German Strong Verbs (A-F)
Irregular German Verbs
How to Conjugate German Irregular (Strong) Verbs
German Verb Guide > Verb-Lexikon (Index) > Strong Verbs
In the following charts we have listed the principal parts of German verbs that have irregular forms that must be memorized. (Weak (regular) verbs follow a predictable pattern, and do not vary the way that strong verbs do.) Also see Mixed Verbs for verbs that combine elements of weak and strong verbs.
Only some compound verbs are listed (i.e., anfangen). To conjugate other compound verbs based on other verbs, e.g., abgeben, based on geben, simply use the stem verb (in this case "geben") with the prefix (in this case "ab") to get the past (gab ab) or past participle (abgegeben).
NOTE: Participles that require sein as a helping verb are indicated by ist in front of the past participle. The English meaning shown for each verb may be only one of several possible meanings.
This verb chart uses the new German spelling (die neue Rechtschreibung).
Click on any linked verb to learn more about its conjugation and use.
STRONG VERBS > A-F | G-M | N-Schw | Se-Z | Examples
MORE > Verb-Lexikon - All verbs (index)
MORE > Ablaut Classes of strong verbs (alphabetical list)
| Starke Verben - Strong Verbs - A-F | ||
|---|---|---|
| INFINITIV | PRÄTERITUM (Preterite) |
PERFEKT (Past Participle) |
| A A A | ||
| anfangen begin | fing an began | angefangen begun |
| ankommen arrive | kam an arrived | ist angekommen arrived |
| anrufen call up | rief an called up | angerufen called up |
| B B B | ||
| backen bake | backte baked | gebacken baked |
| befehlen command | befahl commanded | befohlen commanded |
| beginnen begin | begann began | begonnen begun |
| beißen bite | biss bit | gebissen bitten |
| bekommen get, receive | bekam got | bekommen gotten |
| bergen salvage | barg salvaged | geborgen salvaged |
| bersten burst | barst burst | geborsten burst |
| betrügen deceive | betrog deceived | betrogen deceived |
| biegen bend | bog bent | gebogen bent |
| bieten offer | bot offered | geboten offered |
| binden tie | band tied | gebunden tied |
| bitten request | bat requested | gebeten requested |
| blasen blow | blies blew | geblasen blown |
| See the ablaut groups for learning the various patterns (a-ie-a, a-u-a, e-a-o, etc.) of German strong verbs. | ||
| bleiben stay | blieb stayed | ist geblieben stayed |
| bleichen bleach | blich bleached | geblichen bleached |
| braten roast | briet roasted | gebraten roasted |
| brechen break | brach broke | gebrochen broken |
| brennen* burn | brannte burned | gebrannt burned |
| bringen* bring | brachte brought | gebracht brought |
| *Both brennen and bringen are "mixed" verbs, combining elements of strong and weak verbs. For more see our Mixed Verbs page. | ||
| D D D | ||
| denken* think | dachte thought | gedacht thought |
| *The verb denken is a "mixed" verb, combining elements of strong and weak verbs. For more see our Mixed Verbs page. | ||
| dreschen thresh | drosch threshed | gedroschen threshed |
| dringen force | drang forced | gedrungen forced |
| dürfen may | durfte was allowed | gedurft* been allowed |
| *Used with an infinitive, as for all modals, the past participle is the infinitive dürfen: "Wir haben nicht gehen dürfen." | ||
| E E E | ||
| empfangen receive | empfing received | empfangen received |
| empfehlen recommend | empfahl recommended | empfohlen recommended |
| erfinden invent | erfand invented | erfunden invented |
| erlöschen extinguish | erlosch extinguished | erloschen extinguished |
| erschallen echo, sound | erscholl sounded | erschollen sounded |
| erschrecken* scare | erschrak scared | erschrocken scared |
| *This verb has both strong (passive) and weak (active) forms: "Ich habe ihn erschreckt." (I scared him.) and "Ich erschrak bei der Explosion." (I was startled/scared by the explosion.) | ||
| essen eat | aß ate | gegessen eaten |
| F F F | ||
| fahren travel | fuhr traveled | ist gefahren traveled |
| fallen fall | fiel fell | ist gefallen fallen |
| fangen catch | fing caught | gefangen caught |
| fechten fence | focht fenced | gefochten fenced |
| finden find | fand found | gefunden found |
| fliegen fly | flog flew | ist geflogen flown |
| fliehen flee | floh fled | ist geflohen fled |
| fließen flow | floss flowed | ist geflossen flowed |
| fressen gorge | fraß gorged | gefressen gorged |
| frieren freeze | fror froze | gefroren* frozen |
| *The verb frieren takes the helping verb haben or sein, depending on its meaning. In most cases ("to be cold") it is "hat gefroren," but in the meaning of "to freeze, turn into ice," it is "Der Boden / Das Wasser ist steif gefroren." (The ground / water has frozen solid.) | ||
| frohlocken rejoice | frohlockte rejoiced | frohlockt rejoiced |
NEXT > G-M
MORE > A-F | G-M | N-Schw | Se-Z | Examples
MORE > Verb-Lexikon - All verbs (index)
|
Ablaut Classes - Alphabetical List German Strong-Verb Vowel Patterns |
|
| a - ie - a (Class 7) | ei - i - i (Class 1a) |
| a - u - a (Class 6) | ei - ie - ie (Class 1b) |
| e - a - e (Class 5) | i - a - o/u (Class 3a) |
| e - a - o (Class 3b/4) | ie - o - o (Class 2) |
| e - o - o (Class 3b/4) | [x] - ie - [x] (Class 7) |
|
Mixed Verbs combine weak and strong elements |
|
| Ablaut Classes 1-7 | |
German Verbs - Contents
Our contents page for everything related to German verbs.
Verb Examples
Example sentences in various tenses.
Ablaut Categories
The seven classes of vowel patterns for strong verbs in German.
Regular Verbs - Present Tense
German regular verbs in the present tense - with example sentences.
Regular Verbs - Past Tenses
German regular verbs in the simple past and present perfect tense - with example sentences.
The 20 Most-Used German Verbs
Ranked by frequency of use. With conjugations and examples.
German Top 1000
The most frequently used German words in reading, ranked by frequency.
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