Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn the most used German verbs and their Partizip II forms like sein–gewesen, machen–gemacht, and gehen–gegangen to master past tense expressions effectively.
  1. The past participle is best learned by heart!
Infinitiv (infinitive)Partizip II (past participle)Infinitiv (infinitive)Partizip II (past participle)Infinitiv (infinitive)Partizip II (past participle)
sein (to be)gewesensprechen (to speak)gesprochenfahren (to drive)gefahren
haben (have)gehabtschreiben (to write)geschriebenbringen (to bring)gebracht
werden (to become)gewordenlesen (to read)gelesennehmen (to take)genommen
gehen (to go)gegangenlernen (to learn)gelerntfragen (to ask)gefragt
machen (to do)gemachtkaufen (to buy)gekauftantworten (answer)geantwortet
sagen (to say)gesagtarbeiten (to work)gearbeitetnehmen (to take)genommen
sehen (to see)gesehenwohnen (to live)gewohntschlafen (to sleep)geschlafen
aufstehen (to get up)aufgestandendenken (to think)gedachthelfen (to help)geholfen
verstehen (to understand)verstandenlaufen (to run)gelaufenleben (to live)gelebt

Exercise 1: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Ich habe gestern im Restaurant einen Salat ________.

(I ordered a salad at the restaurant ________ yesterday.)

2. Wir sind um 12 Uhr zum Mittagessen ________.

(We went to lunch at 12 o'clock ________.)

3. Sie hat eine Tischreservierung für heute ________.

(She made a table reservation for today ________.)

4. Er hat das Menü gelesen und die Suppe ________.

(He read the menu and ________ the soup.)

5. Wir haben den Kellner nach der Rechnung ________.

(We asked the waiter for the bill ________.)

6. Du hast einen leckeren Kuchen ________.

(You brought a delicious cake ________.)

Most Common German Verbs and Their Past Participle (Partizip II) Forms

This lesson focuses on mastering the past participle forms of frequently used German verbs. The past participle, or Partizip II, is essential for forming perfect tenses and passive voice in German, making it a cornerstone of everyday communication.

Understanding the Past Participle (Partizip II)

In German, the Partizip II is often formed by adding the prefix ge- and the suffix -t or -en to the verb stem. For example:

  • machen (to do/make) → gemacht
  • fahren (to drive/go) → gefahren
  • sprechen (to speak) → gesprochen

However, some verbs have irregular past participle forms that don’t follow this pattern, so memorization is important.

Examples of Key Verbs and Their Past Participle Forms

InfinitivePartizip IIInfinitivePartizip IIInfinitivePartizip II
seingewesensprechengesprochenfahrengefahren
habengehabtschreibengeschriebenbringengebracht
werdengewordenlesengelesennehmengenommen
gehengegangenlernengelerntfragengefragt
machengemachtkaufengekauftantwortengeantwortet

Why Memorize These Verbs?

Knowing these past participle forms is critical because they enable you to build sentences in perfect tenses, which are commonly used when talking about past events and experiences. For instance:

  • Ich habe gestern im Restaurant einen Salat bestellt. – I ordered a salad yesterday in the restaurant.
  • Wir sind um 12 Uhr zum Mittagessen gegangen. – We went to lunch at 12 o'clock.
  • Sie hat eine Tischreservierung für heute gemacht. – She made a table reservation for today.

Important Differences Between English and German

Unlike English, which usually forms the past participle with a simple suffix (e.g., “-ed”), German verbs often require the prefix ge-, and past participle endings vary between -t and -en. Additionally, many German verbs are irregular, requiring memorization, as in:

  • sehengesehen (to see → seen)
  • helfengeholfen (to help → helped)
  • nehmengenommen (to take → taken)

This variety can be challenging but is essential for fluency.

Useful Phrases and Notes

  • Ich habe ... gemacht. – I have done/made ...
  • Wir sind ... gegangen. – We have gone ...
  • Er hat das Buch gelesen. – He has read the book.

Practice these verbs in context to become familiar with their forms and uses.

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Sophie Schmidt

International Administration Management

Würzburger Dolmetscherschule

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Last Updated:

Thursday, 17/07/2025 02:12