Which verbs take haben and which take sein in the past tense?

All verbs which indicate movement (or lack thereof) require sein. Everything else requires haben. For example, 'ich bin gegangen,' and 'ich bin geblieben' both refer to movement/lack of movement, which is why they take sein. 'Essen,' for example, does not make any reference to position or movement, which is why we say 'ich habe gegessen'.

Answered by Chris D. German tutor

1977 Views

See similar German GCSE tutors

Related German GCSE answers

All answers ▸

What is the best way to prepare for the speaking exam?


You are writing to your German pen pal about your hobbies. Include topics like: Music, Sport, Shopping, the Internet. Word limit: 40 words.


How do I recognise Partizip 1 in a sentance?


Students often encounter (exam) situations in which they are asked to write a type of text (e.g. an email) and incorporate certain aspects.


We're here to help

contact us iconContact usWhatsapp logoMessage us on Whatsapptelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo
Cookie Preferences