German irregular verbs: list of 100 strong verbs
The 100 most useful German irregular verbs (strong, mixed and modal) with the er/sie/es present, the Präteritum, the Perfekt with haben or sein, and their English meaning. Look them up here, download the list as a free PDF with no sign-up, and practise them with the exercise.
Download the free PDF (100 verbs)Practise German irregular verbs
Review them with flashcards, 10 at a time, or test yourself by typing the Präteritum (er/sie/es) and the Perfekt with its auxiliary, for example “ist gegangen”. Where two forms are correct, either one counts, and you can type “ss” instead of “ß”.
To practise 150 verbs by level (A1–B2) as flashcards with audio and in the exercise, subscribe to a plan with German. Already subscribed? Sign in.
The 50 most common German irregular verbs
Start with these: they appear in almost every text from A1 onwards. Watch the Perfekt auxiliary: verbs of movement and change of state take sein.
| Infinitive | Present (er/sie/es) | Präteritum | Perfekt | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| sein | ist | war | ist gewesen | to be |
| haben | hat | hatte | hat gehabt | to have |
| werden | wird | wurde | ist geworden | to become |
| können | kann | konnte | hat gekonnt | can, to be able to |
| müssen | muss | musste | hat gemusst | must, to have to |
| wollen | will | wollte | hat gewollt | to want |
| dürfen | darf | durfte | hat gedurft | may, to be allowed to |
| sollen | soll | sollte | hat gesollt | should, to be supposed to |
| mögen | mag | mochte | hat gemocht | to like |
| wissen | weiß | wusste | hat gewusst | to know (a fact) |
| gehen | geht | ging | ist gegangen | to go, to walk |
| kommen | kommt | kam | ist gekommen | to come |
| sehen | sieht | sah | hat gesehen | to see |
| geben | gibt | gab | hat gegeben | to give |
| nehmen | nimmt | nahm | hat genommen | to take |
| essen | isst | aß | hat gegessen | to eat |
| trinken | trinkt | trank | hat getrunken | to drink |
| fahren | fährt | fuhr | ist gefahren | to go (by vehicle), to drive |
| schlafen | schläft | schlief | hat geschlafen | to sleep |
| lesen | liest | las | hat gelesen | to read |
| sprechen | spricht | sprach | hat gesprochen | to speak |
| finden | findet | fand | hat gefunden | to find |
| bleiben | bleibt | blieb | ist geblieben | to stay |
| schreiben | schreibt | schrieb | hat geschrieben | to write |
| stehen | steht | stand | hat gestanden / ist gestanden | to stand |
| liegen | liegt | lag | hat gelegen / ist gelegen | to lie, to be located |
| sitzen | sitzt | saß | hat gesessen / ist gesessen | to sit |
| helfen | hilft | half | hat geholfen | to help |
| laufen | läuft | lief | ist gelaufen | to run, to walk |
| tragen | trägt | trug | hat getragen | to carry, to wear |
| treffen | trifft | traf | hat getroffen | to meet |
| vergessen | vergisst | vergaß | hat vergessen | to forget |
| verstehen | versteht | verstand | hat verstanden | to understand |
| beginnen | beginnt | begann | hat begonnen | to begin |
| bringen | bringt | brachte | hat gebracht | to bring |
| denken | denkt | dachte | hat gedacht | to think |
| kennen | kennt | kannte | hat gekannt | to know (be familiar with) |
| rufen | ruft | rief | hat gerufen | to call |
| fallen | fällt | fiel | ist gefallen | to fall |
| halten | hält | hielt | hat gehalten | to hold, to stop |
| lassen | lässt | ließ | hat gelassen | to let, to leave |
| tun | tut | tat | hat getan | to do |
| ziehen | zieht | zog | hat gezogen / ist gezogen | to pull; to move house (with ist) |
| fliegen | fliegt | flog | ist geflogen | to fly |
| gewinnen | gewinnt | gewann | hat gewonnen | to win |
| verlieren | verliert | verlor | hat verloren | to lose |
| bekommen | bekommt | bekam | hat bekommen | to get, to receive |
| anfangen | fängt an | fing an | hat angefangen | to start |
| aufstehen | steht auf | stand auf | ist aufgestanden | to get up |
| einladen | lädt ein | lud ein | hat eingeladen | to invite |
50 more German irregular verbs
| Infinitive | Present (er/sie/es) | Präteritum | Perfekt | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ankommen | kommt an | kam an | ist angekommen | to arrive |
| aussehen | sieht aus | sah aus | hat ausgesehen | to look (appear) |
| befehlen | befiehlt | befahl | hat befohlen | to order, to command |
| beweisen | beweist | bewies | hat bewiesen | to prove |
| bieten | bietet | bot | hat geboten | to offer |
| binden | bindet | band | hat gebunden | to tie, to bind |
| bitten | bittet | bat | hat gebeten | to ask (for), to request |
| brechen | bricht | brach | hat gebrochen | to break |
| brennen | brennt | brannte | hat gebrannt | to burn |
| empfehlen | empfiehlt | empfahl | hat empfohlen | to recommend |
| entscheiden | entscheidet | entschied | hat entschieden | to decide |
| erfahren | erfährt | erfuhr | hat erfahren | to find out, to learn |
| fangen | fängt | fing | hat gefangen | to catch |
| fliehen | flieht | floh | ist geflohen | to flee |
| frieren | friert | fror | hat gefroren | to be cold, to freeze |
| gefallen | gefällt | gefiel | hat gefallen | to please (be liked) |
| gelten | gilt | galt | hat gegolten | to be valid, to count as |
| genießen | genießt | genoss | hat genossen | to enjoy |
| geschehen | geschieht | geschah | ist geschehen | to happen |
| gießen | gießt | goss | hat gegossen | to pour, to water |
| greifen | greift | griff | hat gegriffen | to grab, to reach for |
| hängen | hängt | hing | hat gehangen / ist gehangen | to hang (be hanging) |
| heben | hebt | hob | hat gehoben | to lift |
| heißen | heißt | hieß | hat geheißen | to be called |
| klingen | klingt | klang | hat geklungen | to sound |
| leiden | leidet | litt | hat gelitten | to suffer |
| leihen | leiht | lieh | hat geliehen | to lend, to borrow |
| lügen | lügt | log | hat gelogen | to lie (tell a lie) |
| messen | misst | maß | hat gemessen | to measure |
| nennen | nennt | nannte | hat genannt | to name, to call |
| rennen | rennt | rannte | ist gerannt | to run |
| riechen | riecht | roch | hat gerochen | to smell |
| scheinen | scheint | schien | hat geschienen | to shine; to seem |
| schieben | schiebt | schob | hat geschoben | to push |
| schlagen | schlägt | schlug | hat geschlagen | to hit, to beat |
| schließen | schließt | schloss | hat geschlossen | to close |
| schneiden | schneidet | schnitt | hat geschnitten | to cut |
| schreien | schreit | schrie | hat geschrien | to scream, to shout |
| schweigen | schweigt | schwieg | hat geschwiegen | to be silent |
| schwimmen | schwimmt | schwamm | ist geschwommen / hat geschwommen | to swim |
| singen | singt | sang | hat gesungen | to sing |
| springen | springt | sprang | ist gesprungen | to jump |
| stehlen | stiehlt | stahl | hat gestohlen | to steal |
| steigen | steigt | stieg | ist gestiegen | to climb, to rise |
| sterben | stirbt | starb | ist gestorben | to die |
| vergleichen | vergleicht | verglich | hat verglichen | to compare |
| verbieten | verbietet | verbot | hat verboten | to forbid |
| wachsen | wächst | wuchs | ist gewachsen | to grow |
| waschen | wäscht | wusch | hat gewaschen | to wash |
| werfen | wirft | warf | hat geworfen | to throw |
See them in context
A list helps you review, but verbs stick when you read them in real sentences. The German A2 readings and B1 readings include stories in the past with audio, questions and the meaning of every word at a tap.
Frequently asked questions
When do you use haben and when sein in the Perfekt?
Most verbs take haben. Verbs of movement from one place to another (gehen, fahren, fliegen), verbs of change of state (werden, sterben, aufstehen), and sein and bleiben take sein.
Is it “hat gestanden” or “ist gestanden”?
Both are correct. Northern and central Germany say “hat gestanden”, “hat gesessen” and “hat gelegen”; southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland say “ist gestanden”, “ist gesessen” and “ist gelegen”.
Why learn the Präteritum if people speak in the Perfekt?
In conversation the Perfekt is more common, but written texts such as stories, news and books normally use the Präteritum. With sein, haben and the modal verbs it is also used in speech (war, hatte, konnte).
What are mixed verbs?
Verbs like bringen, denken, kennen and wissen change their vowel like strong verbs but take weak-verb endings (brachte, gebracht).
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