The Student Room Group

German Verbs

I know that when putting verbs in the past tense
you add ge - verb (minus en) either then adding t or en
depending on whether it is a weak or a strong verb
The only thing im unsure of is what is the difference between a weak verb and a strong one ? ?

Can anyone shed any light on this ?

Many thanks
Jacobdatz
Jacobdatz
I know that when putting verbs in the past tense
you add ge - verb (minus en) either then adding t or en
depending on whether it is a weak or a strong verb
The only thing im unsure of is what is the difference between a weak verb and a strong one ? ?

Can anyone shed any light on this ?

Many thanks
Jacobdatz

By past tense do you mean Praeteritum or Perfekt?
http://www.vistawide.com/german/grammar/german_verbs02.htm
"The differences between these categories are prinicipally noticeable in the formation of the simple past and perfect tenses. " Eh... :rolleyes:
Reply 2
This might help a bit.
Reply 3
Jacobdatz
I know that when putting verbs in the past tense
you add ge - verb (minus en) either then adding t or en
depending on whether it is a weak or a strong verb
The only thing im unsure of is what is the difference between a weak verb and a strong one ? ?

Can anyone shed any light on this ?

Many thanks
Jacobdatz


You can't just look at a verb you've never seen before and say ah that is a weak verb. You just have to learn the individual verbs. And obviously there are loads of verbs that don't form the perfect tense in the way you suggest - they stay the same, or just change a vowel, or do something completely counterintuitive (like sein)

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