Are you struggling to differentiate between the German verbs 'werden,' 'wurden,' 'worden,' and 'würden'? You're not alone! This article is designed to unravel the complexities of these verbs, clarify their meanings, and guide you on their proper usage.

Recommended study materials on the topic:

1. Overview – Partizip 2 of all verb forms

2. Overview – Passive tense in German 

3. Mindmemo – poster all German times

4. A-Grammar: Practice German grammar German (incl. answers)

5. B-Grammar: Practice German grammar German (incl. answers)

6. German self-study book for A1-B1  (incl. answers)

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The problem with “werden”, “wurden”, “worden” and “würden”

As an online German teacher, I've taught students from many countries. Most of them find it hard to use these four German verbs correctly.

I think the main problem is the pronunciation of these words. As people who don't speak a language with Umlauten (like ä,ö,ü) find it tough to differentiate the sounds because, for their ears, it's also hard to tell the difference between "a","o" and "u". This is why many mix up "wurden" and "würden."

This confusion makes it even harder for them to feel confident about using "werden" and "worden." Below, I'll explain these verbs more straightforwardly.

The German verb “werden” 

In German, the verb “werden” has four main functions: 

1. “Werden” is a main verb with the meaning “to become”

2. “Würden” is the Konjunktiv 2 version of “werden”

3. “Werden” is an auxiliary verb for forming the future tenses

4. “Werden” is an auxiliary verb for forming the passive voice

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1) “Werden” as a main verb with the meaning “to become”

If you want to say "to become" in German, the right verb is "werden." It's tricky for English speakers because it sounds like the German word "bekommen." However, in German, “werden” means “to become” and “bekommen” means “to get” – so mind the false friends here because otherwise, the conversation might become very funny ;).

“Wurden” is the Präteritum (simple past) of the verb “werden.” This means that we use it when we would like to express that something became something or when we would like to express a passive sentence in the simple past tense in German.

“Geworden” is the Partizip 2 form of “werden” which you will need if you want to use the verb “werden” in Perfekt or “Plusquamperfekt.

“Werden” is an irregular verb in all forms and follows the following conjugation patterns. 

“werden” in Präsens (present tense)

ich werde

du wirst 

er/sie/es wird

wir werden 

ihr werdet

sie werden 

“werden” in Präteritum (simple past)

ich wurde

du wurdest

er/sie/es wurde

wir wurden

ihr wurdet

sie wurden 

“werden” in Partizip 2

er ist geworden

Tip: In German, "werden" translates to "to become" and is an irregular verb that changes its vowel from e to i, forming "wurde" in the simple past (Präteritum) and "geworden" in the past participle (Partizip 2).

2. “Würden” is the Konjunktiv 2 version of “werden”

In German, we use the word “würde” when we would like to say “would”, also called Konjunktiv 2 (subjunctive II ). The subjunctive II is used to express unreal wishes and conditions, as well as politeness, advice, and suggestions.

For example:

Ich würde gerne bezahlen. ➔ I would like to pay.

Er würde nach Italien in den Urlaub fahren, wenn er genug Geld hätte. ➔ He would go on vacation to Italy if he had enough money.

2) “Werden” as an auxiliary verb for the future tenses

In German, there are two ways to talk about the future. "Futur 1" is used to say what will happen, and "Futur 2" is for talking about what will have happened by a specific time. In these cases, you always use "werden" as an auxiliary verb (helping verb). A helping verb is used to create a tense while losing its meaning, similar to how "will" is used in English future tense.

For example:

Meine Eltern werden mit dem Auto nach München fahren. ➔ My parents will drive to Munich.

3) “Werden” as an auxiliary verb for forming the passive voice

To form a passive sentence in German, you must also use "werden" as a helping verb. By doing so, “werden” follows the conjugation patterns mentioned in point 1, but in Perfekt, it becomes “worden,” as you can see in the following examples.

For example: 

Präsens: Die Suppe wird heute gekocht. ➔ The soup is being cooked today.

Präteritum: Die Suppe wurde gestern gekocht. ➔ The soup was cooked yesterday.

Perfekt: Die Suppe ist gestern gekocht worden. ➔ The soup has been cooked yesterday.

Remember: "Werden" can mean "to become" or help make other tenses. "Wurden" is its simple past form, "geworden" is the past participle, and "worden" is used in the Perfect Passive. "Würden" is used for the Subjunctive II (Konjunktiv II).

Conclusion

Once you've read this article, you'll understand that picking the right verb is crucial for the meaning of your sentence. It's important to recognize that their pronunciations are different and that the vowels "e," "u," "o," and the Umlaut "ü" have distinct sounds in German.

Also, take a look at the difference between 'können,' 'könnten,' and 'konnten'.

Bis bald!

Steffie

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