Collins Easy Learning German Verbs

HarperCollins Publishers
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Third Edition 2011

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SERIES EDITOR
Rob Scriven

MANAGING EDITOR
Galle Amiot-Cadey

EDITORIAL COORDINATION
Susie Beattie
Susanne Reichert
Rachel Smith

CONTRIBUTORS
Jeremy Butterfield
Horst Kopleck

We would like to give special thanks to Simone Conboy, Foreign Languages Consultant, for all her advice on teaching practice in todays classroom. Her contribution has been invaluable in the writing of this book.

Contents

Introduction

The Easy Learning German Verbs is designed for both young and adult learners. Whether you are starting to learn German for the very first time, brushing up your language skills or revising for exams, the Easy Learning German Verbs and its companion volume, the Easy Learning German Grammar, are here to help.

Newcomers can sometimes struggle with the technical terms they come across when they start to explore the grammar of a new language. The Easy Learning German Verbs contains a glossary which explains verb grammar terms using simple language and cutting out jargon.

The text is divided into sections to help you become confident in using and understanding German verbs. The first section looks at verb formation. Written in clear language, with numerous examples in real German, this section helps you to understand the rules which are used to form verb tenses.

The next section of text looks at certain common prepositions which are used with a number of verbs. Each combination of verb plus preposition is shown with a simple example of real German to show exactly how it is used.

The Verb Tables contain 127 important German verbs (both regular and irregular) which are given in full for various tenses. Examples show how to use these verbs in your own work. If you are unsure how a verb goes in German, you can look up the Verb Index at the back of the book to find either the conjugation of the verb itself, or a cross-reference to a model verb, which will show you the patterns that verb follows.

The Easy Learning German Grammar takes you a step further in your language learning. It supplements the information given in the Easy Learning German Verbs by offering even more guidance on the usage and meaning of verbs, as well as looking at the most important aspects of German grammar. Together, or individually, the Easy Learning titles offer you all the help you need when learning German.

Glossary of Verb Grammar Terms

ACCUSATIVE CASE the form of nouns, adjectives, pronouns and articles used in German to show the direct object of a verb and after certain prepositions. Compare with direct object .

ACTIVE in an active sentence, the subject of the verb is the person or thing that carries out the action described by the verb.

ARTICLE a word like the, a and an, which is used in front of a noun. Compare with definite article and indefinite article .

AUXILIARY VERB a verb such as be, have and do when used with a main verb to form some tenses and questions.

BASE FORM the form of the verb without any endings added to it, for example, walk, have, be, go. Compare with infinitive .

CASE the grammatical function of a noun in a sentence.

CLAUSE a group of words containing a verb.

CONDITIONAL a verb form used to talk about things that would happen or would be true under certain conditions, for example, I would help you if I could. It is also used to say what you would like or need, for example, Could you give me the bill?

CONJUGATE (to) to give a verb different endings according to whether you are referring to I, you, they and so on, and according to whether you are referring to past, present or future, for example, I have, she had, they will have.

CONJUGATION a group of verbs which have the same endings as each other or change according to the same pattern.

CONSONANT a letter of the alphabet which is not a vowel, for example, b, f, m, s, v etc. Compare with vowel .

DATIVE CASE the form of nouns, adjectives, pronouns and articles used in German to show the indirect object of a verb and after certain verbs and prepositions.

DEFINITE ARTICLE the word the. Compare with indefinite article .

DIRECT OBJECT a noun referring to the person or thing affected by the action described by a verb, for example, She wrote her name .; I shut the window . Compare with indirect object .

DIRECT OBJECT PRONOUN a word such as me, him, us and them which is used instead of a noun to stand in for the person or thing most directly affected by the action described by the verb. Compare with indirect object pronoun .

ENDING a form added to a verb stem, for example, gehgeht , and to adjectives and nouns depending on whether they refer to masculine, feminine, neuter, singular or plural things.

FUTURE a verb tense used to talk about something that will happen or will be true.

GENITIVE CASE the form of nouns, adjectives, pronouns and articles used in German to show that something belongs to someone and after certain prepositions.

IMPERATIVE the form of a verb used when giving orders and instructions, for example, Shut the door!; Sit down!; Dont go!