3rd November, 2011

The German verb “kaufen”

posted 3 months ago

Good news, folks - the verb “kaufen” is regular! Yay!

conjugation present tense:

ich kaufe, du kaufst, er/sie/es kauft, wir kaufen, ihr kauft, sie kaufen

conjugation past tense: ich kaufte, du kauftest etc.

past participle: gekauft

By adding certain prefixes, you can specify or change the meaning:

1. verkaufen = (to) sell

2. einkaufen = (to) shop

Frequently used for specifically grocery shopping:

Ich muss nach der Arbeit einkaufen. I have to go (grocery) shopping after work.

3. aufkaufen = (to) buy up


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23rd October, 2011

The German verb “finden”

posted 3 months ago

This verb has two main meanings:

1. finden = (to) find

as in: Ich versuche meine Schlüssel zu finden. I’m trying to find my keys.

2. finden = (to) find / (to) like

as in: Ich finde dich attraktiv. I find you attractive.

Wie findest du meine neue Frisur? How do you like my new haircut?

It is regular in the present tense but irregular in the past tense (ich fand, du fandest…). It’s past participle is “gefunden”


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15th October, 2011

The German verb “sehen”

posted 3 months ago

sehen = (to) see

It’s an irregular verb. Here’s how you conjugate it:

ich sehe, du siehst, er/sie/es sieht, wir sehen, ihr seht, sie sehen (present tense)

ich sah, du sahst, er/sie/es sah, wir sahen, ihr saht, sie sahen (past tense)

gesehen (past participle)

There are a bunch of prefixes that you can add and specify or change the meaning:

1. ansehen = to look at

2. wegsehen = to look away

3. zusehen = to watch (! not as in “I’m watching TV” but in “I’m watching the dogs play”

4. hinsehen = to (take a) look

5. herabsehen = to look down


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1st September, 2011

Another German idiom:
“grün hinter den Ohren sein”
literal: to be green behind the ears
meaning: to be wet behind the ears
(pic via fotocommunity.de)

Another German idiom:

“grün hinter den Ohren sein”

literal: to be green behind the ears

meaning: to be wet behind the ears

(pic via fotocommunity.de)



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20th August, 2011

Another German idiom:
“Rotz und Wasser heulen”
literal: to cry snot and water
meaning: to cry very hard
(pic via popnutten.de)

Another German idiom:

“Rotz und Wasser heulen”

literal: to cry snot and water

meaning: to cry very hard

(pic via popnutten.de)



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14th August, 2011

Another German idiom:
“mit dem Strom schwimmen”
literal: to swim with the stream
meaning: to go with the flow
(photo via fotocommunity.de)

Another German idiom:

“mit dem Strom schwimmen”

literal: to swim with the stream

meaning: to go with the flow

(photo via fotocommunity.de)



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10th August, 2011

Another German proverb:
“jemanden auf den Keks gehen” 
literal: to walk on somebody’s cookie
meaning: to get on somebody’s nerves.
(pic via fotocommunity.de)

Another German proverb:

“jemanden auf den Keks gehen”

literal: to walk on somebody’s cookie

meaning: to get on somebody’s nerves.

(pic via fotocommunity.de)



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29th July, 2011

Another German idiom:
“arm wie eine Kirchenmaus sein”
(to) be poor as a church mouse
(pic via wonderfulworldofrodents.com)

Another German idiom:

“arm wie eine Kirchenmaus sein”

(to) be poor as a church mouse

(pic via wonderfulworldofrodents.com)



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22nd July, 2011

Another German proverb:
“um den heißen Brei reden”
literal: to talk around the hot mush
meaning: to beat around the bush
(photo via unserbaby.ch)

Another German proverb:

“um den heißen Brei reden”

literal: to talk around the hot mush

meaning: to beat around the bush

(photo via unserbaby.ch)



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