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How do I use the simple past tense in German and when should I use it?

The two main past tenses in German are the simple past and the present perfect. The simple past uses just one word, for example 'ich ging', while the present perfect uses two words, for example 'ich bin gega...
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Answered by Rishabh W. • German tutor
5668 Views

What is the subjunctive?

The subjunctive is used to express wishes, probabilities, or conditions which are contrary to fact. It is called Konjunktiv 2 in German. It would be like the "would do" function in English. For exa...
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Answered by Fabienne D. • German tutor
2060 Views

What is the difference between passive and active?

Passive is often used when the focus on the action, not so much the person involved. Active on the other hand seems more vivid. As an example you could say: The dog ate the sausage. (Active) Der Hund hat die...
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Answered by Fabienne D. • German tutor
2842 Views

What is Vergangenheitsbewaeltigung?

Die Frage von der Geschichte für Deutschen, und besonders die Frage von der Vergangenheitsbewältigung, war ein großes und besonders heikles Thema des 20. Jahrhunderts in Deutschland. Künstler, Politiker, Den...
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Answered by Dominic H. • German tutor
2604 Views

Why do some verbs take 'sein' in the perfect tense and how do I figure out, whether they do or not?

Verbs that take 'sein' in the past are called intransitive verbs and there are certain questions that you can ask yourself to figure out, whether a verb takes 'sein'. The first question is "Does the ver...
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Answered by Cian H. • German tutor
4934 Views