Top German verbs
Oh joy, Lesson 4 about the top German verbs! Because why bother learning the less commonly used words when you can just focus on the ones that are used in everyday conversations? I mean, who needs variety in their vocabulary, am I right? By learning these top verbs, you'll be able to construct basic sentences and communicate effectively in German. So let's buckle up and dive into the world of the most commonly used German verbs!
And hey, if you happened to miss out on our previous lessons about introduction to German, the German alphabet and pronunciation, and basic word order in sentences, don't worry! You can always come back and catch up on those later. But for now, let's focus on mastering those top 100 German verbs and take one step closer to becoming fluent in the language!
| German verb | English verb | Simple Past |
| anbieten | (to) offer | bot an |
| ändern | (to) change | änderte |
| anfangen | (to) begin | fing an |
| ansehen | (to) look at | sah ah |
| antworten | (to) answer, reply | antwortete |
| arbeiten | (to) work | arbeitete |
| aussehen | (to) look, appear | sah aus |
| bedeuten | (to) mean | bedeutete |
| beginnen | (to) begin, start | begann |
| bekommen | (to) get | bekam |
| bestellen | (to) order | bestellte |
| besuchen | (to) visit | besuchte |
| betreffen | (to) concern, affect | betraf |
| bieten | (to) offer | bot |
| bilden | (to) form, shape | bildete |
| bleiben | (to) stay | blieb |
| brauchen | (to) need | brauchte |
| bringen | (to) bring | brachte |
| danken | (to) thank | dankte |
| denken | (to) think | dachte |
| dürfen | (to) be allowed to | durfte |
| entwickeln | (to) develop | entwickelte |
| ergeben | (to) yield, result in | ergab |
| erinnern | (to) recall, remember | erinnerte |
| erkennen | (to) recognise, detect | erkannte |
| erklären | (to) explain | erklärte |
| erreichen | (to) reach | erreichte |
| erscheinen | (to) appear | erschien |
| erwarten | (to) expect, await | erwartete |
| essen | (to) eat | aß |
| fahren | (to) drive | fuhr |
| finden | (to) find | fand |
| folgen | (to) follow | folgte |
| fragen | (to) ask, question | fragte |
| fühlen | (to) feel | fühlte |
| führen | (to) lead | führte |
| geben | (to) give | gab |
| gehen | (to) go | ging |
| gehören | (to) belong | hörte |
| gewinnen | (to) win | gewann |
| glauben | (to) believe | glaubte |
| haben | (to) have | hatte |
| halten | (to) hold | hielt |
| handeln | (to) act, trade | handelete |
| heißen | (to) be called | hieß |
| helfen | (to) help | half |
| hören | (to) hear, listen | hörte |
| interessieren | (to) interest | interessierte |
| kaufen | (to) buy | kaufte |
| kennen | (to) know | kannte |
| kommen | (to) come | kam |
| können | (to) be able to | konnte |
| lachen | (to) laugh | lachte |
| lassen | (to) let | ließ |
| laufen | (to) run | lief |
| leben | (to) live | lebte |
| legen | (to) lay, put down | legte |
| lernen | (to) learn | lernte |
| lesen | (to) read | las |
| lieben | (to) love | liebte |
| liegen | (to) lie (down) | lag |
| machen | (to) make, do | machte |
| meinen | (to) mean | meinte |
| mögen | (to) live | mochte |
| müssen | (to) have to | musste |
| nehmen | (to) take | nahm |
| nennen | (to) call, name, mention | nannte |
| öffnen | (to) open | öffnete |
| reden | (to) talk | redete |
| reisen | (to) travel | reiste |
| rennen | (to) run | rannte |
| riechen | (to) smell | roch |
| sagen | (to) say | sagte |
| schaffen | (to) create, achieve | schuf |
| scheinen | (to) seem, shine | schien |
| schlafen | (to) sleep | schlief |
| schließen | (to) close | schloss |
| schmecken | (to) taste | schmecke |
| schreiben | (to) write | schrieb |
| sehen | (to) see | sah |
| sein | (to) be | war |
| senden | (to) send | sandtesendete |
| setzen | (to) sit down, put down | setzte |
| singen | (to) sing | sang |
| sitzen | (to) sit | saß |
| sollen | (to) be supposed to, ought | sollte |
| spielen | (to) play | spielte |
| sprechen | (to) speak | sprach |
| stehen | (to) stand | stand |
| stellen | (to) put | stellte |
| studieren | (to) study | studierte |
| suchen | (to) search, look for | suchte |
| teilen | (to) divide, share | teilte |
| tragen | (to) carry, wear | trug |
| treffen | (to) meet, encounter | traf |
| trinken | (to) drink | trank |
| tun | (to) do | tat |
| verbinden | (to) connect | verband |
| verlassen | (to) leave | verließ |
| verlieren | (to) lose | verlor |
| verstehen | (to) understand | verstand |
| versuchen | (to) try, attempt | versuchte |
| verwenden | (to) use | verwandteverwendete |
| warten | (to) wait | wartete |
| werden | (to) become, will | wurde |
| wissen | (to) know | wusste |
| wohnen | (to) live, reside | wohnte |
| wollen | (to) want | wollte |
| zählen | (to) count | zählte |
| zeigen | (to) show, demonstrate | zeigte |
| ziehen | (to) pull | zog |