Unregelmäßige Formen im Präteritum müssen meistens einfach auswendig gelernt werden.
(Irregular forms in the simple past usually just have to be memorized.)
- Irregular verbs in the simple past almost always change the verb stem.
| Person (person) | sein (to be) | kommen (to come) | rufen (to call) | helfen (to help) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ich (I) | war (was) | kam (came) | rief (called) | half (helped) |
| du (you) | warst (were) | kamst (came) | riefst (called) | halfst (helped) |
| er/sie/es (he/she/it) | war (was) | kam (came) | rief (called) | half (helped) |
| wir (we) | waren (were) | kamen (came) | riefen (called) | halfen (helped) |
| ihr (you (plural)) | wart (were) | kamt (came) | rieft (called) | halft (helped) |
| sie/Sie (they/you (formal)) | waren (were) | kamen (came) | riefen (called) | halfen (helped) |
Exercise 1: Multiple choice
Instruction: Choose the correct answer
1. Gestern ___ ich in der Notaufnahme, weil ich starke Schmerzen hatte.
Yesterday I ___ in the emergency room because I was in severe pain.2. Als der Krankenwagen ___, rief die Nachbarin sofort den Notruf.
When the ambulance ___, the neighbor immediately called emergency services.3. Der Notarzt ___ mich zurück und stellte noch zwei Fragen.
The emergency doctor ___ me back and asked two more questions.4. Im Treppenhaus ___ wir dem Mann, bis die Feuerwehr da war.
In the stairwell we ___ the man until the fire department was there.Exercise 2: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct sentence in the simple past.
Exercise 3: Rewrite the phrases
Instruction: Write the sentences in the simple past and insert the correct form of sein, kommen, rufen or helfen (Example: Wir sind im Büro. → Wir waren im Büro.).
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Ich bin gestern krank und bleibe zu Hause.⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ExampleIch war gestern krank und blieb zu Hause.(I was sick yesterday and stayed at home.)
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Du kommst heute spät zur Besprechung.⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ExampleDu kamst heute spät zur Besprechung.(You came late to the meeting today.)
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Er ruft seine Kollegin an und fragt nach den Unterlagen.⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ExampleEr rief seine Kollegin an und fragte nach den Unterlagen.(He called his colleague and asked for the documents.)
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Wir helfen dem neuen Nachbarn mit dem Umzug.⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ExampleWir halfen dem neuen Nachbarn beim Umzug.(We helped the new neighbor with the move.)
Exercise 4: Grammar in action
Instruction: Tells the events and who helped whom on duty.
- Was war genau der Notfall, und wo wart ihr im Büro? (What exactly was the emergency, and where were you in the office?)
- Wer rief den Notruf und was sagte diese Person am Telefon?","Wer half der verletzten Person zuerst, bis der Krankenwagen kam?","Was passierte in der Notaufnahme, nachdem ihr angekommen wart? (Who called the emergency number and what did that person say on the phone?","Who helped the injured person first, until the ambulance arrived?","What happened in the emergency room after you arrived?)
- Ich rief den Notruf und erklärte den Notfall. (I called the emergency number and explained the emergency.)
- Der Notarzt kam schnell, der Krankenwagen kam kurz danach. (The emergency doctor arrived quickly; the ambulance arrived shortly after.)
- Wir waren in der Notaufnahme, bis alles stabil war. (We were in the emergency room until everything was stable.)
- ich war / wir waren (I was / we were)
- er rief / wir riefen (he called / we called)
- der Notarzt kam / der Krankenwagen kam (the emergency doctor arrived / the ambulance arrived)
