Auxiliary verbs: sein, haben, werden
'sein' (to be) and 'haben' (to have) are the two most frequently used and irregularly conjugated verbs in German; in this lesson, the third auxiliary verb 'werden' (to become) is added to them. They are also used as auxiliary verbs in forming the Perfekt (past tense), which is why mastering them at A1 is essential — forming German sentences without making these two verbs second nature is virtually impossible, as you will encounter them in almost every conversation.
The verb 'sein' is like 'to be' in English: it indicates identity, profession, condition, and nationality (Ich bin Lehrer. / Ich bin müde. / Ich bin aus der Türkei.). 'haben', on the other hand, indicates possession (Ich habe ein Auto. = I have a car). Both verbs are irregular, meaning they do not follow the standard conjugation patterns like -e/-st/-t; therefore, the table below must be memorised, as they cannot be derived by rule.
A common mistake is mixing up when to use 'sein' and 'haben'. In German, age is expressed with 'sein' (Ich bin 20 Jahre alt. = I am 20 years old), just like in English. However, hunger, thirst, and fear are expressed with 'haben' + noun (Hunger haben = to be hungry, Durst haben = to be thirsty, Angst haben = to be afraid) — it is important to learn these fixed expressions individually.
'werden' (to become): the third auxiliary verb. It describes a change or transition: 'Ich werde Lehrer.' (I am becoming a teacher.), 'Es wird kalt.' (It is getting cold.). Its conjugation is irregular: ich werde, du wirst, er wird, wir werden, ihr werdet, sie werden. In later levels, 'werden' is also used to form the future tense (Futur) and passive voice (Passiv); that is why sein, haben, and werden are called 'auxiliary verbs' (Hilfsverben).
Conjugation of sein and haben
| Pronoun | sein | haben |
|---|---|---|
| ich | binI am | habeI have |
| du | bistyou are | hastyou have |
| er/sie/es | isthe/she/it is | hathe/she/it has |
| wir | sindwe are | habenwe have |
| ihr | seidyou are | habtyou have |
| sie/Sie | sindthey are (formal You: you are) | habenthey have (formal You: you have) |
Conjugation of werden (to become)
| Pronoun | werden |
|---|---|
| ich | werdeI become |
| du | wirstyou become |
| er/sie/es | wirdhe/she/it becomes |
| wir | werdenwe become |
| ihr | werdetyou become |
| sie/Sie | werdenthey become (formal you: you become) |
EXAMPLES
Ich bin Student.
I am a student.
Es wird langsam dunkel.
It is slowly getting dark.
Er ist 25 Jahre alt.
He is 25 years old.
Wir haben zwei Kinder.
We have two children.
Hast du Zeit?
Do you have time?
Exam tip
- • When stating age, 'sein' is used in German, not 'haben': 'Ich bin 20 Jahre alt' (I am 20 years old), don't use 'haben' as some languages do ('Ich habe 20 Jahre' is wrong).
SHORT TEST
1. What goes in the blank in the sentence 'Wir ___ aus Istanbul.'?
2. 'Er ___ ein Auto.' (He has a car.)
3. 'Ich ___ 25 Jahre alt.' correct verb?
4. 'Ihr ___ sehr nett.' (you - plural, informal)
5. 'Du ___ zwei Brüder.' (You have two brothers.)
6. 'Sie (they) ___ Studenten.' correct verb?
7. '___ du heute Zeit?' (Do you have time today?)