CEFR A1
What you will learn
- Recognise the pattern taught in “sein and haben: complete paradigms and A1 uses” in a short example.
- Choose the appropriate form from “sein and haben: complete paradigms and A1 uses” using explicit evidence.
- Apply and justify the rule from “sein and haben: complete paradigms and A1 uses” in a new case.
Before you start
- Have studied “German present tense: endings and stem changes”.
The idea
sein identifies, describes or locates; haben expresses possession and several needs. Their forms are frequent and irregular, so every person must be learned.
The complete sein paradigm is: ich bin; du bist; er ist; sie ist; es ist; wir sind; ihr seid; sie sind; Sie sind. Use sein for identity —Nora ist Ärztin—, a quality or state —Das Zimmer ist ruhig— and location —Wir sind in Köln—. German also uses sein for age: Ich bin fünfzehn Jahre alt.
The haben paradigm is: ich habe; du hast; er hat; sie hat; es hat; wir haben; ihr habt; sie haben; Sie haben. Use haben for possession —Sie hat einen Schlüssel— and in frequent expressions such as Hunger haben, Durst haben, Zeit haben, Angst haben and Unterricht haben.
sie and Sie can share a verb form but not a referent: sie may mean “she” or “they” depending on form and context; capitalized Sie is formal address. In a teaching table, show every pronoun even when forms coincide.
In an affirmative main clause, the finite form occupies the second structural slot: Heute sind wir zu Hause. In a yes/no question it moves to the beginning: Bist du bereit? The infinitive sein or haben cannot replace the finite form.
sein in the Präsens
| Item | Form |
|---|---|
| 1 | ich bin |
| 2 | du bist |
| 3 | er ist |
| 4 | sie ist |
| 5 | es ist |
| 6 | wir sind |
| 7 | ihr seid |
| 8 | sie sind |
| 9 | Sie sind |
haben in the Präsens
| Item | Form |
|---|---|
| 1 | ich habe |
| 2 | du hast |
| 3 | er hat |
| 4 | sie hat |
| 5 | es hat |
| 6 | wir haben |
| 7 | ihr habt |
| 8 | sie haben |
| 9 | Sie haben |
How it sounds
- Ich bin neu. Du bist schon hier.Two different persons require bin and bist.
- Er hat Hunger. Wir haben Zeit.The fixed expression keeps haben, conjugated for each subject.
- Sind Sie aus Wien?The formal question puts Sind first and keeps Sie capitalized.
Check objective 1Another case
A proposed answer is “hat” for this case: “Mina hat müde.”. Choose the only valid form.
A proposed answer is “sind” for this case: “Mina sind müde.”. Choose the only valid form.
Answer available without interaction
Answer: ist — Müde describes Mina's state; third-person singular takes ist.
Müde describes Mina's state; third-person singular takes ist.
Answer: ist — Müde describes Mina's state; third-person singular takes ist.
Müde describes Mina's state; third-person singular takes ist.
Check objective 2Another case
A proposed answer is “seid” for this case: “Ihr seid heute Unterricht.”. Choose the only valid form.
A proposed answer is “haben” for this case: “Ihr haben heute Unterricht.”. Choose the only valid form.
Answer available without interaction
Answer: habt — Unterricht haben is the appropriate expression, and the ihr form is habt.
Unterricht haben is the appropriate expression, and the ihr form is habt.
Answer: habt — Unterricht haben is the appropriate expression, and the ihr form is habt.
Unterricht haben is the appropriate expression, and the ihr form is habt.
Check objective 3Another case
Ask about your conversation partner’s identity using formal address: ___ Sie Frau Weber?
Ask about your conversation partner’s identity using formal address: ___ Sie Frau Weber?
Answer available without interaction
Answer: Sind — The question asks about identity using formal Sie; the paradigm gives Sind Sie.
The question asks about identity using formal Sie; the paradigm gives Sind Sie.
Answer: Sind — The question asks about identity using formal Sie; the paradigm gives Sind Sie.
The question asks about identity using formal Sie; the paradigm gives Sind Sie.
When it doesn't hold
What breaks the rule, said out loud. Hiding it is what makes you feel cheated in the exam.
- A person's cold or warmth is said with the dative and no subject.Mir ist kalt.
- Being right is something you have, as in your language, so here they agree.Du hast recht.
- es gibt says what there is, and uses neither of the two verbs.Es gibt hier kein Wasser.
What your own language pushes you to say
Wrong Ich bin kalt.
Right Mir ist kalt.
English says «I am cold» with the subject doing the being, so the literal German comes out as ich bin kalt, which describes your body temperature to the touch. German uses a dative and no subject at all.
Challenge: apply every rule
Solve every case and justify each choice: 1) A proposed answer is “hat” for this case: “Mina hat müde.”. Choose the only valid form. 2) A proposed answer is “seid” for this case: “Ihr seid heute Unterricht.”. Choose the only valid form. 3) A proposed answer is “Seid” for this case: “Seid Sie Frau Weber?”. Choose the only valid form.
Answer available without interaction
- Recognise the pattern taught in “sein and haben: complete paradigms and A1 uses” in a short example.
- Choose the appropriate form from “sein and haben: complete paradigms and A1 uses” using explicit evidence.
- Apply and justify the rule from “sein and haben: complete paradigms and A1 uses” in a new case.
Answer: ist · habt · Sind
Müde describes Mina's state; third-person singular takes ist. Unterricht haben is the appropriate expression, and the ihr form is habt. The question asks about identity using formal Sie; the paradigm gives Sind Sie.
Curriculum alignment and sources
- CEFR A1 · simple expressions about identity, state, location, possession and concrete needs; the verb sequence is editorial · Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Companion Volume
- German forms cross-checked against language-specific reference descriptions · Reference Level Descriptions developed so far
Continue along this corridor
Practise this: sein and haben: where they part company with EnglishVerb-second: slots, not words