Auxiliary Verbs For Intermediate learners

What is an Auxiliary Verb?

An auxiliary verb (Hilfsverben) is a verb that is used with a main verb for a specific grammatical structure. In a way, an auxiliary verb helps the main verb convey its correct meaning. Auxiliary verbs are used in different tenses such as the past perfect, present perfect, and future. They are also used for the passive voice.

Auxiliary verbs in German

There are three primary auxiliary verbs in German:

sein (to be)

haben (to have)

werden (will)

Sein

The auxiliary verb, sein, has many functions in German. These are the main ones:

Present Perfect Tense

Past Perfect Tense

Future Perfect Tense

Present Perfect Tense

The Present Perfect tense consists of two parts:

Auxiliary verb (haben or sein)

Past Participle

The auxiliary verb should be conjugated in the present tense. Whether the auxiliary verb is "haben" or "sein" depends on the main verb.

Sein is used as an auxiliary verb for these verbs:

Verbs that express movement or a change of location

Verbs that express a change of condition

Here are some of the common verbs that use sein as their auxiliary verb:

gehen	to go
fliegen	to fly
reisen	to travel
werden	to become
sterben	to die
bleiben	to stay

Here is the conjugation of sein in the present tense:

	Present Tense
ich	bin
du	bist
er/sie/es	ist
wir	sind
ihr	seid
sie/Sie	sind

Example

Ich bin nach Hause gelaufen.

I have walked home.

Sie ist gestern angekommen.

She has arrived yesterday.

Past Perfect Tense

The structure of the past perfect tense is very similar to present perfect tense. The difference is that you should use the simple past form of "haben" or "sein" instead of their present tense. As it was mentioned above, whether you use "haben" or "sein" depends on the verb.

Here is the conjugation of sein in the simple past tense:

	Simple Past Tense
ich	war
du	warst
er/sie/es	war
wir	waren
ihr	wart
sie/Sie	waren

Example

Nachdem er angekommen war, ging er essen.

After he had arrived, he went to eat.

Sie war schon weggegangen, als ich ankam.

She had already left when I arrived.

Future Perfect Tense

Here is the formula for future perfect tense:
[werden + Past Participle + haben/sein]

Haben/sein won't be conjugated for future perfect.

Whether you use haben or sein in this tense depends on the verb. Sein is used with verbs that express movements or a change of condition.

Example

Bis morgen wird sie nach Berlin gefahren sein.

She will have driven to Berlin by tomorrow.

Wenn du ankommst, warden wir schon angekommen sein.

When you arrive, we will have already arrived.

Haben

The auxiliary verb, haben, has many functions in German. These are the main ones:

Present Perfect Tense

Past Perfect Tense

Future Perfect Tense

Present Perfect Tense

For the majority of verbs, haben is used as the auxiliary verb in the present perfect tense. If you exclude the group of verbs that use sein as their auxiliary verb (verbs that express movements or a change of condition), then "haben" is used as the auxiliary verb for the rest of the verbs.

Here is the conjugation of haben in the present tense:

	Present Tense
ich	habe
du	hast
er/sie/es	hat
wir	haben
ihr	habt
sie/Sie	haben

Example

Ich habe das Buch gelesen.

I have read the book.

Wir haben uns beeilt.

We have hurried.

Sie hat das Buch lesen wollen.

She has wanted to read the book.

Past Perfect Tense

You need to use and conjugate the simple past form of "haben" for this tense.

[haben (simple past) + past participle]

	Simple Past Tense
ich	hatte
du	hattest
er/sie/es	hatte
wir	hatten
ihr	hattet
sie/Sie	hatten

Example

Nachdem ich die Arbeit beendet hatte, ging ich schlafen.

After I had finished the work, I went to sleep.

Sie war traurig, weil er sie nicht angerufen hatte.

She was sad because he had not called her.

Future Perfect Tense

Here is the formula for future perfect tense:

[werden + Past Participle + haben/sein]

Haben/sein won't be conjugated for the future perfect.

Whether you use haben or sein in this tense depends on the verb. The majority of verbs come with haben.

Example

Bis morgen werde ich die Aufgabe erledigt haben.

By tomorrow, I will have finished the task.

Nächstes Jahr werden sie das Haus gebaut haben.

Next year, they will have built the house.

Werden (will)

The auxiliary verb, werden, has many functions in German. These are the main ones:

Future Tense

Process Passive

Subjunctive for Hypothetical Situations

Future Tens

Werden is the auxiliary verb that is used for the future tense.

[Conjugated 'werden' + Infinitive]

The table below shows the conjugation of werden in the present tense:

	Present Tense
ich	werde
du	wirst
er/sie/es	wird
wir	werden
ihr	werdet
sie/Sie	werden

Example

Ich werde morgen lernen.

I will study tomorrow.

Du wirst das Buch lesen.

You will read the book.

Process Passive

Werden is used in the construction of the process passive. The process passive is focused on the action or process that is done. What is happening to the subject has more priority than the doer of that action.

[conjugated 'werden' + Past Participle]

Example

Die Tür wird geöffnet.

The door is being opened.

Der Brief wird geschrieben.

The letter is being written.

Subjunctive for Hypothetical Situations

In German, this construction is called Konjunktiv II and is used for unreal scenarios, wishes, and polite requests.

[würde + Infinitive ]

This table shows the conjugation of wurde in the subjunctive II :