German Mischverben: An Easy Guide to Mixed Verbs

Mar 11

Struggling with German verbs? You’re not alone! While strong and weak verbs are widely known, there’s a special category called Mischverben (mixed verbs)—a fascinating blend of both. These verbs change their stem like strong verbs but take weak verb endings in the past tense. Mastering them will help you sound more natural in German conversations!

In this guide, we’ll break down the most common mixed verbs, their meanings, and how to use them effortlessly.

Recommended study materials on the topic:

Langenscheidt Go Smart - German Verbs
A-Grammar: Practice German grammar German (incl. answers)
German self-study book for A1-B1 (incl. answers)
German Verb Charts: Learning Regular and Irregular Verbs at a glance

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How Do Mischverben Work?

Mischverben are unique because they combine elements of both strong and weak verbs. Their stems change like strong verbs, but their endings follow weak verb patterns in the Präteritum (simple past) and Partizip II (past participle).

Formation of Mischverben

Infinitive Form: The base form of the verb (e.g., "denken," "bringen").
Präteritum (Simple Past): The verb stem changes, similar to strong (irregular) verbs. However, it uses weak (regular) verb endings (-te, -test, -te, -ten, -tet, -ten).
Partizip II (Past Participle): The verb gets the "ge-" prefix and the regular ending "-t" instead of "-en" (as in strong verbs), but the stem is irregular.

Important: There are only a few mixed verbs in German, so you don’t need to memorize too many! However, they are very common in daily speech, so it’s crucial to learn them well.

Let’s explore the most important Mischverben you’ll encounter in everyday German!

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1. Denken (to think)

"Denken" is an important verb that changes from denk- to dach- in the simple past.

Infinitive: denken
Präteritum: dachte
Partizip II: gedacht

Example sentences:
Ich dachte, es wäre einfacher. (I thought it would be easier.)
Hast du darüber nachgedacht? (Have you thought about it?)

2. Bringen (to bring)

"Bringen" follows the mixed verb pattern, changing from bring- to brach- in Präteritum.

Infinitive: bringen
Präteritum: brachte
Partizip II: gebracht

Example sentences:
Sie brachte mir ein Geschenk. (She brought me a gift.)
Er hat seinen Hund zur Party gebracht. (He brought his dog to the party.)

3. Kennen (to know someone/something)

"Kennen" means to be familiar with a person, place, or thing.

Infinitive: kennen
Präteritum: kannte
Partizip II: gekannt

Example sentences:
Ich kannte ihn nicht. (I didn’t know him.)
Hast du Berlin schon gekannt? (Have you known Berlin before?)

4. Nennen (to name, to call)

"Nennen" means to give something or someone a name.

Infinitive: nennen
Präteritum: nannte
Partizip II: genannt

Example sentences:
Sie nannte ihn einen Helden. (She called him a hero.)
Er hat mich immer "Freund" genannt. (He always called me "friend.")

5. Rennen (to run)

"Rennen" means "to run" and follows the mixed verb pattern.

Infinitive: rennen
Präteritum: rannte
Partizip II: gerannt

Example sentences:
Er rannte schnell nach Hause. (He ran quickly home.)
Wir sind um die Wette gerannt. (We ran a race.)

Remember: German Mischverben change their stem like strong verbs but use weak verb endings in the past. They are irregular but common, so mastering them helps you sound more natural in German!

Why Learn Mischverben?

Mixed verbs are very common in everyday German conversations. If you want to sound more fluent and natural, it’s important to recognize and use them correctly.

Quick Tip: Try using these verbs in different tenses when speaking or writing. The more you practice, the more naturally they will come to you!

Summary Table of Mischverben

    
    Mischverben Table
    
                Infinitive
                Präteritum
                Partizip II
                Meaning
            
                denken
                dachte
                gedacht
                to think
            
                bringen
                brachte
                gebracht
                to bring
            
                kennen
                kannte
                gekannt
                to know
            
                nennen
                nannte
                genannt
                to name, to call
            
                rennen
                rannte
                gerannt
                to run

Conclusion

Now you know what Mischverben (mixed verbs) are and how they work! These verbs are special because they combine strong and weak verb characteristics. By practicing them, you will improve your German and speak more fluently.

Bis bald!

Steffie

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