Learning German is tricky, but knowing some of the basics, such as how to say "is," "was," and "would be," is helpful in building a foundation for communicating effectively.
Basic Conjugation in the Present Tense
Before learning other forms, it is necessary to know how to use the verb "sein" at its simplest: the conjugation in the present tense:
- ich bin, du bist, er/sie/es ist, wir sind, ihr seid, sie/Sie sind
To clarify, the literal translations are: I am, you are, he/she/it is, we are, you (informal) are, they/you (formal) are.
The Past: How to Say "Was" in German
The simple past is another fairly easy form of the verb to learn; the trick here is memorization:
- sein in the simple past tense (was): ich war, du warst, er/sie/es war, wir waren, ihr wart, sie/Sie waren
Usage is very simple, but just to clarify, here is an example: Warst du da? (Vahrst do dah?) meaning, "Were you there?" The simple past form of "sein" is used often in the German language.
The Subjunctive: How to Say "Would Be" in German
The use of "would be" is common in any language, and German is certainly no exception. The verb "sein" ("to be") gets conjugated in the subjunctive very often in German, particularly when used to make a request more polite. Learn the conjugation, and how to form a sentence with it:
- sein (to be) in the subjunctive form (would be): ich wäre, du wärst, er/sie/es wäre, wir wären, ihr wärt, sie/Sie wären
Examples of Instances When sein is Used in the Subjunctive:
- Forming a polite request:Wäre es möglich.... (vayr-uh es moo-glihk), which literally means, "Would it be possible..." Using the subjunctive makes your request automatically more polite.
- Making a prediction: Das wäre nicht schlecht. (das vayr-uh nihkt shlekht), which means "That wouldn't be bad."
- Asking about a possibility: Wann wäre das? (vahn vayr-uh das), translated to mean, "When would that be?"
If you're speaking quickly, you can sound more like a native speaker by cutting the "e" off of the end, for instance, "Das wär' nicht schlecht" (pronouncing wär' as "vayr"). An easy way to remember the spelling of the subjunctive form is that it is similar to the simple past tense.
All of these conjugations are common in the German language, and are essential to learn for anyone who hopes to speak German fluently.
Further Resources
For more information about the German language and usage, see also:
Basic German Vocabulary and Phrases
German Language Learning Resources
