272. Saying things in the Past Tense

272.  Saying Things in the Past Tense

We often have to express an idea or a opinion or simply tell of an event in the past. In conversation, German mostly uses the Perfect Tense to do this ...

e.g.  Where we would say in English  ... I saw a good film last night .... the structure  in German becomes something like  ..... I have last night a good film seen  ... Please note the word order here!

Clearly we have to be on top of the verb haben  and for verbs involving movement or change of state, you will need to brush up on the verb sein as well. Both these verbs are used with past participles that find themselves at the end of a clause or sentence. Again understanding how past participles are formed and which ones are irregular become an issue. Have a quick look at Blog posts 190 - 196  to refresh your understanding of these important concepts.

Ok, so ...  some examples ...

Ich habe  gestern Abend einen guten Film  gesehen

Wir haben  letzte Woche einen Wagen  gekauft.

Dieter  hat  seine Armbanduhr  gefunden.

Hast du  das Buch  ,Mord in München'  gelesen?

Anja und Monika  haben  sich  neulich  in einem Cafe in der Stadtmitte  getroffen.

Ist Sonia schon nach Frankfurt  gefahren ?

Wir sind oft als Kinder zur Schule gelaufen.

Ich bin letztes Jahr rund um Europa gereist.

Grid Practice

ich                          haben             uns                    seine Mutter           besucht

du                           habe               mir                    das Auto                 getroffen

Erika                      hast                jeden Tag          den Stadtplan          getrunken

Franz                      hat                 oft                     die Schweiz             gegessen

wir                          habt               nie                     nach Europa            gezeigt

meine Familie        sind                letzte Woche     einen Film               gekauft

Thomas u. Alexi    bin                  gestern              eine CD                   gesehen

Sie                          ist                   manchmal         Bier                         gegangen

ihr                          bist                  neulich              im Cafe                   gereist

Der Polizist           seid                  am Montag       zur Uni                    gemietet

Fragen

1   Did you (pl. fam.) travel to Europe on Monday?

2   I sometimes drank beer in the cafe.

3   Erika often visited her mother every day.

4   The policeman showed us the city map.

5   We often walked to uni.

6   Thomas and Alexi saw a film yesterday.

7   Franz bought us the car last week.

8   Did you (sg. pol.) sometimes visit Switzerland?

9   Have you (sg. fam.) bought a CD recently?

10  My family travelled to Europe last year.

271. Using the Future Tense - Quiz

271.  Using the Future Tense - Quiz

Use the grid below to say sentences in the Future Tense or 'become' ....

Tania                                                             uns

Unsere Eltern                                               mich

Michael                                                         eine Konferenz                 besuchen

ihr                                        wird                  einen Bericht                    schreiben

        

sie                                       werdet                bald                                  kommen

die Studenten                      wirst                  nächsten Sommer             machen

der Polizist                          werden              nach Australien                tun

du                                                                  eine lange Reise               essen

wir                                                                 nichts                                schwimmen gehen

die Lehrerinnen                                             sehr alt                              reisen

ich                                                                 jetzt krank

Wie sagt man?

1   We will write soon.

2    The teachers will attend a conference.

3    I am getting sick now.

4    The policeman will write a report soon

5    "You will eat nothing?"

6    My parents are getting very old.

7    Tania will take a long trip soon.

8    Michael will come to Australia next summer.

9    She will visit me.

10  You will go swimming?

270. Using the verb 'werden' incl the Future Tense

270.  Using the verb 'werden' incl the Future Tense

The verb werden is especially useful in conversation because it allows you to express ideas in the Future Tense. Its basic meaning, however,  is to become / get ...

For example ...

Abends werde ich oft müde  - in the evening I often get tired
Mein Vater wird im Mai siebzig Jahre alt - My father is turning (becoming) 70 years old in May.

To make the Future Tense we need to use the Present Tense of werden plus the Infinitive (end of clause!) .....

ich werde,  
du wirst,  
er, sie, es wird,             +            singen, lachen, bringen  etc.
wir werden,  
ihr werdet,  
Sie / sie werden

For example ...

Wir werden nächstes Jahr nach Europa reisen ... we will / shall travel to Europe next year.
Wirst du bald eine Wohnung kaufen?  ...  will you buy an apartment soon?
Anja und Alex werden im Mai ihre Eltern besuchen... Anja & Alex will visit their parents in May.

269 Answers to Blog post 267

269  Answers to Blog post 268

1    I am often hungry.

2    Does Sascha have a date today?

3    Alex and Anja always have a German class on Monday.

4    The policeman is rarely scared.

5    Our parents have an appointment next week.

6    My uncle has a drink now.

7    Do you (plural informal) have an exam tomorrow?

8    We have a menu now.

9    My teacher is always thirsty.

10   Doesn't she have any money today?'

Answers ....

1     Ich habe oft Hunger.

2     Hat Sascha heute ein Date?

3     Alex und Anja haben immer am Montag eine Deutschklasse.

4     Der Polizist hat selten Angst.

5     Unsere Eltern haben nächste Woche einen Termin.

6     Mein Onkel hat jetzt ein Getränk.

7     Habt ihr morgen eine Prüfung?

8    Wir haben jetzt eine Speisekarte / ein Menü?

9    Meine Lehrerin hat immer Durst.

10  Hat sie heute kein Geld?

268 Using the verb 'haben' (to have)

268  Using the verb 'haben' (to have)

The verb 'haben' is probably the 2nd most used verb in the language. There are many expressions that use this verb and below you will find the verb in its Present Tense forms. If you would like to revise it further you can find it in Blog Post 95.

S      1   ich                habe
I       2   du                 hast
N      3  er, sie, es       hat

P      wir                     haben
L      ihr                      habt
U      Sie                     haben
R      sie                      haben

Using the grid below, see if you can say the following sentences that follow ..

ich                              hast                   morgen                 Angst
sie                              haben                oft                         Hunger
mein Onkel                hat                    immer                    Durst
Meine Lehrerin          habt                  nie                         viele Freunde
Sascha                        habe                 selten                     eine Deutschklasse
Unsere Eltern             haben               nächstes Jahr         eine Prüfung
Alex und Anja            hast                  am Montag            einen Termin
Der Polizist                 haben               nächste Woche      ein Date
wir                               hat                   im Januar               kein Geld
du                                habt                 heute                      eine Speisekarte
ihr                                habe                jetzt                       ein Getränk

Now try saying these sentences using the grid ....

1    I am often hungry.
2    Does Sascha have a date today?
3    Alex and Anja always have a German class on Monday.
4    The policeman is rarely scared.
5    Our parents have an appointment next week.
6    My uncle has a drink now.
7    Do you (plural informal) have an exam tomorrow?
8    We have a menu now.
9    My teacher is always thirsty.
10   Doesn't she have any money today?

267 Answers to Blog Post 266 (Verb 'sein')

267  Answers to Blog Post 266 (Verb 'sein')

1    She is never noisy.

2    I am quite excited now.

3    Are you (polite) rarely sick?

4   My boyfriend is always very polite.

5   Mrs Thoma is sometimes very humorous.

6   My friends and I are now and then quite friendly.

7   Is Karla often nervous?

8   Are you (plural informal) already calm?

9   Erich is healthy today

10 Are you (sing. pol) happy now?

Answers to above ....

1   Sie ist nie laut.

2   Ich bin jetzt ganz aufgeregt.

3   Sind Sie selten höflich?

4   Mein Freund ist immer sehr höflich.

5   Frau Thoma ist manchmal sehr humorvoll.

6   Meine Freunde und ich sind ab und zu ganz freundlich.

7   Ist Karla oft nervös?

8   Seid ihr schon ruhig?

9   Erich ist heute gesund.

10 Sind Sie jetzt glücklich?

266 Using the verb 'sein' (to be)

USING THE VERB 'SEIN' (TO BE)

The verb sein (to be) is the most common verb used in German. This is the case with all languages and learning the variations of this verb is very useful to the student.

I have set out below how the verb works in the Present Tense - For revision with this verb you can go back to Blog Post 95.

S         1  ich            bin
I          2  du             bist
N        3  er, sie, es   ist

P         1  wir            sind
L         2  ihr             seid
U        2  Sie             sind
R        3  sie              sind

Try the following sentences below using the conversation grid below ..

ich                                        bin              oft                    froh
du                                         sind            hier                   traurig
er                                          seid            nie                    nervös
sie                                         ist               manchmal        laut
es                                          bist             heute                ruhig
wir                                        sind            ab und zu         aufgeregt
ihr                                         bin             selten                glücklich
Sie                                        sind            im Moment      krank
sie                                         seid            an der Uni        gesund
mein Freund                         bist            jetzt                   intelligent
Karla                                     ist              schon                sehr höflich
Meine Freunde und ich        seid            immer               ganz freundlich
Frau Thoma                          sind           zu Hause           humorvoll

1    She is never noisy.
2    I am quite excited now.
3    Are you (polite) rarely sick?
4   My boyfriend is always very polite.
5   Mrs Thoma is sometimes very humorous.
6   My friends and I are now and then quite friendly.
7   Is Karla often nervous?
8   Are you (plural informal) already calm?
9   Erich is healthy today
10 Are you (sing. pol) happy now?

265 Basic Conversation Answers (Post 264)

265 Basic Conversation Answers to Blog Post 264


1   Where are you staying here at the uni? Wo wohnst du hier an der Uni?

2   Are you a student in Ulm? Bist du Student(in) in Ulm? 

3   I am 19 years old. Ich bin neunzehn Jahre alt 

4   We are studying biology here in Frankfurt. Wir studieren Biologie hier in Frankfurt. 

5   Where do you (pol.) live? Wo wohnen Sie? 

6   Hello, do you (plur. fam.) live here at the uni? Guten Tag, wohnt ihr hier auf der Uni? 

7   What is your (fam. sg.) address? Wie ist deine Adresse? 

8   Thomas is a Biology student in Freiburg. Thomas ist Biologiestudent in Freiburg. 

9   My girlfriend lives in student accommodation. Meine Freundin wohnt in einem Studentenwohnheim.

Where are you now? Wo bist du jetzt?