German Verb Conjugation: When learning German, one of the trickier aspects is getting familiar with verbs that undergo vowel changes, also called Vokalwechsel. Some verbs, like schlafen (to sleep), fallen (to fall), and fahren (to drive/go), change their vowels in the present tense. This shift usually happens in the second person singular (du) and third person singular (er/sie/es) forms, where the vowel a changes to ä.
Don’t worry—it might sound complicated, but with a bit of practice, you’ll get the hang of it! In this post, we’ll cover the rules, offer examples, and provide some tips to help you with these conjugations.
Table of Contents
What Are Verbs with Vowel Changes?
Verbs that involve a vowel shift are known as strong verbs. In our case, we’re talking about verbs where the vowel achanges to ä in the du and er/sie/es forms. Other forms like wir, ihr, and sie/Sie remain the same as the infinitive.
General Rule:
- In the present tense, verbs with a stem vowel a shift to ä in du and er/sie/es forms.
Here’s a basic outline:
| Pronoun | Example with “fahren” |
|---|---|
| ich | fahre |
| du | fährst |
| er/sie/es | fährt |
| wir | fahren |
| ihr | fahrt |
| sie/Sie | fahren |
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10 Common Verbs with the a → ä Vowel Change
Chart of Verbs with a → ä Vowel Change
| Verb (Infinitive) | English Meaning | du (Present Tense) | er/sie/es (Present Tense) |
|---|---|---|---|
| fahren | to drive/go | fährst | fährt |
| schlafen | to sleep | schläfst | schläft |
| fallen | to fall | fällst | fällt |
| halten | to hold/stop | hältst | hält |
| laden | to load/invite | lädst | lädt |
| lassen | to let/allow | lässt | lässt |
| raten | to guess | rätst | rät |
| fangen | to catch | fängst | fängt |
| braten | to fry/roast | brätst | brät |
| graben | to dig | gräbst | gräbt |
1. Schlafen (to sleep)
- Ich schlafe (I sleep).
- Du schläfst (You sleep).
- Er schläft (He sleeps).
Example sentences:
- Ich schlafe jeden Tag acht Stunden. (I sleep eight hours every day.)
- Schläfst du genug? (Do you sleep enough?)
- Er schläft auf dem Sofa. (He sleeps on the sofa.)
- Wann schläfst du normalerweise ein? (When do you usually fall asleep?)
2. Fahren (to drive/go)
- Ich fahre (I drive).
- Du fährst (You drive).
- Sie fährt (She drives).
Example sentences:
- Er fährt jeden Morgen zur Arbeit. (He drives to work every morning.)
- Fährst du nach Berlin? (Are you driving to Berlin?)
- Wir fahren morgen in den Urlaub. (We’re going on vacation tomorrow.)
- Fährt sie jeden Tag zur Uni? (Does she drive to the university every day?)
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3. Fallen (to fall)
- Ich falle (I fall).
- Du fällst (You fall).
- Er fällt (He falls).
Example sentences:
- Das Glas fällt vom Tisch. (The glass falls off the table.)
- Fällst du oft beim Skifahren? (Do you often fall while skiing?)
- Die Blätter fallen im Herbst von den Bäumen. (The leaves fall from the trees in autumn.)
- Das Glas fällt vom Tisch. (The glass falls off the table.)
4. Halten (to hold/stop)
- Ich halte (I hold).
- Du hältst (You hold).
- Sie hält (She holds).
Example sentences:
- Sie hält die Tür für mich auf. (She holds the door open for me.)
- Hältst du das für möglich? (Do you think that’s possible?)
- Kannst du das Seil halten? (Can you hold the rope?)
- Der Bus hält an der nächsten Haltestelle. (The bus stops at the next station.)
5. Laden (to load/invite)
- Ich lade (I load).
- Du lädst (You load).
- Er lädt (He loads).
Example sentences:
- Er lädt die Kisten ins Auto. (He loads the boxes into the car.)
- Lädst du deine Freunde zur Party ein? (Are you inviting your friends to the party?)
- Er lädt seine Freunde zur Party ein. (He invites his friends to the party.)
- Lädst du das Auto für die Reise? (Are you loading the car for the trip?)
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6. Lassen (to let/allow)
- Ich lasse (I let).
- Du lässt (You let).
- Er lässt (He lets).
Example sentences:
- Lässt du mich das machen? (Are you letting me do that?)
- Er lässt den Hund raus. (He lets the dog out.)
- Sie lässt die Tür offen. (She leaves the door open.)
- Lass mich in Ruhe! (Leave me alone!)
7. Raten (to guess)
- Ich rate (I guess).
- Er rät (He guesses).
- Du rätst (You guess).
Example sentences:
- Er rät die Antwort richtig. (He guesses the answer correctly.)
- Rätst du oft bei Tests? (Do you guess often in tests?)
- Er rät den Preis des Autos. (He guesses the price of the car.)
- Kannst du raten, wie alt ich bin? (Can you guess how old I am?)
8. Fangen (to catch)
- Ich fange (I catch).
- Du fängst (You catch).
- Er fängt (He catches).
Example sentences:
- Der Hund fängt den Ball. (The dog catches the ball.)
- Fängst du den Zug noch? (Are you still catching the train?)
- Ich fange den Ball mit einer Hand. (I catch the ball with one hand.)
- Fängst du den Frisbee? (Are you catching the frisbee?)
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9. Braten (to fry/roast)
- Ich brate (I fry).
- Du brätst (You fry).
- Er brät (He fries).
Example sentences:
- Er brät das Fleisch in der Pfanne. (He fries the meat in the pan.)
- Brätst du oft zu Hause? (Do you fry food often at home?)
- Sie brät die Kartoffeln in Öl. (She fries the potatoes in oil.)
- Brätst du das Hähnchen im Ofen? (Are you roasting the chicken in the oven?)
10. Graben (to dig)
- Ich grabe (I dig).
- Du gräbst (You dig).
- Er gräbt (He digs).
Example sentences:
- Sie gräbt ein Loch im Garten. (She digs a hole in the garden.)
- Gräbst du auch im Garten? (Do you also dig in the garden?)
- Wir graben ein Loch für den Baum. (We are digging a hole for the tree.)
- Gräbst du mit der Schaufel? (Are you digging with the shovel?)
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Present Tense Conjugation of Verbs with a → ä Shift
| Verb | ich | du | er/sie/es | wir | ihr | sie/Sie |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| schlafen | schlafe | schläfst | schläft | schlafen | schlaft | schlafen |
| fahren | fahre | fährst | fährt | fahren | fahrt | fahren |
| fallen | falle | fällst | fällt | fallen | fallt | fallen |
| halten | halte | hältst | hält | halten | haltet | halten |
| laden | lade | lädst | lädt | laden | ladet | laden |
Key Grammar Guidelines for German Vowel Change Verbs
- Where does the vowel change happen?
The a → ä vowel change occurs only in the du and er/sie/es forms. For all other pronouns, the conjugation stays regular. - How do I know which verbs have vowel changes?
Unfortunately, there’s no hard and fast rule to tell which verbs undergo vowel changes—you’ll just have to memorize them! But don’t stress, common verbs like schlafen, fahren, fallen are used often enough that you’ll remember them in no time. - Do vowel changes only happen with “a”?
Nope! Other vowel changes occur too, like e → ie in verbs such as lesen (to read) or sehen (to see), but today we’re focusing on the a → ä shift.
Common Questions About German Verb Conjugation
1. What is the conjugation of “schlafen” in German?
The verb schlafen (to sleep) follows the regular vowel change pattern. In the du and er/sie/es forms, the a changes to ä.
Example:
- Ich schlafe (I sleep),
- Du schläfst (You sleep),
- Er schläft (He sleeps).
2. How do you conjugate “fahren” in German?
The verb fahren (to drive/go) also experiences the a → ä vowel shift in the du and er/sie/es forms.
Example:
- Ich fahre (I drive),
- Du fährst (You drive),
- Sie fährt (She drives).
3. What are some German verb Conjugations with vowel changes?
There are many verbs in German with vowel changes, but common ones that have the a → ä shift include: schlafen, fahren, fallen, halten, and laden.
4. Does the vowel change affect all tenses?
No, the a → ä vowel change happens only in the present tense for the du and er/sie/es forms. In the past tense or other tenses, there’s no vowel shift.
5. Is the vowel change only in strong verbs?
Yes, this specific vowel change typically occurs in strong verbs, which don’t follow the regular conjugation patterns of weak verbs. Strong verbs often have irregularities like this vowel shift.
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Bonus Tips for German Verb Conjugation with Vowel Changes
- Practice makes perfect: The more you use these verbs in real-life conversations or exercises, the easier it will become to remember the conjugation patterns.
- Create flashcards: If you’re having trouble memorizing which verbs change, create a set of flashcards. Write the infinitive on one side and the conjugated forms on the other.
- Use context: When practicing these verbs, try to use them in sentences that relate to your daily life. For example, talk about your sleep schedule using schlafen or your commute using fahren.
- Watch out for irregularities: As you advance in German, you’ll encounter other irregular verbs. Some might have vowel changes, while others will have different rules. Start with the most common verbs, and build your knowledge from there.
Wrapping Up: Master German Verb Conjugation with Vowel Changes
Learning verbs with vowel changes can seem tough at first, but with the right approach, you’ll master them in no time. Focus on common verbs like schlafen, fahren, and fallen, and practice with real-life examples. The more you practice, the more natural these changes will feel.
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