Understanding the endings -e, -st, -t, -en is the fastest way to conjugate thousands of regular (weak) German verbs. Learn this pattern and you’ll be able to form correct present-tense verbs with confidence. This article explains each ending, shows examples, highlights small spelling rules, and gives quick drills for practice.
What do the endings -e, -st, -t, -en mean?
These endings are the present-tense endings you attach to a verb stem after you remove -en from the infinitive.
They match the subject (who does the action):
| Pronoun | Ending | English |
|---|---|---|
| ich | -e | I … |
| du | -st | you (sing., informal) … |
| er / sie / es | -t | he / she / it … |
| wir | -en | we … |
| ihr | -t | you (pl., informal) … |
| sie / Sie | -en | they / you (formal) … |
Example with lernen (to learn):
ich lerne, du lernst, er lernt, wir lernen, ihr lernt, sie lernen.
How do you form the stem before adding endings?
Step 1 — take the infinitive: machen, spielen, wohnen, fragen
Step 2 — remove -en (or sometimes -n):
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machen → mach-
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spielen → spiel-
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wohnen → wohn-
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fragen → frag-
Step 3 — add the correct ending from the table above.
When does the du-form lose an “s” (spelling rules)?
For verbs whose stems already end in -s, -ß, -x, -z, the du form does not add an extra “s” (it would be awkward to pronounce). Instead it uses -t sound or single -st stylized as a single s-sound:
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tanzen → du tanzt (not tanzst)
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heißen → du heißt (not heißst)
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mixen → du mixt
So pronunciation and spelling are simplified to make speaking easier.
When do verbs ending in -t or -d need an extra -e- before the ending?
If the stem ends in -t or -d, German inserts an extra -e- to make pronunciation smoother before adding -st or -t:
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arbeiten → du arbeitest, er arbeitet
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warten → du wartest, er wartet
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landen → du landest, er landet
This also applies to stems ending in consonant clusters where adding -st or -t would be hard to pronounce.
Are there other small pronunciation adjustments?
Yes — a few cases to watch:
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Verbs ending in -eln or -ern sometimes drop the e in the ich form in casual speech (but keep the standard written forms):
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handeln → ich handle (often spoken as ich handel)
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ändern → ich ändere
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Some commonly used verbs have slight vowel changes (these are irregular/strong verbs and not covered by the regular endings rule).
What memory tricks help you remember the endings?
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Think of the pronouns as I-you-he-we-you(all)-they and match endings e-st-t-en-t-en.
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Use this short chant: ich-e, du-st, er-t — wir-en, ihr-t, sie-en. Say it aloud while tapping each pronoun.
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Learn the 10 most common regular verbs first (lernen, machen, spielen, wohnen, fragen, kaufen, brauchen, hören, suchen, arbeiten) and conjugate them daily.
What are clear examples for each ending?
Verb: kaufen (to buy)
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ich kaufe
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du kaufst
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er kauft
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wir kaufen
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ihr kauft
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sie kaufen
Verb: arbeiten (to work) — stem ends in -t (note extra -e-)
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ich arbeite
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du arbeitest
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er arbeitet
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wir arbeiten
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ihr arbeitet
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sie arbeiten
Verb: tanzen (to dance) — stem ends in -z (du form simplified)
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ich tanze
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du tanzt
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er tanzt
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wir tanzen
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ihr tanzt
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sie tanzen
How do these endings work in questions and sentences?
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Statement: Du spielst Gitarre. (You play guitar.) — Subject then verb (V2: subject in position 1, verb position 2).
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Yes/no question: Spielst du Gitarre? — Verb first, pronoun second.
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W-question: Warum spielst du Gitarre? — W-word → verb → subject → rest.
The verb form (ending) stays the same regardless of position.
Quick drills (write answers, then check below)
Drill A — Fill the correct form of machen:
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ich ___
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du ___
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er ___
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wir ___
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ihr ___
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sie ___
Drill B — Choose the correct form (arbeiten):
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Du ___ (arbeitest / arbeitst) heute.
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Er ___ (arbeitet / arbeit) spät.
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Ihr ___ (arbeitet / arbeitetet) morgen nicht.
Drill C — Fix the wrong du-forms:
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du tanzstt → ______
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du heißsst → ______
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du kaufst (correct / incorrect?) → ______
Answers — Drill A: mache, machst, macht, machen, macht, machen
Answers — Drill B: arbeitest, arbeitet, arbeitet
Answers — Drill C: 1) du tanzt, 2) du heißt, 3) correct — du kaufst
What common errors should beginners avoid?
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Don’t put the subject before the verb in yes/no questions (German needs the verb first).
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Don’t write du + -st as -sst after stems ending in s/ß/x/z — use -t sound (du tanzt, nicht tanzst).
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Don’t forget the extra -e- for stems ending in -t or -d (du arbeitest, not du arbeitst).
