Imperfect tenseIrregular stems and endings

Irregular verbs work in a very similar way to regular verbs.

However, if the verb is irregular, you need to use the irregular verb stem then add slightly different endings.

The irregular imperfect verb stems can be found in a dictionary or on an irregular verb list.

For example, if you check the verb trinken (to drink), you will find that it is an irregular verb and that the irregular imperfect stem is trank. Then you need to add the imperfect endings to the imperfect stem.

If you look at the following table, you can see that the first and third person singular forms - 'I' and 'he/she/it' - don’t need an ending added to the stem at all.

Here are some examples of irregular verbs in the first person singular:

Some common irregular German verbs in the imperfect tense are:

Did you know?

In Germany, many people stock up on bottles of sparkling water by the crate at the Getränkemarkt – the drinks section of a supermarket. However, some people choose the cheaper option of carbonating their own tap water at home.

Apfelsaftschorle is a very popular drink in Germany, made by mixing half a glass of apple juice with half a glass of Sprudelwasser.

Schorle means a 'spritzer', and many people also drink a Weißweinschorle. Waiters may ask if it should be süß oder sauer (sweet or sour). A Weißweinschorle sauer is white wine mixed with sparkling water, but a Weißweinschorle süß is white wine mixed with lemonade.