Learn German Verbs: Haben, Sein, Wohnen, and Leben (A1 Grammar)
When you start learning German, you need to know how verbs change. This change is called conjugation. Let’s look at four verbs you will use every day.
1. Das Verb: “sein” (to be)
This is the most important irregular verb in German. You need it to introduce yourself and describe things.
| German | English | Example |
| Ich bin | I am | Ich bin Paul. (I am Paul.) |
| Du bist | You are (informal) | Du bist nett. (You are nice.) |
| Er/Sie/Es ist | He/She/It is | Er ist mein Freund. (He is my friend.) |
| Wir sind | We are | Wir sind hier. (We are here.) |
| Ihr seid | You all are | Ihr seid Studenten. (You all are students.) |
| Sie/sie sind | You (formal) / They are | Sie sind Lehrer. (They are teachers.) |
2. Das Verb: “haben” (to have)
You use this verb to talk about possessions or things that belong to you.
| German | English | Example |
| Ich habe | I have | Ich habe eine Wohnung. (I have an apartment.) |
| Du hast | You have | Du hast ein Auto. (You have a car.) |
| Er/Sie/Es hat | He/She/It has | Sie hat Zeit. (She has time.) |
| Wir haben | We have | Wir haben Glück. (We have luck / We are lucky.) |
| Ihr habt | You all have | Ihr habt ein Haus. (You all have a house.) |
| Sie/sie haben | You (formal) / They have | Sie haben Fragen. (They have questions.) |
3. Das Verb: “wohnen” (to live / to reside)
Use “wohnen” when you talk about your address, your city, or your apartment.
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Ich wohne (I live) $\rightarrow$ Ich wohne in Berlin. (I live in Berlin.)
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Du wohnst (You live)
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Er/Sie/Es wohnt (He/She/It lives)
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Wir wohnen (We live)
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Ihr wohnt (You all live)
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Sie/sie wohnen (You formal / They live)
4. Das Verb: “leben” (to live / to be alive)
“Leben” is similar to “wohnen,” but it is more general. Use it for a country or your life situation.
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Ich lebe (I live)
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Du lebst (You live)
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Er/Sie/Es lebt (He/She/It lives)
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Wir leben (We live) $\rightarrow$ Wir leben in Deutschland. (We live in Germany.)
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Ihr lebt (You all live)
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Sie/sie leben (You formal / They live)
Summary Checklist for Beginners
Wohnen vs. Leben: Remember, use wohnen for a specific place (like a street or city) and leben for a broader context (like a country or a lifetime)!