Day 32 - the simple past Flashcards

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1
Q

Today’s lesson covers the simple past (Präteritum / Imperfekt). The simple past is used in writing, or when you are telling a long story, and also with certain verbs.

Sein, haben, and modal verbs use the simple past even in speaking.

Like modal verbs, the ich conjugation is the same as the er / sie / es conjugation. For the other pronouns, also add the normal conjugation for the pronoun.

Like English, strong verbs are irregular in the simple past tense, and will have a vowel change. Once you become more familiar with the strong verbs, you should be able to guess what the vowel change will be, because verbs with the same main vowel have similar vowel changes, just like in English.

Study the following conjugations:
sein (to be)
ich war
du warst
er war
sie war
es war
wir waren
ihr wart
sie waren
Sie waren

 haben (to have) 
    ich hatte 
    du hattest 
    er hatte 
    sie hatte 
    es hatte 
    wir hatten 
    ihr hattet 
    sie hatten 
    Sie hatten

 tragen (to carry) 
    ich trug 
    du trugst
    er trug 
    sie trug 
    es trug 
   wir trugen 
    ihr trugt 
    sie trugen 
    Sie trugen
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2
Q

All weak verbs follow the same conjugation. Drop -en and add -te.

 legen (to lay) 
    ich legte           -TE
    du legtest        -TEST
    er legte            -TE
    sie legte           -TE
    es legte            -TE
    wir legten        -TEN
    ihr legtet          -TET
    sie legten.        -TEN
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3
Q

Day 32 Grammar Card 1.

Simple past Used in writing, telling long stories.
Used often with sein, haben, and modal verbs.

Same: ich / er / sie / es conjugation (weak); Drop -en add -te.
du…Drop -en add -test
wir…Drop -en add -ten
ihr…Drop -en add -tet
Sie…Drop -en add -ten
sie…Drop -en add -ten

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4
Q

begreifen…to comprehend, to grasp. BEGRIFF, BEGRIFFEN

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5
Q

biegen…to bend. BOG, GEBOGEN

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6
Q

brechen…to break. BRACH, GEBROCHEN
bricht

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7
Q

frieren…to freeze. FROR, GEFROREN

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8
Q

ein.gießen…to pour. GOSS.EIN, EINGEGOSSEN

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9
Q

leihen…to lend. LIEH, GELIEHEN

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10
Q

zerrißen…to rip. ZERRISS, ZERRISSEN

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11
Q

schreien…to scream. SCHRIE, GESCHRIEN

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12
Q

schweigen…to stay still, to be still. SCHWIEG, GESCHWIEGEN

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13
Q

schlagen…to hit. SCHLUG, GESCHLAGEN

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14
Q
  1. We grasped the concept.
A

begreifen…to comprehend, to grasp. BEGRIFF, BEGRIFFEN

Wir begriffen das Konzept.

begreifen -> begriff -> begriff-en

begriff
begriffst
begriff
begriffen
begrifft
begriffen

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15
Q
  1. They bent the pole.
A

Sie bogen den Mast.

biegen…to bend. BOG, GEBOGEN

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16
Q
  1. You broke my heart.
A

Du brachst mein Herz.

brechen…to break. BRACH, GEBROCHEN
bricht

17
Q
  1. I went outside and froze.
A

frieren…to freeze. FROR, GEFROREN

Ich ging nach draussen und fror.

18
Q
  1. He poured the wine.
A

ein.gießen…to pour. GOSS.EIN, EINGEGOSSEN

Er goss den Wein ein. Wine=masc.

19
Q
  1. She lent him the money.
A

leihen…to lend. LIEH, GELIEHEN

Sie lieh ihm das Geld.

20
Q
  1. He ripped his pants.
A

zerrißen…to rip. ZERRISS, ZERRISSEN

Er zerrisse seine Hose.

21
Q
  1. The baby screamed loudly.
A

schreien…to scream. SCHRIE, GESCHRIEN

Das Baby schrie LAUT.

22
Q
  1. She screamed, and he remained quiet.
A

schweigen…to stay still, to be still. SCHWIEG, GESCHWIEGEN

Sie schrie und er SCHWIEG.

schwieg
schwiegst
schwieg
schwiegen
schwiegt
schwiegen

23
Q
  1. They hit me.
A

schlagen…to hit. SCHLUG, GESCHLAGEN

Sie SCHLUGEN MICH.