Grammar (Foundation): Verbs — AQA GCSE German

Verbs are the engine of any German sentence. In the AQA GCSE Foundation tier, you need to master the present tense of regular (weak) verbs, key irregular (strong) verbs like 'sein', 'haben' and 'werden', and the separable prefix verbs that are so common in German. Understanding how to conjugate verbs correctly – matching the verb ending to the subject (ich, du, er/sie/es, wir, ihr, sie/Sie) – is essential for building simple sentences about yourself, your daily routine, school, and hobbies.

This topic matters because without accurate verb forms, your meaning can be lost or misunderstood. For example, 'ich spiele' (I play) versus 'er spielt' (he plays) changes who is doing the action. Verbs also form the backbone of tenses: once you know the present tense, you can later build the perfect tense (using 'haben' or 'sein' + past participle) and the future tense (using 'werden' + infinitive). Mastering verbs now will make more complex grammar much easier at Higher tier.

In the wider GCSE course, verbs appear in every topic – from family and friends to free time, home and town, and school. You will use them to describe what you do, what you like, and what you are going to do. The Foundation tier exam expects you to recognise and use a range of common verbs accurately in the present tense, and to form simple sentences with correct word order (verb second in main clauses).

• →Conjugation of regular verbs: remove the -en ending and add the correct personal ending (e.g., spielen -> ich spiele, du spielst, er/sie/es spielt, wir spielen, ihr spielt, sie/Sie spielen).
• →Key irregular verbs: sein (bin, bist, ist, sind, seid, sind), haben (habe, hast, hat, haben, habt, haben), and werden (werde, wirst, wird, werden, werdet, werden). These are used as auxiliary verbs and in common expressions.
• →Separable prefix verbs: the prefix goes to the end of the main clause (e.g., aufstehen -> ich stehe um 7 Uhr auf). Common prefixes include auf-, an-, aus-, ein-, mit-, nach-, vor-, zu-.
• →Modal verbs: können, müssen, dürfen, sollen, wollen, mögen. They are conjugated irregularly and are followed by an infinitive at the end of the sentence (e.g., ich kann gut schwimmen).
• →Word order: in a main clause, the conjugated verb is always the second idea (not necessarily the second word). For example: 'Heute spiele ich Fußball.' (Today I play football.)

• Correct conjugation of regular and irregular verbs
• Accurate use of reflexive verbs
• Appropriate use of modes of address (du, Sie)
• Correct handling of separable and inseparable verbs
• Accurate use of modal verbs in present and imperfect tenses
• Correct formation of negative and interrogative sentences
• Accurate use of present, perfect, and future tenses
• Correct use of imperative forms

• 💡Ensure you can identify the infinitive and the stem of verbs
• 💡Practice the position of the prefix in separable verbs in main clauses
• 💡Memorize the irregular forms of common verbs in the perfect tense
• 💡Check your verb endings carefully to ensure they match the subject
• 💡Use the 'um...zu' construction to add complexity to your writing
• 💡Tip 1: Always check the subject of the verb before writing the ending. In the exam, underline the subject (ich, du, etc.) to avoid careless errors. A common mistake is mixing up 'du' and 'er/sie/es' endings.
• 💡Tip 2: For separable prefix verbs, remember that in a main clause the prefix is not attached to the verb. Write the conjugated verb in second position and the prefix at the end. For example: 'Ich rufe meine Freunde an.'
• 💡Tip 3: Learn the irregular forms of 'sein', 'haben', and 'werden' as a priority – they appear in almost every question. Use mnemonics: 'bin, bist, ist, sind, seid, sind' – think 'B-B-I-S-S-S'.

• Incorrect word order with separable verbs
• Confusing the conjugation of irregular verbs
• Misuse of modal verbs in the perfect tense
• Incorrect placement of the negative 'nicht'
• Failure to use the correct mode of address (du vs Sie)
• Mistake: Forgetting to change the verb ending for 'er/sie/es' (e.g., saying 'er spiele' instead of 'er spielt'). Correction: The third person singular ending is always -t for regular verbs (except for modals and sein).
• Mistake: Placing the separable prefix at the end of the sentence but forgetting to conjugate the main verb (e.g., 'ich aufstehe' instead of 'ich stehe auf'). Correction: The prefix goes to the end, but the verb stem must be conjugated and placed in second position.
• Mistake: Using 'haben' instead of 'sein' for the perfect tense with verbs of movement or change of state (e.g., 'ich habe gegangen' instead of 'ich bin gegangen'). Correction: Verbs like gehen, kommen, fahren, reisen, bleiben, and sein itself take 'sein' as the auxiliary.