German GCSE
Perfect Tense
What Perfect Tense means in German GCSE, as defined for AQA, Pearson Edexcel.
Definitions of Perfect Tense
Exam boards and our study guides word this term in slightly different ways. Learn the version your board uses.
A past tense formed with an auxiliary verb (haben or sein) and a past participle at the end of the clause.
The conversational past tense in German, formed with an auxiliary verb (haben/sein) and a past participle.
The spoken past tense, formed with 'haben' or 'sein' + a past participle (e.g., Ich habe gespielt).
Topics that use Perfect Tense
- Theme-based vocabulary (Foundation): Current and future study and employment (AQA GCSE)
- Thematic Context: My neighbourhood (Pearson Edexcel GCSE)
- Vocabulary: Irregular inflected verb forms (Foundation and Higher) (Pearson Edexcel GCSE)
Related terms
- Infinitive
- Modal Verb
- Accusative Case
- Adjective Agreement
- Auxiliary Verb
- Auxiliary Verb (Hilfsverb)
- Cognate
- Dative Case
Using Perfect Tense in the exam
Definition questions usually carry one or two marks, and examiners look for the precise wording. Write the definition from memory, check it against the version above, and then use the term in a longer answer on the same topic so it sticks.
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