I. Theory
Strong verbs are irregular German verbs and thus, the past tense forms of strong verbs are formed differently than other “weak” verbs. Strong verbs undergo a vowel change (ei>ie , e>o, etc.) in their preterite forms. Additionally, strong verbs do not take a -te ending in the first and third person singular like weak verbs.| Die Kinder halfen ihrer Mutter beim Kochen. (helfen: e>a) The children helped their mother cook. Der Kapitän *blieb auf dem Schiff. (bleiben: ei>ie) The captain remained on the ship. (*) Note the lack of the -te third-person singular ending. |
II. Types of Vowel Changes in Strong Verbs
This lesson will cover several different vowel changes to demonstrate the forms found in the preterite. By familiarizing oneself with these changes, a student can learn to recognize patterns in how these verbs change, although memorizing the past forms of the most frequently seen verbs is also recommended.Helfen (e>a)
Other verbs with this change: befehlen and sprechen| Er half dem alten Mann, die Straße zu überqueren. He helped the old man cross the road. |
Bleiben (ei>ie)
Other verbs with this change: schreiben and meiden| Sie blieben über ein Jahr in Berlin. They stayed in Berlin for over a year. |
Singen (i>a)
Other verbs with this change: schwimmen, springen, zwingen| Sie sang ein sehr schönes Lied. She sang a very nice song. |
Tragen (a>u)
Other verbs with with change: schlagen and laden| Die Königin trug ein elegantes Kleid zum Fest. The queen wore an elegant gown to the party. |