Present Tense: haben, sein and werden
Learn the present-tense forms of haben, sein and werden and use them in simple statements and questions.
Explanation
Special verbs: **haben**, **sein** and **werden**
These three very common verbs have special forms. You need them at A1 level.
- **haben** expresses possession or belonging: *Ich habe einen Bruder.* — I have a brother.
- **sein** describes a state or identity: *Nora ist müde. Er ist Student.* — Nora is tired. He is a student.
- **werden** describes a change: *Es wird dunkel. Lea wird Ärztin.* — It is getting dark. Lea is becoming a doctor.
Present-tense forms
| Person | haben | sein | werden |
|---|---|---|---|
| ich | habe | bin | werde |
| du | hast | bist | wirst |
| er / sie / es | hat | ist | wird |
| wir | haben | sind | werden |
| ihr | habt | seid | werdet |
| sie / Sie | haben | sind | werden |
Learn all the conjugated forms. Pay special attention to the very irregular forms of **sein** and to **wirst/wird** with **werden**.
Sentence position
In a statement, the conjugated verb is normally in position 2:
- Meine Schwester **hat** heute Zeit.
- Tom **ist** im Büro.
- Das Kind **wird** langsam müde.
In a W-question, the verb is also in position 2:
- Wo **ist** dein Schlüssel?
- Wann **wird** das Essen fertig?
In a yes/no question, the verb is in position 1:
- **Hast** du Hunger?
- **Seid** ihr zu Hause?
- **Wird** es morgen warm?
Tip: first choose the meaning (**haben**, **sein** or **werden**), then form the verb for the subject.
Exercises
- Complete the forms of haben, sein and werden for each person. (7)
- Choose the correct verb in the correct present-tense form. (11)
- Put the words in order. Pay attention to the position of the conjugated verb. (11)
- Complete haben, sein and werden in the correct form. Read both lines of each dialogue. (11)
- Final review: Read the complete text and put the verbs into the correct present-tense form. This exercise also reviews forms from the previous present-tense topics. (4)
- Final review: Read the letters and emails. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct present-tense form. (4)
- Complete the key present-tense forms of haben, sein, and werden. (1)
A1 · German · Grammar