Subjects and VerbsSubjects and Verbs

Subject Verb Agreement

(Conjugation)

What is Conjugation?

Subject Verb Agreement!

Subject Pronouns• The subject is the person/thing doing/being.

singular plural

I = ich we = wir

you = du y’all = ihr

he = er they = sie

she = sie

it = espolite you = Sie

(we do not have the “polite” form in English)

Infinitives• An infinitive of a verb is simply an

unconjuagted verb.

English Examples: to go; to learn; to sing

German Examples: gehen; lernen; singen

In Eng. we have to take out the “to” before conjugating the verb in a sentence. In Ger. we take off the “en”.

What is an INFINITIVE?

An Unconjugated

Verb!

Conjugating Verbs in English

• In English, once we take off the “to” from “to go” we have to conjugate it to make it fit with the subject of the sentence. Sometimes that means we add nothing to it. But sometimes we do add letters or change the word.

• I go. You go. He goes. She goes. It goes. We go. Y’all go. They go.

Subject-Verb Agreement

In English and in German, you must be sure that the Subject and the Verb Agree.

Ex. You should not say in English: I goes to the store.

The correct conjugation is: I go to the store.

So let’s learn the endings that make German verbs Agree with the subject.

Conjugating German Verbs• As stated before we take of the “en”. This gives us

our stem to which we will attach our verb endings. Ex: spielen spiel (stem)

• ich form = add e Ich spiele. (I play)• du form = add st Du spielst. (You play)• er/sie/es form = add t Er spielt. (He plays)

Sie spielt. (She plays)Es spielt. (It plays)

• Note: the “es” form is for any noun that is a “das” (neuter) word. “sie” for “die” (feminine-singular) words, and “er” for “der” (masculine) words.

Conjugating German Verbs

• wir form = add en Wir spielen. (We play)

• ihr form = add t Ihr spielt. (Y’all play)• sie form = add en Sie spielen. (They play)

• Sie form = add en Sie spielen. (You play)

• Note that this last “Sie” is the formal you – used for one or more adults.

Verb Chart• Take the “en” off the verb, then add the ending!

ich – e wir – en

du – st ihr – t

er sie t sie (pl) – enes

Sie(formal) – en

Your Turn!

I am learning German =

Ich lerne Deutsch.

You are learning German

Du lernst Deutsch.

He is learning German =

Er lernt Deutsch.

We are learning German =

Wir lernen Deutsch.

Y’all are learning German =

Ihr lernt Deutsch.

They are learning German=

Sie lernen Deutsch.

Let’s conjugate the verb lernen (to learn)

To one or more adults: You are learning German. =

Sie lernen Deutsch.