German Strong Verbs (Se-Z)
Irregular German Verbs
How to Conjugate German Irregular (Strong) Verbs
In the following charts we have listed all the basic 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
| Starke Verben - Strong Verbs - Se-Z | ||
| INFINITIV | PRÄTERITUM (Preterite) |
PERFEKT (Past Participle) |
| Se | ||
|---|---|---|
| sehen see | sah saw | gesehen seen |
| sein be | war was | ist gewesen been |
| For the conjugation of sein in the present tense, see Lesson 4 of German for Beginners. | ||
| senden* send, transmit | sandte sent | gesandt sent |
| *In the sense of "transmit" or "broadcast" only the weak forms sendete and hat gesendet are used. The weak forms may also be used in the sense of "send." | ||
| sieden boil | sott/siedete boiled | gesotten boiled |
| singen sing | sang sang | gesungen sung |
| sinken sink | sank sank | ist gesunken sunk |
| sitzen* sit | saß sat | gesessen sat |
| *Do not confuse sitzen (sit, strong) and (sich) setzen (set, weak)! | ||
| sollen should, ought to | sollte should | gesollt* should |
| *With an infinitive, the past participle is sollen: "Ich habe nicht gehen sollen." | ||
| spalten split | spaltete split | gespalten/gespaltet split |
| speien spew | spie spewed | gespien spewed |
| spinnen spin | spann spun | gesponnen spun |
| sprechen speak | sprach spoke | gesprochen spoken |
| sprießen sprout | spross sprouted | gesprossen sprouted |
| springen jump | sprang jumped | ist gesprungen jumped |
| stechen stab, sting | stach stung | gestochen stung |
| stehen stand | stand stood | gestanden* stood |
| *In some southern German and Austrian dialects, stehen takes sein as a helping verb: "Er ist im Eingang gestanden." | ||
| stehlen steal | stahl stole | gestohlen stolen |
| steigen climb | stieg climbed | ist gestiegen climbed |
| sterben die | starb died | ist gestorben died |
| stieben fly about | stob flew about | ist gestoben flown about |
| stinken stink | stank stank | gestunken stunk |
| stoßen push, bump | stieß pushed | gestoßen pushed |
| streichen strike, paint | strich struck | gestrichen struck |
| streiten argue | stritt argued | gestritten argued |
| See the ablaut groups for learning the various patterns (a-u-a, e-a-o, etc.) of German strong verbs. | ||
| T | ||
| tragen carry, wear | trug wore | getragen worn |
| treffen meet | traf met | getroffen met |
| treiben move, drive | trieb drove | getrieben* driven |
| *In the sense of "drift" or "float" treiben takes sein as a helping verb: "Das Eis ist den Fluss entlang getrieben." | ||
| triefen drip | triefte/troff dripped | getrieft dripped |
| trinken drink | trank drank | getrunken drunk |
| trügen be deceptive | trog was deceptive | getrogen been deceptive |
| tun do | tat did | getan done |
| U | ||
| überwinden overcome | überwand overcame | überwunden overcome |
| V | ||
| verderben spoil | verdarb spoiled | verdorben spoiled |
| verdrießen annoy | verdross annoyed | verdrossen annoyed |
| vergessen forget | vergaß forgot | vergessen forgotten |
| verlieren lose | verlor lost | verloren lost |
| verschleißen wear (out) | verschliss wore (out) | verschlissen worn (out) |
| verzeihen forgive | verzieh forgave | verziehen forgiven |
| W | ||
| wachsen* grow | wuchs grew | ist gewachsen grown |
| *In the sense of "to wax" (skis, etc.), wachsen is weak: (wachste and hat gewachst). | ||
| waschsen wash | wusch washed | gewaschsen washed |
| weben weave | wob/webte wove | gewoben/gewebt woven |
| weichen* yield | wich yielded | ist gewichen yielded |
| *In the sense of "to soften" (up), weichen is weak: (weichte and hat geweicht). | ||
| weisen indicate | wies indicated | gewiesen indicated |
| wenden turn | wandte* turned | gewandt* turned |
| *Also wendete and gewendet (car, hay, etc.). | ||
| werben recruit | warb recruited | geworben recruited |
| werden become | wurde became | ist geworden* become |
| *As a helping verb in the passive voice: worden, as in "Ich bin oft gefragt worden." (I have often been asked.) | ||
| werfen throw | warf threw | geworfen thrown |
| wiegen weigh | wog/wiegte weighed | gewogen/gewiegt weighed |
| winden twist | wand twisted | gewunden twisted |
| wissen* know | wusste knew | gewusst known |
| *The verb wissen is a "mixed" verb, combining elements of strong and weak verbs. For more see our Mixed Verbs page. - For the complete conjugation of wissen in all tenses, see wissen in our conjugation tables. | ||
| wollen want to | wollte wanted to | gewollt* wanted to |
| *With an infinitive, the past participle is wollen: "Ich habe nicht gehen wollen." | ||
| wringen wring | wrang wrung | gewrungen wrung |
| Z | ||
| zeihen accuse | zieh accused | geziehen accused |
| ziehen pull | zog pulled | gezogen pulled |
| zwingen compel | zwang compelled | gezwungen compelled |
NEXT > Verb Examples
STRONG VERBS > A-F | G-M | N-Schw | Se-Z | Examples
Related Pages
German Verbs - Contents
Our contents page for everything related to German verbs.
Verb Examples
Example sentences in various tenses from your Guide.
Mixed Verbs in German
A class of verbs that combine weak and strong elements in their conjugation.
Ablaut Classes
The seven main ablaut classes can help you learn the vowel patterns for strong verbs.
The 20 Most-Used German Verbs
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German for Beginners
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