/sie/es war gegangen == he/she/it had gone

wir waren gegangen == we had gone

ihr wart gegangen == you had gone

sie/Sie waren gegangen == they had gone (you had gone—formal address)

Futur I == (future I)

ich werde gehen == I will go

du wirst gehen == you will go

er/sie/es wird gehen == he/she/it will go

wir werden gehen == we will go

ihr werdet gehen == you will go

sie/Sie werden gehen == they will go (you will go—formal address)

Futur II == (future II)

ich werde gegangen sein == I will have gone

du wirst gegangen sein == you will have gone

er/sie/es wird gegangen sein == he/she/it will have gone

wir werden gegangen sein == we will have gone

ihr werdet gegangen sein == you will have gone

sie/Sie werden gegangen sein == they will have gone (you will have gone—formal address)

Watch out for PArt III.2 next Wednesday!