2. Verbs with a stem ending in -z, -ss, -ß, -s and -x
Basic conjugation rule
German verbs whose infinitive stem ends in -z, -ss, -ß, -s and -x add -t and not -st in the "du" form of the present tense.
2.1 Verbs with a stem in ending in -z
These verbs include ächzen (to groan), beizen (to steep, to treat), beschmutzen (to make dirty), blitzen (to flash), duzen (to say "du" to someone), ergänzen (to complete), faulenzen (to laze about), geizen (to be miserly), glänzen (to gleam, to shine), grenzen (to border), heizen (to heat), hetzen (to hound), jauchzen (to cheer), krächzen (to croak), kratzen (to scratch), kreuzen (to cross), kürzen (to shorten), lechzen (to pant), nutzen (to be of use, to use), pflanzen (to plant), platzen (to burst), putzen (to clean), reizen (to irritate, to stimulate), schätzen (to estimate), scherzen (to joke), schluchzen (to sob), schmerzen (to hurt), schnalzen (to crack, to click), schnäuzen (to blow one's nose), schnitzen (to cut), schützen (to protect), schwärzen (to blacken), schwatzen (to chatter), schwitzen (to sweat), setzen (to put), seufzen (to groan), siezen (to say "Sie" to someone), spitzen (to sharpen), spritzen (to inject), strotzen (to be full), stützen (to support), stutzen (to trim; to hesitate), tanzen (to dance), trotzen (to defy), verletzen (to injure), verschmutzen (to pollute), wälzen (to roll, to writhe), würzen (to spice).
Table 1: Present tense of "tanzen" |
Singular |
|
|
ich tanze |
I dance |
|
du tanzt
Sie tanzen |
You dance (informal/formal) |
|
er/sie/es tanzt |
He/she/it dances |
Plural |
|
|
wir tanzen |
We dance |
|
ihr tanzt
Sie tanzen |
You dance (informal/formal) |
|
sie tanzen |
They dance |
|
2.2 Verbs with a stem in ending in -ss
These include beeinflussen (to influence), erpressen (to blackmail), fassen (to seize, to grasp), hassen (to hate), hissen (to hoist), küssen (to kiss), passen (to fit, to suit), stressen (to put under stress), verblassen (to fade), vermissen (to miss).
Table 2: Present tense of "küssen" |
Singular |
|
|
ich küsse |
I kiss |
|
du küsst
Sie küssen |
You kiss (informal/formal) |
|
er/sie/es küsst |
He/she/it kisses |
Plural |
|
|
wir küssen |
We kiss |
|
ihr küsst
Sie küssen |
You kiss (informal/formal) |
|
sie küssen |
They kiss |
|
2.3 Verbs with a stem in ending in -ß
These include beißen (to bite), büßen (to atone, to pay for), einflößen (to instil into someone), entblößen (to expose), fließen (to flow), fußen (to be based on), grüßen (to greet), heißen (to be called), mutmaßen (to conjecture), rußen (to smoke, to produce soot), schweißen (to weld), spaßen (to joke), süßen (to sweeten).
Table 3: Present tense of "heißen" |
Singular |
|
|
ich heiße |
I am called |
|
du heißt Sie heißen |
You are called (informal/formal) |
|
er/sie/es heißt |
He/she/it is called |
Plural |
|
|
wir heißen |
We are called |
|
ihr heißt
Sie heißen |
You are called (informal/formal) |
|
sie heißen |
They are called |
|
2.4 Verbs with a stem in ending in -s
These include brausen (to roar, to thunder), bremsen (to brake), dösen (to doze), einheimsen (to collect, to rake in), entgleisen (to be derailed; to misbehave), grasen (to graze), grinsen (to grin), hausen (to live; to wreak), hopsen (to hop), knipsen (to punch, to clip), kreisen (to circle), leasen (to lease), lösen (to remove; to buy), losen (to draw lots), niesen (to sneeze), piepsen (to bleep; to chirrup), rasen (to race), reisen (to travel), schmausen (to feast), speisen (to dine), tosen (to roar, to rage), verharmlosen (to play down), verlosen (to raffle), verwahrlosen (to fall into disrepair), verzinsen (to pay interest in), weisen (to point).
Table 4: Present tense of "reisen" |
Singular |
|
|
ich reise |
I travel |
|
du reist Sie reisen |
You travel (informal/formal) |
|
er/sie/es reist |
He/she/it travels |
Plural |
|
|
wir reisen |
We travel |
|
ihr reist
Sie reisen |
You travel (informal/formal) |
|
sie reisen |
They travel |
|
2.5 Verbs with a stem in ending in -x
These include boxen (to box), faxen (to fax), fixen (to fix, to shoot up (drugs)), hexen (to practise witchcraft), mixen (to mix), relaxen (to relax).
Table 5: Present tense of "boxen" |
Singular |
|
|
ich boxe |
I box |
|
du boxt Sie boxen |
You box (informal/formal) |
|
er/sie/es boxt |
He/she/it boxes |
Plural |
|
|
wir boxen |
We box |
|
ihr boxt
Sie boxen |
You box (informal/formal) |
|
sie boxen |
They box |
|
2.6 Imported verbs with a stem in ending in -c
These endings are also found in the present tense verbs with a stem in -c that have recently been imported from English.
Table 6: Present tense of "outsourcen" |
Singular |
|
|
ich source out |
I outsource |
|
du sourct out Sie sourcen out |
You outsource (informal/formal) |
|
er/sie/es sourct out |
He/she/it outsources |
Plural |
|
|
wir sourcen out |
We outsource |
|
ihr sourct out
Sie sourcen out |
You outsource (informal/formal) |
|
sie sourcen out |
They outsource |
|
German Present Tense: Verbs with stems in -d and -t
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