Present Tense: Stem-Changing Verbs
Learn common German verbs that change their stem vowel in the present tense. This A1 topic focuses on du and er/sie/es forms such as du liest, er fährt, sie läuft, plus the special verb wissen.
Explanation
Present tense: stem-changing verbs
Some common German verbs change the vowel in the verb stem in the present tense. For the regular stem-changing pattern, this happens with **du** and **er/sie/es**.
The other forms usually keep the normal stem vowel: **ich lese**, **wir lesen**, **ihr lest**, **sie/Sie lesen**. The verb **wissen** is an exception and is explained separately below.
e -> i or ie
| Infinitive | du | er/sie/es |
|---|---|---|
| geben | gibst | gibt |
| nehmen | nimmst | nimmt |
| lesen | liest | liest |
| sprechen | sprichst | spricht |
Examples:
- **Du liest** die Zeitung.
- **Er gibt** mir ein Buch.
- **Sie spricht** Deutsch.
a -> ä
| Infinitive | du | er/sie/es |
|---|---|---|
| fahren | fährst | fährt |
| schlafen | schläfst | schläft |
Examples:
- **Fährst** du nach Berlin?
- Das Baby **schläft**.
au -> äu
| Infinitive | du | er/sie/es |
|---|---|---|
| laufen | läufst | läuft |
Example:
- Er **läuft** im Park.
Special verb: wissen
**Wissen** is irregular. Its singular forms are special, including **ich**:
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| ich | weiß |
| du | weißt |
| er/sie/es | weiß |
| wir/sie/Sie | wissen |
| ihr | wisst |
Examples:
- **Ich weiß** die Adresse.
- **Weißt** du das?
Word order reminder
In statements and wh-questions, the conjugated verb is in second position:
- Ich **lese** ein Buch.
- Was **liest** du?
In yes/no questions, the conjugated verb is first:
- **Liest** du ein Buch?
Remember: first choose the person, then check whether the verb changes its stem vowel.
Exercises
- Complete the verb in the present tense. Watch for the stem-vowel change with du and er/sie/es. (10)
- Which present-tense form fits? Choose the correct answer. (10)
- Put the words in the correct order. The conjugated verb is in second position. (9)
- Complete the forms. The stem vowel changes only with du and er/sie/es. (1)
A1 · German · Grammar