A practical guide to German irregular verbs

The good news? German has fewer irregular verbs than English. With some guidance and a bit of practice, you’ll find these patterns easier to grasp than you might think.

• How irregular verbs behave in German grammar
• The 5 main patterns of German strong verbs
• Present-tense conjugation table for common irregular verbs
• Tips to learn German irregular verbs faster
• German irregular verbs for English speakers: What’s easier (and harder)?
• FAQ

How irregular verbs behave in German grammar

Many irregular verbs still stick to the general structure of verb stem + conjugated ending, though they may differ from regular verbs in how the stem changes. This irregularity typically pops up in the du and er/sie/es forms, where the stem undergoes a vowel shift known as Ablaut. For example:

• nehmen (to take) → du nimmst, er/sie/es nimmt
• sehen (to see) → du siehst, er/sie/es sieht

Some verbs go beyond the Ablaut and show irregularities not only in the stem, but also in their endings. Such verbs are considered truly irregular and they include essential ones such as:

• haben (to have) → ich habe, du hast, er/sie/es hat
• sein (to be) → ich bin, du bist, er/sie/es ist
• werden (to become) → ich werde, du wirst, er/sie/es wird

Frustrated yet? It’s worth noting that the irregularities in German verbs aren’t simply random. They have historical roots that go back to earlier stages in the development of Germanic languages. The vowel changes we see (and struggle with) today are the result of systematic sound shifts that occurred centuries ago. Knowing this background isn’t strictly necessary, but it can help you see irregular verbs as part of a deeper structure rather than as agents of chaos.

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The 5 main patterns of German strong verbs

As you’ve probably noticed, most so-called “irregular” verbs are actually strong verbs that follow recognizable patterns. The Ablaut occurs here in a systematic and predictable way — mainly in the second-person singular (du) and third-person singular (er/sie/es) forms of the present tense, as well as in the past tense and participles. While you’ll still need to memorize these verbs individually, understanding how and where these irregularities occur will help you recognize patterns and conjugate verbs in German more easily.

All in all, there are five main patterns of German strong verbs, each defined by a specific sequence of vowel changes across tenses. 

Ablaut pattern: e → i

In these verbs, the stem changes from e to i in the second- and third-person singular:

• geben (to give) → du gibst, er/sie/es gibt
• essen (to eat) → du isst, er/sie/es isst
• vergessen (to forget) → du vergisst, er/sie/es vergisst

Ablaut pattern: e → ie

The stem vowel e of these verbs becomes ie in singular forms:

• lesen (to read) → du liest, er/sie/es liest
• sehen (to see) → du siehst, er/sie/es sieht
• empfehlen (to recommend) → du empfiehlst, er/sie/es empfiehlt

Ablaut pattern: a → ä

Here, a takes an umlaut and becomes ä:

• fahren (to drive) → du fährst, er/sie/es fährt
• schlafen (to sleep) → du schläfst, er/sie/es schläft
• tragen (to carry, to wear) → du trägst, er/sie/es trägt

Past-tense Ablaut pattern: i → a (or i → a → u)

These changes occur primarily in the simple past and past participle:

• sitzen (to sit) → ich saß, du saßt, er/sie/es saß
• liegen (to lie) → ich lag, du lagst, er/sie/es lag
• finden (to find) → ich fand, du fandest, er/sie/es fand

Some of the verbs in this group follow a full three-step pattern, e.g., beginnen (to begin) → begann → begonnen.

Irregular / mixed verbs (unpredictable forms)

These verbs don’t fit neatly into any Ablaut pattern and must be memorized:

• bringen (to bring) → ich bringe, du bringst, er/sie/es bringt
• wissen (to know) → ich weiß, du weißt, er/sie/es weiß
• tun (to do) → ich tue, du tust, er/sie/es tut
• senden (to send) → ich sende, du sendest, er/sie/es sendet

Present-tense conjugation table for common irregular verbs

The following table contains a list of German irregular verbs conjugated in the present tense, with the Ablaut in bold if present. These verbs are incredibly important to know, since you’ll encounter them often in daily interactions.

Verb	ich	du	er/sie/es	wir	ihr	sie/Sie
beginnen (to begin)	beginne	beginnst	beginnt	beginnen	beginnt	beginnen
bitten (to ask)	bitte	bittest	bittet	bitten	bittet	bitten
empfehlen (to recommend)	empfehle	empfiehlst	empfiehlt	empfehlen	empfehlt	empfehlen
essen (to eat)	esse	isst	isst	essen	esst	essen
fahren (to drive)	fahre	fährst	fährt	fahren	fahrt	fahren
finden (to find)	finde	findest	findet	finden	findet	finden
geben (to give)	gebe	gibst	gibt	geben	gebt	geben
gehen (to go)	gehe	gehst	geht	gehen	geht	gehen
haben (to have)	habe	hast	hat	haben	habt	haben
halten (to hold)	halte	hältst	hält	halten	haltet	halten
kennen (to know, e.g., a person)	kenne	kennst	kennt	kennen	kennt	kennen
laufen (to run)	laufe	läufst	läuft	laufen	lauft	laufen
lesen (to read)	lese	liest	liest	lesen	lest	lesen
nehmen (to take)	nehme	nimmst	nimmt	nehmen	nehmt	nehmen
raten (to guess)	rate	rätst	rät	raten	ratet	raten
rufen (to call)	rufe	rufst	ruft	rufen	ruft	rufen
sehen (to see)	sehe	siehst	sieht	sehen	seht	sehen
sein (to be)	bin	bist	ist	sind	seid	sind
trinken (to drink)	trinke	trinkst	trinkt	trinken	trinkt	trinken
tun (to do)	tue	tust	tut	tun	tut	tun
vergessen (to forget)	vergesse	vergisst	vergisst	vergessen	vergesst	vergessen
verlassen (to leave)	verlasse	verlässt	verlässt	verlassen	verlasst	verlassen
wachsen (to grow)	wachse	wächst	wächst	wachsen	wachst	wachsen
werden (to become)	werde	wirst	wird	werden	werdet	werden
ziehen (to pull, to move)	ziehe	ziehst	zieht	ziehen	zieht	ziehen
zwingen (to force)	zwinge	zwingst	zwingt	zwingen	zwingt	zwingen

Tips to learn German irregular verbs faster

Learning German irregular verbs can be easier than expected if you know the right strategies.

We’ve already covered the first and most important one: recognizing common stems and endings. Most irregular verbs use the standard endings in the present tense. But a small group of highly irregular verbs — like sein, haben and werden — have different or shortened endings that you’ll need to memorize separately. Once you’ve set those aside, you can focus on the stems of the remaining strong verbs and start learning the five main Ablaut patterns.

Another helpful tip concerns so-called “mixed” verbs. These verbs can be tricky because they look like regular verbs in the present tense, but their stems are irregular in the simple past and past participle. It’s best to learn them as a group, focusing on their past forms and using tools like flashcards or tables, such as the one below:

Verb	Simple past	Participle
denken (to think)	dachte	gedacht
bringen (to bring)	brachte	gebracht
kennen (to know, e.g., a person)	kannte	gekannt
nennen (to name, to call)	nannte	genannt
rennen (to run)	rannte	gerannt

Regardless of which kind of irregular verb you’re dealing with, a fun and effective way to learn them is by listening to and singing along with songs, such as those by Lern DEUTSCH durch SONGS. Apps and online tools such as the German Verb Conjugator can also help you practice basic German verbs and conjugation.

Of course, nothing beats practicing with native-level teachers, like those from Lingoda. Already in our German A1 course, you’ll start learning the most common irregular verbs.

German irregular verbs for English speakers: What’s easier (and harder)?

English and German are both Germanic languages, so they share similarities in verbs and verb behavior. If a verb is strong in English, it tends to be strong in German, too. In many cases, even the vowel changes adhere to comparable patterns. For example:

English	German
sing, sang, sung	singen, sang, gesungen
drink, drank, drunk	trinken, trank, getrunken
begin, began, begun	beginnen, begann, begonnen

German actually has fewer irregular verbs than English — around 200, compared to nearly 300 in English. And most German irregular verbs conform to clear, consistent patterns. In contrast, many English irregular verbs have completely unpredictable past forms that you simply have to memorize.

Naturally, German has its challenges, too. Pronunciation and spelling changes can be a bit confusing at first, especially when strong verbs change their vowel in the present tense (e.g., fahren → fährst). Plus, there are more verb forms to learn; German draws a clearer distinction between the simple past (ich ging) and the perfect tense (ich bin gegangen) than English does.

In short, German irregular verbs are far more regular than they seem. With time, practice and a bit of pattern-spotting, they can actually become one of the more manageable parts of your learning journey.

How many irregular verbs are in German?

German has around 200 irregular verbs. That’s fewer than in many other languages, like English (which has nearly 300!).

How do you know if a verb is irregular in German?

Irregular verbs typically do not follow the regular conjugation patterns of weak verbs, which only add simple endings. They often undergo a vowel change in their stem, called Ablaut, in their present and past forms.

Mastering irregular German verbs

German irregular verbs tend to pop up quite often, so you’ll run into them early in your journey to mastering the language. Are you introducing yourself? Then you’re probably already using the irregular verb sein. Telling your doctor you have a fever? That means you’re using haben, another essential irregular verb.

Learning these verbs can seem confusing, but they’re generally easier to handle than their English counterparts. There are fewer of them, and most follow clear and predictable patterns.

If you’re looking for a supportive partner to help you learn German, Lingoda is here for you. With certified native-level teachers and flexible class schedules, our German courses give you ample opportunities to practice irregular verbs in real conversations at your own level and pace.

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