Präteritum – Learn the German Simple Past Tense

Key takeaways

• The Präteritum tense describes past events in clear, simple sentences, especially in written German.
• You see it often in stories, news articles, and short reports about past actions.
• Common verbs like sein, haben, and werden use Präteritum in spoken German too.
• Understanding Präteritum helps you follow books, messages, and everyday descriptions with more comfort.

The Präteritum is the German simple past. You meet it in stories, short reports, and friendly summaries of events. Once you learn its forms, you can follow written texts with more ease and share past actions in short, steady sentences.

The tense looks different from Perfekt, but both describe past events. If you want guided support, you can explore interactive German online lessons to understand each form at a natural pace.

What is the Präteritum in German?

The Präteritum (also called Imperfekt) is the simple past tense. It expresses completed actions or states in a direct way. While spoken German prefers Perfekt, Präteritum appears widely in:

• stories
• reports
• messages
• formal writing

Certain verbs also use Präteritum in daily speech, especially very common ones.

Examples:

• Ich war müde. (I was tired.)
• Wir hatten Glück. (We were lucky.)
• Sie ging nach Hause. (She went home.)

When to use Präteritum

You use Präteritum when:

• reading or writing stories
• describing past events in summaries
• following news or formal texts
• using common verbs like *sein* and *haben* in speech

The tense creates a calm, steady pace when describing the past.

How to form the Präteritum

Regular verbs follow a simple pattern:

• remove the verb ending -en
• add -te plus the personal endings

Example with machen (to do/make):

• ich machte
• du machtest
• er/sie/es machte
• wir machten
• ihr machtet
• sie machten

Common irregular forms

Irregular verbs change their stem in Präteritum. You learn these forms step by step, and they repeat across many verbs.

Examples:

• gehen → ging
• kommen → kam
• schreiben → schrieb
• sehen → sah

These forms appear often in books and stories.

Präteritum vs. Perfekt

Both tenses describe the past, but they appear in different spaces:

Präteritum

• used in written German
• appears in stories, news, and summaries
• used in speech with *sein*, *haben*, *werden*, *können*, *müssen*

Perfekt

• used in spoken German
• describes everyday actions and updates
• forms with *haben/sein* + participle

Knowing both helps you read German with more confidence.

Examples comparing both forms

• Perfekt: Ich habe gegessen.
• Präteritum: Ich aß.

• Perfekt: Sie ist gekommen.
• Präteritum: Sie kam.

Both forms are correct; the tone and style guide the choice.

Präteritum in stories and everyday reading

Many German stories use Präteritum because it feels smooth and steady in written form.

Examples in context:

• Der Hund lief durch den Garten.
• Wir saßen am Tisch und sprachen über den Tag.
• Der Regen fiel, aber wir blieben draußen.

These sentences show how Präteritum creates a calm narrative flow.

Tips for learning Präteritum with confidence

A few friendly habits can help:

• Start with the most common irregular verbs.
• Practice short sentences about past events.
• Read simple stories to observe patterns.
• Compare Präteritum and Perfekt forms side by side.
• Repeat stem changes slowly until they feel natural.

These steps reduce stress and build clarity over time.

Learn Präteritum with guided practice on Promova

On Promova, you can explore short lessons about Präteritum with helpful examples and friendly explanations. Each exercise shows how the tense works in daily reading and simple writing tasks. You move through the material at your own pace while building steady confidence.

Final thoughts on Präteritum in German

The Präteritum tense helps you understand written German and express past actions in a clear style. With regular practice, the forms become easier to recognize and use. Step by step, you can follow stories, messages, and summaries with more comfort while growing your skills.

FAQ

What does Präteritum mean in German?

Präteritum is the German simple past tense. It describes finished actions or states, especially in written language.

Is Präteritum the same as Imperfekt?

Yes. Both names refer to the same tense. German uses both terms to describe past actions in a simple form.

When do I use Präteritum instead of Perfekt?

Use Präteritum in writing, storytelling, news, and summaries. In speech, use Präteritum mainly with common verbs like sein and haben.

Are irregular forms hard to learn?

They follow repeating patterns, and you meet them often in reading. With calm practice, the forms become familiar over time.