Ich arbeite jetzt.
English: I work now. (present)
- Language
- German
- Level
- A0
- Unit
- Einfache Zeitangaben
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
At A0, tense work in German starts as time awareness: now (Präsens), before now (Präteritum/Perfekt), and after now (Futur).
When to use it
Use this overview to classify sentence meaning by time before deeper grammar study.
Key forms
- Präsens (jetzt / gewöhnlich)
- Präteritum/Perfekt (vorher)
- Futur (später)
- helper cues: habe/hatte/wird, bin/war/wird sein
Examples
Ich arbeitete gestern.
English: I worked yesterday. (past)
Ich werde morgen arbeiten.
English: I will work tomorrow. (future)
Sie ist jetzt zu Hause.
English: She is at home now. (present be)
Tips
- Identify time words first, then choose the verb form.
- Do not memorize every tense rule at A0; build recognition first.
- Use simple timeline thinking: past-left, now-center, future-right.
Exceptions and edge cases
- Some sentences have no explicit time word, so context decides tense.