German Verbs
Once you have decided to learn German , you’ll want to tackle learning German verbs. The below are modal verbs (a supplemental verb used to express ability). These are used to describe the relationship to a second verb. In English, modal verbs include: must, would, should, could, can, and may. German has six modal verbs. Learning these verbs can set you up for success with the most basic German sentence structures. The six German modal verbs are:
- mögen = to like
- sollen = should
- können = can
- dürfen = allowed
- wollen = want
- müssen = have to
After you have learned these modal verbs (and how to properly conjugate them in a sentence), you will be able to speak and understand German phrases with confidence.
Learn German Verb Conjugation
Learning how to conjugate common verbs is a crucial step to understand the language. Fortunately for English speakers, conjugating a German verb is not as complicated as many think. The overwhelming majority of German verbs can be conjugated using one of four possible endings. Once you break down the rules, it is quite simple, as it follows patterns similar to English.
You don’t have to tackle everything at once. The easiest approach is to start with regular verbs in the present tense. Then move on to the few irregular verbs in the present tense. Finally, you’ll want to tackle verbs in the past and future tenses.
As a new learner, you will also want to focus on some other basic building blocks. These are essential German words and phrases such as good morning, thank you, my name is, and more. Getting a handle on these basics will put you on the path to having everyday conversations in German.
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