German grammar: unregelmäßige Verben

What this grammar point covers

Irregular verbs in German are verbs that do not follow the regular pattern when you conjugate them. Their stem or endings can change in unexpected ways.

When to use it

You use irregular verbs in German just like regular verbs, but you need to remember their special forms, especially for 'du' and 'er/sie/es'. Many common verbs are irregular.

Key forms

• sehen – ich sehe, du siehst, er/sie/es sieht
• fahren – ich fahre, du fährst, er/sie/es fährt
• essen – ich esse, du isst, er/sie/es isst

Examples

Tips

• Always check the verb forms for 'du' and 'er/sie/es'—these often change in irregular verbs.
• Learn the most common irregular verbs by heart, as you will use them very often.
• Do not just add -st or -t to the stem; check if the stem itself changes.

Exceptions and edge cases

• Some irregular verbs also change in the past tense, not just the present.
• A few verbs are only irregular in the 'du' and 'er/sie/es' forms.