Table of Contents
Introduction
German is a language with a complex grammar and presents challenges and opportunities for learners. One of the basic elements of German grammar is verb conjugation and one of the most important verbs is “gehen” which means “to go”. Whether you are a beginner or advanced learner “gehen” is used very often in everyday conversation.
In this post we will go into the German Gehen conjugation, we will look at the forms in different tenses, usage in different contexts and idiomatic expressions with this verb. By the end you’ll be able to use “gehen” in your German conversations.
What is the Verb “Gehen”
1: How do you say "Good Morning" in German?
“Gehen” is an irregular verb which means its conjugation doesn’t follow a pattern. It is used to describe physical movement from one place to another but can also express future intentions or metaphorical movement. The verb belongs to the strong verbs in German which change the vowels in their conjugation.
Why “Gehen”
“Gehen” is essential for anyone learning German. It’s not only an action verb but also appears in many phrases and expressions. Learning the conjugation helps learners to build sentences about movement, plans and even emotions.
Present Tense
The present tense is used to describe actions that are happening now or general truths. Here’s the conjugation of “gehen” in present tense:
- ich gehe (I go)
- du gehst (you go – singular informal)
- er/sie/es geht (he/she/it goes)
- wir gehen (we go)
- ihr geht (you go – plural informal)
- sie/Sie gehen (they/you go – formal)
Examples
- Ich gehe ins Kino. (I am going to the cinema.)
- Wir gehen morgen zur Schule. (We are going to school tomorrow.)
Simple Past Tense
The simple past tense or preterite is used in written German to describe actions that have already happened. The conjugation of “gehen” in simple past is:
- ich ging (I went)
- du gingst (you went – singular informal)
- er/sie/es ging (he/she/it went)
- wir gingen (we went)
- ihr gingt (you went – plural informal)
- sie/Sie gingen (they/you went – formal)
Examples
- Ich ging gestern ins Kino. (I went to the cinema yesterday.)
- Sie gingen schnell nach Hause. (They went home quickly.)
Perfect Tense of “Gehen”
The perfect tense is used to describe actions that have been done in the past. To form the perfect tense of “gehen” you use the auxiliary verb “sein” (to be) and the past participle “gegangen”.
- ich bin gegangen (I have gone)
- du bist gegangen (you – singular informal)
- er/sie/es ist gegangen (he/she/it has gone)
- wir sind gegangen (we have gone)
- ihr seid gegangen (you – plural informal)
- sie/Sie sind gegangen (they/you – formal)
Examples
- Ich bin gestern ins Kino gegangen. (I have gone to the cinema yesterday.)
- Wir sind früh gegangen. (We have left early.)
Future Tense of “Gehen”
The future tense is used to describe actions that will happen. To form the future tense in German you use the auxiliary verb “werden” (to become) and the infinitive.
- ich werde gehen (I will go)
- du wirst gehen (you – singular informal)
- wir werden gehen (we will go)
- ihr werdet gehen (you – plural informal)
- sie/Sie werden gehen (they/you – formal)
Examples
- Ich werde morgen ins Kino gehen. (I will go to the cinema tomorrow.)
- Wir werden bald gehen. (We will leave soon.)
Conditional and Subjunctive
Conditional
The conditional mood expresses hypothetical situations. The conjugation of “gehen” in the conditional is formed using “würde” (would) and the infinitive.
- ich würde gehen (I would go)
- du würdest gehen (you – singular informal)
- er/sie/es würde gehen (he/she/it would go)
- wir würden gehen (we would go)
- ihr würdet gehen (you – plural informal)
- sie/Sie würden gehen (they/you – formal)
Examples
- Ich würde gehen, wenn ich Zeit hätte. (I would go if I had time.)
- Wir würden gerne ins Konzert gehen. (We would like to go to the concert.)
Subjunctive
The subjunctive mood, especially the subjunctive II, is used for wishes or unreal situations. The conjugation is similar to the conditional.
- ich ginge (I would go)
- du gingest (you – singular informal)
- er/sie/es ginge (he/she/it would go)
- wir gingen (we would go)
- ihr ginget (you – plural informal)
- sie/Sie gingen (they/you – formal)
Examples
- Wenn ich ein Vogel wäre, ginge ich überall hin.
Gehen in Passive and Modal Constructions
Passive
In German, the passive is formed with “werden” (to become) and the past participle of the main verb. For “gehen” it would be:
- Das wird gegangen. (This is being gone [to].)
But “gehen” is not often used in the passive as it usually refers to actions done rather than received.
Modal Constructions
Modal verbs can modify the meaning of “gehen”. Common modal verbs that can be used with “gehen” are “können” (can), “müssen” (must) and “dürfen” (may).
- Ich gehe. (I go.)
- Wir müssen. (We must.)
- Kann ich gehen? (May I?)
Gehen Idioms
The verb “gehen” is used in several idiomatic expressions in German. Here are a few:
- Es geht mir. (I am fine.)
- Das geht nicht. (That won’t do / That isn’t possible.)
- Das geht über meine Kraft. (That is beyond my powers.)
- Gehe! (Go!)
These idioms often convey meanings beyond the literal translation of “gehen”, showing how versatile the verb is in everyday language.
Practice Exercises for Gehen Conjugation
- Fill in the blanks:
- Ich ______ (gehen) zur Schule.
- Du ______ (gehen) mit mir?
- Wir ______ (gehen) ins Restaurant.
- Convert to past tense:
- Ich gehe jeden Tag joggen.
- Sie geht oft einkaufen.
- Create sentences using the conditional:
- Ich ______ (gehen) ins Kino, wenn ich Zeit hätte.
- Wir ______ (gehen) zu deinem Geburtstag.
By doing these exercises, you can solidify your knowledge of the different Gehen conjugations.
Conclusion
Learning the Gehen conjugation is essential for anyone learning German. As one of the most used verbs it’s a fundamental building block for creating sentences and actions. Whether you’re talking about your daily routine, making plans or sharing your experiences, knowing how to conjugate “gehen” in different tenses will boost your fluency.
If you want to get deeper into the German language, consider joining the German Language Course with Entri. With experienced trainers, comprehensive materials and a flexible learning environment you’ll be able to master not only the Gehen conjugation but also the German language itself.
Start your journey today by visiting Entri’s German Language Course and take the next step toward fluency!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the significance of the verb "gehen" in the German language?
The verb “gehen,” which translates to “to go,” is one of the most fundamental and frequently used verbs in German. It is essential for expressing movement, plans, and intentions. This verb appears in various contexts, making it crucial for everyday conversations. Understanding its conjugation helps learners construct sentences related to travel, daily activities, and future plans, which are integral to effective communication in German.
How do I conjugate "gehen" in the present tense?
In the present tense, “gehen” is conjugated as follows:
- ich gehe (I go)
- du gehst (you go – singular informal)
- er/sie/es geht (he/she/it goes)
- wir gehen (we go)
- ihr geht (you go – plural informal)
- sie/Sie gehen (they/you go – formal)
This conjugation is used for actions happening currently or general truths. For instance, “Ich gehe zur Schule” means “I go to school.”
What are the conjugations of "gehen" in the past tense?
In the simple past tense, “gehen” is conjugated as:
- ich ging (I went)
- du gingst (you went – singular informal)
- er/sie/es ging (he/she/it went)
- wir gingen (we went)
- ihr gingt (you went – plural informal)
- sie/Sie gingen (they/you went – formal)
This tense is often used in written German to describe events that have already occurred. For example, “Wir gingen gestern ins Kino” translates to “We went to the cinema yesterday.”
How is the perfect tense of "gehen" formed?
The perfect tense of “gehen” is formed using the auxiliary verb “sein” (to be) and the past participle “gegangen.” The conjugation is as follows:
- ich bin gegangen (I have gone)
- du bist gegangen (you have gone – singular informal)
- er/sie/es ist gegangen (he/she/it has gone)
- wir sind gegangen (we have gone)
- ihr seid gegangen (you have gone – plural informal)
- sie/Sie sind gegangen (they/you have gone – formal)
This tense is used to indicate actions that have been completed. For example, “Ich bin heute ins Büro gegangen” means “I have gone to the office today.”
Can "gehen" be used in the future tense? How?
Yes, “gehen” can be used in the future tense by combining the auxiliary verb “werden” with the infinitive “gehen.” The conjugation is as follows:
- ich werde gehen (I will go)
- du wirst gehen (you will go – singular informal)
- er/sie/es wird gehen (he/she/it will go)
- wir werden gehen (we will go)
- ihr werdet gehen (you will go – plural informal)
- sie/Sie werden gehen (they/you will go – formal)
This structure is used to express future intentions or plans, such as “Ich werde morgen nach Berlin gehen” (I will go to Berlin tomorrow).
What are the conditional forms of "gehen"?
The conditional form of “gehen” is constructed using “würde” (would) plus the infinitive “gehen.” The conjugation is as follows:
- ich würde gehen (I would go)
- du würdest gehen (you would go – singular informal)
- er/sie/es würde gehen (he/she/it would go)
- wir würden gehen (we would go)
- ihr würdet gehen (you would go – plural informal)
- sie/Sie würden gehen (they/you would go – formal)
This form expresses hypothetical situations, such as “Ich würde gehen, wenn ich Zeit hätte” (I would go if I had time).
How is the subjunctive mood related to "gehen"?
The subjunctive mood, particularly the subjunctive II, is also used with “gehen” to express wishes or unreal situations. The conjugation is similar to the conditional:
- ich ginge (I would go)
- du gingest (you would go – singular informal)
- er/sie/es ginge (he/she/it would go)
- wir gingen (we would go)
- ihr ginget (you would go – plural informal)
- sie/Sie gingen (they/you would go – formal)
An example sentence is “Wenn ich ein Vogel wäre, ginge ich überall hin” (If I were a bird, I would go everywhere).
Are there any common idiomatic expressions that use "gehen"?
Yes, “gehen” appears in numerous idiomatic expressions in German. Some common phrases include:
- Es geht mir gut. (I am doing well.)
- Das geht nicht. (That won’t do / That isn’t possible.)
- Das geht über meine Kräfte. (That is beyond my capabilities.)
- Gehen Sie bitte! (Please go!)
These expressions showcase the flexibility of “gehen” and how it conveys meanings beyond just physical movement.
How can I practice conjugating "gehen"?
To practice conjugating “gehen,” consider the following methods:
- Fill-in-the-blank exercises: Create sentences with missing conjugations and fill them in.
- Write sentences: Use “gehen” in different tenses and contexts, such as daily routines or past events.
- Flashcards: Make flashcards with different conjugations on one side and example sentences on the other.
- Engage in conversation: Practice speaking with a partner or tutor, using “gehen” in various tenses.
Regular practice will help solidify your understanding and usage of the verb.
How can a German language course help me master "gehen" and other verbs?
A comprehensive German language course, such as the one offered by Entri, provides structured learning and expert guidance. Here are ways a course can help:
- Interactive Lessons: Courses often include live sessions, allowing for real-time questions and clarifications.
- Practice Exercises: Structured exercises and quizzes help reinforce conjugation patterns.
- Cultural Context: Learning through context helps you understand how to use verbs like “gehen” idiomatically.
- Expert Feedback: Instructors can provide personalized feedback on your usage and understanding of verbs.
Consider enrolling in the Entri German Language Course to enhance your skills and confidence in using German verbs effectively.
