Perfekt (Present Perfect Tense)
The Perfekt is used to describe actions or events that were completed in the past but have relevance to the present. It is commonly used in spoken German, especially in conversation.
Mood:
The Perfekt is used with the indicative mood, which expresses facts, certainty, and reality about past actions that are connected to the present.
- Mood: Indicative (expresses past facts and actions relevant to the present)
Usage:
- To describe completed actions in the past with present relevance: Ich habe das Buch gelesen. (I have read the book.)
- To indicate past events in spoken German: Wir sind ins Kino gegangen. (We went to the cinema.)
- Commonly used in everyday conversation, while Präteritum is more typical in written language.
Formation:
The Perfekt is a compound tense formed by using the auxiliary verbs haben (to have) or sein (to be) in the present tense, followed by the past participle of the main verb.
Using Haben:
- Most verbs use haben as the auxiliary.
Using Sein:
- Verbs of motion or change of state typically use sein as the auxiliary.
- The past participle agrees in number and gender when sein is used.
Conjugation:
| Person | Haben (to have) | Sein (to be) |
|---|---|---|
| Ich | habe gespielt | bin gegangen |
| Du | hast gespielt | bist gegangen |
| Er/Sie/Es | hat gespielt | ist gegangen |
| Wir | haben gespielt | sind gegangen |
| Ihr | habt gespielt | seid gegangen |
| Sie/sie | haben gespielt | sind gegangen |
Irregular Past Participles:
Some verbs have irregular past participles. Examples include:
- Sein (to be): gewesen
- Haben (to have): gehabt
- Machen (to do/make): gemacht
- Finden (to find): gefunden
- Kommen (to come): gekommen
Common Time Expressions:
- Schon (already)
- Noch nie (never before)
- Gerade (just)
Examples:
- Ich habe die Hausaufgaben gemacht. (I have done the homework.)
- Sie ist nach Hause gegangen. (She went home.)
