Präteritum / Imperfect – Examples with Tables & Exercises for the Simple Past Tense in German

The German Präteritum, also known as the German simple past tense or imperfect tense, is used to describe actions that began and ended in the past.

If you prefer to read this article in German, click here: 
Präteritum und Imperfekt – Die Vergangenheitsform im Deutschen.

For the Spanish version, click here: 
Präteritum/Imperfecto – El tiempo pasado en alemán.

What is the Präteritum (Simple Past) in German?

The Präteritum is a past tense form used mainly in written language to describe events and actions in the past.

Unlike the Perfekt (present perfect), which is often used in spoken language, the Präteritum is particularly common in narratives, reports, and fairy tales.

It is the preferred tense for telling stories and recounting past events.

When do we use the Präteritum in German?

We use the Präteritum in German for:

1. Completed actions in the past  

Example:

• Letzten Sommer reiste ich nach Frankreich. (Last summer, I traveled to France)
• Jeden Abend las ich ein Buch. (Every evening, I read a book)

2. Facts or states in the past 

Example:

• Das Wetter war im Urlaub immer sonnig. (The weather was always sunny during the vacation)
• Das Haus hatte einen schönen Garten. (The house had a beautiful garden)

How to Form the Simple Past Tense in German

The formation of the Simple Past in German depends on whether the verb is regular (weak) or irregular (strong).

For regular verbs (also known as weak verbs), the verb stem is combined with the endings -te, -test, -te, -ten, -tet, -ten.

For irregular verbs (also known as strong verbs), the stem vowel often changes and special endings are added.

Weak Verbs in German

Weak verbs, also known as regular verbs, follow a straightforward and consistent pattern in the Präteritum.

The verb stem remains unchanged, making these verbs easier to work with. To form the Präteritum, simply add the appropriate endings: -te, -test, -te, -ten, -tet, -ten.

This pattern applies to all weak verbs, providing a reliable structure for past tense conjugation in German.

I’ve created a table for you so you can easily see how the ending changes for each pronoun.

Table of Weak Verbs Using “wohnen” (to live/reside) as an Example

Strong Verbs in German

Strong Verbs, also known as irregular verbs, often change their stem vowel in the Präteritum and have special endings.

Example:

• sehen becomes “sah”
• gehen becomes “ging”

These verbs usually need to be memorized.

Table of Strong Verbs

Here are the most important strong verbs you should know, listed in a table.

Tip: For strong verbs in the German simple past tense (Präteritum/Imperfect), the forms for the 1st person singular (ich) and the 3rd person singular (er/sie/es) are identical.

Examples of common verbs in the Präteritum

Especially irregular verbs like lesen (to read), schreiben (to write), gehen (to go), lassen (to let/allow), and others often cause difficulties for learners.

In the table below, you’ll find simple example sentences in the Präteritum (simple past) that will help you understand and practice this tense.

Simple Past of “sein” and “haben”

The stong German verbs sein and haben are among the most important verbs in German, as they are used very frequently.

Therefore, you should definitely remember the conjugation of these verbs in the German simple past tense.

Modal Verbs in the Simple Past

Modal verbs like “können,” “müssen,” and “dürfen” have special forms in the simple past tense.

For example,

• “können” becomes “konnte“
• “müssen” becomes “musste,” and
• “dürfen” becomes “durfte.”

These forms are regular and follow a similar pattern to weak verbs.

Difference Between the Perfekt (Present Perfect) and the Präteritum

The Perfekt (present perfect) and the Präteritum (simple past) are both past tenses, but they are used differently.

The Perfekt is mainly used in spoken language, while the Präteritum is commonly used in written language.

Example: “Ich habe gespielt” (Perfekt) vs. “Ich spielte” (Präteritum).

Difference Between Imperfekt and Präteritum

In German, Imperfekt and Präteritum are synonyms and refer to the same tense.

Both terms are used to indicate the simple past tense, which is commonly found in literature and written reports.

Summary

1. The Präteritum, also known as the German simple past tense or Imperfekt (imperfect tense), is primarily used in German for actions and states in the past, especially in written texts such as narratives and reports.
2. Regular verbs form the Präteritum with the endings -te, -test, -te, -ten, -tet, -ten, while irregular verbs (strong verbs) often change their stem vowel.
3. Important to note: For strong verbs, the forms for the 1st and 3rd person singular in the Präteritum are identical.
4. If you find German grammar challenging, I recommend using the learning materials in “LGE Premium”. This way, you will learn to apply grammar instinctively without having to memorize rules.