The verb is one of the most important components for building a sentence. German has many kinds of verbs with different meanings and uses. Today's article classifies these verbs.

Let's get started!!!

A. Classification by meaning

1. Main verbs (Vollverben)

- Most verbs are Vollverben. They have the full function of a verb and carry an independent meaning. 

• Julia lernt ihre Vokabeln. (Julia is learning her vocabulary.)

2. Auxiliary verbs (Hilfsverben): haben, sein, werden

- They are used to form the structure of tenses or to form the passive. They carry no meaning of their own. 

• Perfekt: Sie sind alle nach Hause gegangen. (They all went home.)

• Plusquamperfekt: Er hatte die Wohnung vor zwei Jahren bekommen. (He got the apartment two years ago.)

• Futur I: Wir werden das nächste Sportfest wieder gut vorbereiten. (We will prepare well again for the next sports festival.)

• Vorgangspassiv: Die Hauswand wird gestrichen. (The wall of the house is being painted.)

• Zustandspassiv: Das Fahrrad ist geputzt. (The bicycle is cleaned.)

!!!! Note: The three auxiliary verbs haben, sein, werden can be used as a Vollverb. Examples: 

• Endlich haben wir Ferien. (We finally have vacation.)

• Ich bin in der Schuler. (I am at school.)

• Jan wird im Mai fünfzehn. (Jan will turn fifteen in May.)

3. Modal verbs (Modalverben): können, dürfen, müssen, mögen, wollen, sollen. 

- können – die Möglichkeit / Fähigkeit haben (to have the opportunity/ability): 

• Er kann sehr gut schwimmen. (He can swim very well.)

- dürfen – die Erlaubnis haben (to have permission): 

• Das Kind darf ins Kino gehen. (The child is allowed to go to the cinema.)

- müssen – es besteht die Pflicht / Notwendigkeit (there is a duty / necessity):

• Wir müssen gerade das Wohnzimmer aufräumen. (We have to tidy up the living room right now.)

- sollen – es besteht eine Verpflichtung (there is an obligation): 

• Du sollst sofort kommen. (You should come immediately.)

- mögen – ein Wunsch (a wish)

• Ich möchte morgen ausschlafen.  (I would like to sleep in tomorrow.)

- wollen – eine Absicht / einen Wunsch haben (to have an intention/a wish): 

• Wir wollen gleich anfangen. (We want to start right away.)

4. Verbs that combine only with a noun or an adjective in its basic form (Kopulaverben): sein, bleiben, werden

• Das Bild ist schön. (The picture is beautiful.)

• Sie wird Ärztin. (She is becoming a doctor.)

• Das Wetter bleibt sonnig. (The weather remains sunny.)

B. Classification by formation

- Every verb has three principal forms: the infinitive (Infinitiv), the past form (Präteritum), and the past participle (Partizip II). For example: spielen – spielte – gespielt or beginnen – begann – begonnen. Based on how these forms are built, verbs are divided into: 

1. Weak verbs (die schwachen Verben) or regular verbs (die regelmäßigen Verben) have the same verb stem in all three principal forms: 

2. Irregular verbs (die regelmäßigen Verben) are divided into two types: 

a. Strong verbs (die starken Verben) have a verb stem whose vowel changes in each form. 

b. Mixed verbs (die gemischten Verben) have the characteristics of both weak verbs and strong verbs. 

- In the past tense (Präteritum) and the past participle (Partizip II), mixed verbs behave like weak verbs. 

- However, mixed verbs all change their vowel, which is precisely a characteristic of strong verbs. 

Example: