What are Irregular Verbs in German?
Irregular verbs in German do not follow the usual patterns of regular conjugation. They often involve changes in the **stem vowel** or other unexpected forms. The endings are similar to regular verbs, but the stem can change in the **du** and **er/sie/es** forms.
Present Tense Conjugation of Irregular Verbs
Example 1: Verb sein (to be)
| Person |
German |
English |
| ich | bin | I am |
| du | bist | you are (informal) |
| er/sie/es | ist | he/she/it is |
| wir | sind | we are |
| ihr | seid | you all are |
| sie/Sie | sind | they/you (formal) are |
Example 2: Verb haben (to have)
| Person |
German |
English |
| ich | habe | I have |
| du | hast | you have (informal) |
| er/sie/es | hat | he/she/it has |
| wir | haben | we have |
| ihr | habt | you all have |
| sie/Sie | haben | they/you (formal) have |
Example 3: Verb sehen (to see)
| Person |
German |
English |
| ich | sehe | I see |
| du | siehst | you see (informal) |
| er/sie/es | sieht | he/she/it sees |
| wir | sehen | we see |
| ihr | seht | you all see |
| sie/Sie | sehen | they/you (formal) see |
Example Sentences Using Irregular Verbs
1. Ich bin müde. (I am tired.)
2. Hast du Hunger? (Are you hungry?)
3. Er sieht den Vogel. (He sees the bird.)
4. Wir haben viel zu tun. (We have a lot to do.)
How to Ask and Answer Questions with Irregular Verbs
- Wie spät ist es? (What time is it?)
- Es ist neun Uhr. (It is nine o'clock.)
- Hast du Zeit? (Do you have time?)
- Ja, ich habe Zeit. (Yes, I have time.)