German A2

This deck focuses on the German Perfekt tense, one of the most important past tenses you'll encounter at the A2 level. The cards walk you through forming the Perfekt of common verbs like "machen," "spielen," and "essen," and they include both regular and irregular examples such as "schreiben," "lesen," and "nehmen." You'll also practice translating full sentences from English into German, which helps you see how the tense works in real contexts.

It's a great fit if you have a basic handle on present tense German and want to start talking about past events, whether that's sharing what you did yesterday, what you ate for lunch, or where you went on the weekend. If you've just finished an A2 course or you're working through one, these cards will help you lock down the building blocks of past-tense storytelling.

Because Perfekt involves pairing an auxiliary verb with a past participle, spaced repetition is your best friend here. Mix up your study sessions: review a few regular verbs, then a few irregular ones, and save the full sentence translations for when you want to push yourself. Try saying the full sentence out loud when you flip a card, since speaking and listening reinforce the patterns much faster than silent reading alone.

The Perfekt is a compound past tense in German that is used in everyday conversation to talk about completed actions. Most verbs form the Perfekt with the auxiliary verb haben combined with a past participle. For regular (weak) verbs, the past participle follows a clear pattern: ge- plus the verb stem plus -t. For example, machen becomes gemacht, so you would say Ich habe es gemacht to mean I have done it. Similarly, spielen becomes gespielt, lernen becomes gelernt, arbeiten becomes gearbeitet, kaufen becomes gekauft, and kochen becomes gekocht. A complete sentence might be Sie hat Deutsch gelernt to say She learned German, or Meine Mutter hat Suppe gekocht for My mother cooked soup. This ge- + stem + -t pattern is the foundation of regular Perfekt formation.

Irregular (strong) verbs follow a different pattern. Their past participles often involve a stem vowel change and end in -en rather than -t. The verb essen (to eat) becomes gegessen, as in Ich habe Pizza gegessen (I ate pizza). Trinken becomes getrunken, so Er hat Kaffee getrunken means He drank coffee. Schreiben becomes geschrieben, lesen becomes gelesen, and sehen becomes gesehen. Other common irregular verbs include nehmen, which becomes genommen (Er hat den Bus genommen — He took the bus), finden, which becomes gefunden (Hast du deinen Schlüssel gefunden? — Did you find your key?), and sprechen, which becomes gesprochen (Ich habe mit ihm gesprochen — I spoke with him). Even though the past participles themselves are irregular, the auxiliary verb haben is still used in all of these examples.

To use the Perfekt in a complete sentence, place the auxiliary haben in second position and send the past participle to the end of the clause. For example, Ich habe gestern Klavier gespielt means I played piano yesterday, where spielen becomes gespielt and is placed at the end of the sentence. The Perfekt can describe both recent and distant past events, and it is the most common spoken past tense in modern German, used alongside the simple past Präteritum which appears more often in written narratives.

Although most German verbs use haben to form the Perfekt, a smaller but important group uses the auxiliary sein instead. These are verbs of movement from one place to another, such as gehen (to go), fahren (to drive or travel), laufen (to run or walk), fliegen (to fly), and kommen (to come). Verbs that express a change of state, like werden (to become), sterben (to die), and passieren (to happen), also use sein. A few additional verbs follow this pattern, including bleiben (to stay), which is often surprising to learners because it does not seem to describe movement, and the verb sein itself.

The past participles of sein-verbs typically end in -en and match the motion or change meaning: gehen becomes gegangen, fahren becomes gefahren, laufen becomes gelaufen, fliegen becomes geflogen, and kommen becomes gekommen. The verb bleiben becomes geblieben. Notice that the auxiliary verb in the sentence must agree with the subject. For example, Ich bin nach Hause gegangen means I went home, with the subject ich taking the form bin. Sie ist nach Berlin gefahren means She traveled to Berlin, where sie takes the form ist. Similarly, Er ist schnell gelaufen (He ran fast), Wir sind nach Spanien geflogen (We flew to Spain), and Sie ist spät gekommen (She came late).

A useful way to remember when to use sein is to ask whether the action involves motion from one place to another or a transition between states. If a person or thing physically moves from point A to point B, or if the subject changes its state, sein is the correct auxiliary. Otherwise, haben is the default choice. The example Er ist gestern zu Hause geblieben (He stayed at home yesterday) shows that even staying in one place is treated as a kind of state change, since the subject remained in a particular location rather than moving elsewhere.

Many German verbs combine a base verb with a prefix, and the prefix can be either separable or inseparable. A separable verb (trennbares Verb) splits its prefix from the stem in the present tense, and the prefix moves to the end of the clause. The verb aufstehen (to get up) is a clear example: Ich stehe um 7 Uhr auf means I get up at 7 o'clock, where the conjugated form stehe stands in second position and the prefix auf moves to the end of the sentence.

Common separable prefixes include auf- (as in aufstehen and aufhören), ein- (as in einkaufen and einladen), an- (as in anfangen), mit- (as in mitnehmen), zurück- (as in zurückkommen), aus- (as in ausgehen), and fern- (as in fernsehen). Each behaves the same way in the present tense: the stem is conjugated, and the prefix goes to the end. For example, Ich kaufe im Supermarkt ein means I shop at the supermarket, Der Film fängt um 8 Uhr an means The movie starts at 8, Er hört um 17 Uhr auf means He stops at 5 PM, Nimmst du den Regenschirm mit means Are you taking the umbrella along, Ich komme morgen zurück means I am coming back tomorrow, Wir gehen heute Abend aus means We are going out tonight, Sie lädt ihre Freunde ein means She invites her friends, and Er sieht abends fern means He watches TV in the evening. Some separable verbs also undergo a vowel change in the du and er/sie/es forms, as seen with einladen becoming lädt.

Inseparable verbs (nicht trennbare Verben) keep their prefix attached to the stem in all tenses, and they never add the ge- prefix when forming the Perfekt. The eight inseparable prefixes are be-, emp-, ent-, er-, ge-, miss-, ver-, and zer-. The verb verstehen (to understand) stays together as a single unit, so Ich verstehe nicht means I do not understand. In the Perfekt, bekommen becomes bekommen without any ge-, so Ich habe ein Geschenk bekommen means I received a gift. Similarly, erzählen becomes erzählt (Sie hat eine Geschichte erzählt — She told a story) and vergessen becomes vergessen (Ich habe meinen Schlüssel vergessen — I forgot my key). The rule is simple: if the prefix is one of the inseparable prefixes, do not separate it in any tense and do not add ge- in the Perfekt.

German prepositions are divided into three groups based on which case they require. The first group always takes the Akkusativ, and these prepositions are durch (through), für (for), gegen (against), ohne (without), um (around), bis (until), and entlang (along). For example, you would say Das Geschenk ist für meine Mutter (The gift is for my mother), where für triggers the Akkusativ form meine Mutter. Other examples include Wir gehen durch den Park (We walk through the park), where der Park becomes den Park in the Akkusativ, and Ohne dich kann ich nicht leben (Without you I cannot live).

The second group always takes the Dativ. These prepositions are aus (from or out of), bei (at or near), mit (with), nach (after or to), seit (since or for), von (from or of), zu (to), and gegenüber (across from). Because prepositions and articles frequently contract in spoken German, you will often encounter forms like zum, zur, vom, and beim. The verb fahren uses mit, so Ich fahre mit dem Bus means I ride the bus, where der Bus becomes dem Bus in the Dativ. The preposition aus is used for origin, as in Ich komme aus der Türkei (I come from Turkey), where die Türkei becomes der Türkei. The preposition seit is used for duration, as in Seit einem Jahr lerne ich Deutsch (I have been learning German for a year), where ein Jahr becomes einem Jahr in the Dativ.

The third group, called Wechselpräpositionen (two-way prepositions), can take either the Akkusativ or the Dativ depending on meaning. These are in, an, auf, über, unter, vor, hinter, neben, and zwischen. When the answer to the question Wohin? (where to?) involves motion or direction, use the Akkusativ. When the answer to the question Wo? (where?) describes a static location, use the Dativ. For example, Ich gehe in die Schule means I am going into the school (motion, hence in + Akkusativ), while Ich bin in der Schule means I am in the school (location, hence in + Dativ). Similarly, Die Katze springt auf den Tisch means The cat jumps onto the table (motion, Akkusativ), and Die Katze sitzt auf dem Tisch means The cat is sitting on the table (location, Dativ). The choice of case depends entirely on whether something is moving toward a place or simply being at a place.

To compare two things in German, you form the comparative by adding -er to the adjective. Many one-syllable adjectives with the vowels a, o, or u also take an umlaut in the comparative. For example, groß becomes größer, as in Berlin ist größer als München (Berlin is bigger than Munich). The superlative is formed with am plus the adjective stem plus -sten, so groß becomes am größten, and you can say Berlin ist am größten (Berlin is the biggest). Adjectives ending in -el, -er, or -en often drop the -e- in the comparative, as seen with teuer becoming teurer (not teuerer) and the corresponding superlative am teuersten.

Some adjectives are irregular and follow their own patterns. The word gut (good) has the comparative besser and the superlative am besten. So you might say Das Essen hier ist besser (The food here is better) and Dieses Restaurant ist am besten (This restaurant is the best). The word viel (much or many) is also irregular, with comparative mehr and superlative am meisten. For example, Er arbeitet mehr als ich means He works more than I do, and Sie arbeitet am meisten means She works the most. These irregular forms must simply be memorized because they do not follow the regular -er pattern.

Comparisons are typically constructed with als (than) when comparing two things, as in Der Zug ist schneller als das Auto (The train is faster than the car). To express that something is excessive in a particular quality, you can use zu plus the adjective, as in Das ist mir zu teuer (That is too expensive for me). Comparisons are essential for daily life in German, whether you are comparing cities, food, prices, or the speed of different modes of transport.

German personal pronouns change form depending on the case they appear in. The dative pronouns are mir (to me), dir (to you, informal), ihm (to him), ihr (to her), uns (to us), euch (to you, plural), ihnen (to them), and Ihnen (to you, formal). Verbs that take the Dativ, such as helfen (to help), gefallen (to please), and geben (to give), require these forms. For example, Kannst du mir helfen? means Can you help me? Ich gebe ihm das Buch means I give him the book, where ihm is the indirect object in the Dativ and das Buch is the direct object in the Akkusativ. The verb gefallen takes the Dativ because the person who experiences the pleasing is the receiver: Das Kleid gefällt ihr means The dress pleases her, or in natural English, She likes the dress.

The accusative pronouns are mich (me), dich (you, informal), ihn (him), sie (her), es (it), uns (us), euch (you, plural), sie (them), and Sie (you, formal). Many verbs take the Akkusativ, including sehen (to see), lieben (to love), and kennen (to know). For example, Ich sehe dich morgen means I will see you tomorrow, Ich liebe ihn means I love him, and Kennen Sie uns? means Do you know us? Notice that sie and Sie are identical in form but differ in case: sie in lowercase can mean her or them (accusative), while Sie (capitalized) means you in the formal register.

Conjunctions connect clauses and dictate the word order. Coordinating conjunctions, such as und (and), aber (but), oder (or), and denn (because), keep the normal word order with the verb in second position. The conjunction sondern (but rather) is used specifically after a negation, as in Er trinkt nicht Tee, sondern Kaffee (He does not drink tea, but rather coffee). Subordinating conjunctions, on the other hand, send the conjugated verb to the end of the clause. The most common are dass (that), weil (because), wenn (when or if), and ob (whether or if). For example, Ich weiß, dass er kommt means I know that he is coming, and Ich bleibe, weil es regnet means I am staying because it is raining. With wenn, you can say Wenn ich Zeit habe, gehe ich spazieren (If I have time, I go for a walk). The conjunction ob is used for indirect yes-or-no questions, as in Ich weiß nicht, ob er kommt (I do not know if he is coming). It is important to distinguish weil from denn: both mean because, but weil requires verb-final word order, while denn keeps the normal order, so Ich bleibe, weil es regnet and Ich bleibe, denn es regnet are both correct but follow different word order rules.

The Imperative is used to give commands, instructions, or requests in German. For the formal Sie form, you use the infinitive plus Sie: Kommen Sie bitte! means Please come!, and Sprechen Sie langsamer! means Speak more slowly! For the informal du form, you drop the -st ending from the present tense, leaving just the verb stem. For example, Komm! means Come! and Sprich langsamer! means Speak more slowly! Notice that strong vowel changes in the du form (such as e to i in sprechen → sprich) are kept in the imperative, but umlauts are not. For the plural ihr form, you simply drop the ihr from the conjugated form, so Kommt! means Come! and Sprecht langsamer! means Speak more slowly! Separable verbs also separate in the imperative, with the prefix going to the end, as in Mach das Fenster auf! (Open the window!).

Many useful German vocabulary items relate to the weather. The verb regnen (to rain) is used impersonally: Es regnet means It is raining. Similarly, Es schneit means It is snowing. For descriptions, you can say Heute ist es sonnig (Today is sunny) and Es ist bewölkt und windig (It is cloudy and windy). To ask about the weather, say Wie ist das Wetter heute? (What is the weather like today?). When giving the temperature, remember that numbers above one use the plural form of sein: Es sind 20 Grad (It is 20 degrees). Common nouns include der Regen (the rain), der Schnee (the snow), die Sonne (the sun), and die Wolke (the cloud, plural die Wolken). Germans use Celsius for temperature measurements.

Shopping vocabulary is essential for everyday life. Der Laden means the shop or store (plural die Läden), and die Kasse means the cash register or checkout. To ask the price, you can say Was kostet das? or Wie viel kostet das? Adjectives for cost include billig (cheap) and teuer (expensive), and you can complain Das ist mir zu teuer (That is too expensive for me). Other useful terms are der Einkaufswagen (the shopping cart), die Tüte (the bag), das Angebot (the offer or deal), and bezahlen (to pay, an inseparable verb). At the checkout, you might say Ich möchte bitte bezahlen (I would like to pay, please) or Brauchen Sie eine Tüte? (Do you need a bag?). If you wish to return an item, ask Kann ich das umtauschen? (Can I exchange this?).

German meal traditions follow a distinctive pattern throughout the day. Frühstück (breakfast) is typically eaten between 6 and 9 AM and usually consists of bread (Brot), rolls (Brötchen), jam (Marmelade), cheese (Käse), and cold cuts (Wurst), along with coffee. Mittagessen (lunch) is traditionally the main warm meal of the day and is eaten around 12 to 1 PM, often featuring meat, potatoes or pasta, and vegetables. A beloved German tradition is Kaffee und Kuchen (coffee and cake) around 3 to 4 PM, which is especially common on Sundays and resembles British afternoon tea. In the evening, dinner is called either Abendessen or Abendbrot. Abendbrot literally means evening bread and refers to a traditional cold meal of bread, cheese, and cold cuts, while Abendessen can be either warm or cold. Finishing the workday at 5 PM is called having Feierabend, and you can say Ich habe um 17 Uhr Feierabend (I finish work at 5 PM). Daily routines can be expressed with verbs like aufwachen (to wake up), duschen (to shower), frühstücken (to have breakfast), and the separable verb aufstehen, as in Ich wache um 6 Uhr auf (I wake up at 6 o'clock), Ich dusche morgens (I take a shower in the morning), and Ich frühstücke um 7 Uhr (I have breakfast at 7). To describe going somewhere, you can say Ich fahre zur Arbeit (I drive to work), where zur is the contraction of zu + der, and Ich gehe um 22 Uhr ins Bett (I go to bed at 10 PM), where ins is the contraction of in + das.