Mastering the basics of German starts with learning the most important verbs. These essential German A1 verbs are the building blocks for everyday conversations.
In this guide, we’ll explore the key verbs every beginner needs to know, helping you talk about actions, feelings, and routines. Ready to build your foundation?
| German | English |
|---|---|
| antworten | to answer |
| denken | to think |
| essen | to eat |
| fühlen | to feel |
| fragen | to ask |
| gehen | to go |
| haben | to have |
| hören | to hear |
| kommen | to come |
| können | can / to be able to |
| lernen | to learn |
| lesen | to read |
| machen | to make / to do |
| mögen | to like |
| müssen | to have to |
| sagen | to say |
| schlafen | to sleep |
| schreiben | to write |
| sehen | to see |
| sein | to be |
| spielen | to play |
| sprechen | to speak |
| trinken | to drink |
| verstehen | to understand |
| wohnen | to live |
| wollen | to want |
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Enroll in a Class| Verb | German Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| antworten | Tina antwortet ihrer Freundin. | Tina answers her friend. |
| denken | Sie denkt an ihre Familie. | She thinks about her family. |
| essen | Wir essen heute Pizza. | We are eating pizza today. |
| fühlen | Ich fühle mich heute müde. | I feel tired today. |
| fragen | Kann ich dich etwas fragen? | Can I ask you something? |
| gehen | Sie gehen jeden Morgen spazieren. | They go for a walk every morning. |
| haben | Ich habe ein neues Buch. | I have a new book. |
| hören | Er hört gerne Musik. | He likes to listen to music. |
| kommen | Paul kommt morgen zu Besuch. | Paul is coming for a visit tomorrow. |
| können | Er kann gut schwimmen. | He can swim well. |
| lernen | Wir lernen jeden Tag Deutsch. | We study German every day. |
| lesen | Sie liest ein interessantes Buch. | She is reading an interesting book. |
| machen | Er macht seine Hausaufgaben. | He is doing his homework. |
| mögen | Ich mag Schokolade. | I like chocolate. |
| müssen | Wir müssen jetzt gehen. | We have to go now. |
| sagen | Er sagt die Wahrheit. | He tells the truth. |
| schlafen | Die Katze schläft tief und fest. | The cat is sleeping soundly. |
| schreiben | Er schreibt einen Brief. | He is writing a letter. |
| sehen | Wir sehen den Sonnenuntergang. | We are watching the sunset. |
| sein | Ich bin glücklich. | I am happy. |
| spielen | Die Kinder spielen im Garten. | The children are playing in the garden. |
| sprechen | Sie spricht fließend Englisch. | She speaks English fluently. |
| trinken | Er trinkt ein Glas Wasser. | He is drinking a glass of water. |
| verstehen | Ich verstehe die Aufgabe nicht. | I don’t understand the assignment. |
| wohnen | Maria wohnt in Berlin. | Maria lives in Berlin. |
| wollen | Wir wollen ein neues Auto kaufen. | We want to buy a new car. |