Learn German Verbs: The Present Tense for Beginners (A1)
In German, verbs change their endings depending on the person speaking (I, you, he, she, it). This is called conjugation. Do not worry—it follows a very simple pattern!
1. Simple A1 German Verbs to Know
Here are four essential verbs you will use every single day:
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brauchen (to need)
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kaufen (to buy)
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essen (to eat)
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mögen (to like)
2. How to Make Sentences (Verb Endings)
To change the verb, you take the “stem” (the main part of the word) and add a little ending at the back.
Look at this simple breakdown table:
| Subject (English) | Subject (German) | Verb Example | Meaning | Ending to Add |
| I | Ich | ich brauche | I need | -e |
| You (informal) | Du | du kaufst | You buy | -st |
| He / She / It | Er / Sie / Es | er/sie/es isst | He/She/It eats | (Irregular) |
| We | Wir | wir mögen | We like | -en |
Grammar Note: Most regular German verbs end in -en when nobody is changing them (like kauf-en or brauch-en). When you say “Ich”, you drop the -n and just say “Ich kaufe”. Easy, right?
Easy Practice Sentences
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Ich brauche einen Kaffee. (I need a coffee.)
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Du kaufst ein Buch. (You buy a book.)
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Er isst eine Pizza. (He eats a pizza.)
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Wir mögen Deutsch! (We like German!)
A1 Vocabulary List
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Das Verb — The verb
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Die Gegenwart — The present tense
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Sprechen — To speak
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Lernen — To learn