4. Verbs with a stem ending in consonant + n
In the present tense, German verbs whose infinitive stem ends in consonant + n:
- add -est and not -st in the "du" form
- add -et and not -t in the "er/sie/es" form
- add -et and not -t in the "ihr" form
Such verbs include begegnen (to meet), bewaffnen (to arm), sich eignen (to be suitable), entgegnen (to reply), sich ereignen (to happy), leugnen (to deny), öffnen (to open), ordnen (to order, to organize), rechnen (to calculate), regnen (to rain), segnen (to bless), trocknen (to dry), vervollkommnen (to perfect), sich wappnen (to prepare oneself), zeichnen (to draw).
Table 1: Present tense of "zeichnen" |
Singular |
|
|
ich zeichne |
I draw |
|
du zeichnest Sie zeichnen |
You draw (informal/formal) |
|
er/sie/es zeichnet |
He/she/it draws |
Plural |
|
|
wir zeichnen |
We draw |
|
ihr zeichnet
Sie zeichnen |
You draw (informal/formal) |
|
sie zeichnen |
They draw |
|
Table 2: Present tense of "leugnen" |
Singular |
|
|
ich leugne |
I deny |
|
du leugnest Sie leugnen |
You deny (informal/formal) |
|
er/sie/es leugnet |
He/she/it denies |
Plural |
|
|
wir leugnen |
We deny |
|
ihr leugnet
Sie leugnen |
You deny (informal/formal) |
|
sie leugnen |
They deny |
|
Normal present tense endings are applied however:
- if the -n in the stem of the verb follows l or r i.e. in verbs such as "lernen" (to learn)
- if the -n in the stem of the verb follows another n i.e. in verbs such as "gewinnen" (to win)
- if the -n in the stem of the verb is preceded by a vowel i.e. in verbs such as "weinen" (to cry) or "scheinen" (to appear)
Table 3: Present tense of "lernen" |
Singular |
|
|
ich lerne |
I learn |
|
du lernst
Sie lernen |
You learn (informal/formal) |
|
er/sie/es lernt |
He/she/it learns |
Plural |
|
|
wir lernen |
We learn |
|
ihr lernt
Sie lernen |
You learn (informal/formal) |
|
sie lernen |
They learn |
|
Table 4: Present tense of "gewinnen" |
Singular |
|
|
ich gewinne |
I win |
|
du gewinnst
Sie gewinnen |
You win (informal/formal) |
|
er/sie/es gewinnt |
He/she/it wins |
Plural |
|
|
wir gewinnen |
We cry |
|
ihr gewinnt
Sie gewinnen |
You win (informal/formal) |
|
sie gewinnen |
They win |
|
Table 5: Present tense of "weinen" |
Singular |
|
|
ich weine |
I cry |
|
du weinst
Sie weinen |
You cry (informal/formal) |
|
er/sie/es weint |
He/she/it cries |
Plural |
|
|
wir weinen |
We cry |
|
ihr weint
Sie weinen |
You cry (informal/formal) |
|
sie weinen |
They cry |
|
Verbs with a stem ending in consonant + m
In the present tense, German verbs whose infinitive stem ends in consonant + m equally:
- add -est and not -st in the "du" form
- add -et and not -t in the "er/sie/es" form
- add -et and not -t in the "ihr" form
Table 6: Present tense of "atmen" |
Singular |
|
|
ich atme |
I breathe |
|
du atmest Sie atmen |
You breathe (informal/formal) |
|
er/sie/es atmet |
He/she/it breathes |
Plural |
|
|
wir atmen |
We breathe |
|
ihr atmet
Sie atmen |
You breathe (informal/formal) |
|
sie atmen |
They breathe |
|
Table 7: Present tense of "widmen" |
Singular |
|
|
ich widme |
I dedicate |
|
du widmest Sie widmen |
You dedicate (informal/formal) |
|
er/sie/es widmet |
He/she/it dedicates |
Plural |
|
|
wir widmen |
We dedicate |
|
ihr widmet
Sie widmen |
You dedicate (informal/formal) |
|
sie widmen |
They dedicate |
|
Normal present tense endings are applied however:
- if the -m in the stem of the verb follows l or r i.e. in verbs such as "verfilmen" (to film) or "stürmen" (to storm)
- if the -m in the stem of the verb follows another m i.e. in verbs such as "summen" (to hum)
- if the -m in the stem of the verb is preceded by a vowel i.e. in verbs such as "reimen" (to rhyme) or "rämen" (to clear away)
Table 8: Present tense of "verfilmen" |
Singular |
|
|
ich verfilme |
I film |
|
du verfilmst
Sie verfilmen |
You film (informal/formal) |
|
er/sie/es verfilmt |
He/she/it films |
Plural |
|
|
wir verfilmen |
We film |
|
ihr verfilmt
Sie verfilmen |
You film (informal/formal) |
|
sie verfilmen |
They film |
|
Table 9: Present tense of "summen" |
Singular |
|
|
ich summe |
I hum |
|
du summst
Sie summen |
You hum (informal/formal) |
|
er/sie/es summt |
He/she/it hums |
Plural |
|
|
wir summen |
We hum |
|
ihr summt
Sie summen |
You hum (informal/formal) |
|
sie summen |
They hum |
|
Table 10: Present tense of "räumen" |
Singular |
|
|
ich räume |
I clear away |
|
du räumst
Sie räumen |
You clear away (informal/formal) |
|
er/sie/es räumt |
He/she/it clears away |
Plural |
|
|
wir räumen |
We clear away |
|
ihr räumt
Sie räumen |
You clear away (informal/formal) |
|
sie räumen |
They clear away |
|
German Present Tense: Verbs with stems ending in -eln and -ern
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