This deep dive covers Die 15 Kernverben within The core German verbs for GCSE German. Revise The core German verbs in The Core German Verbs and the Present Tense for GCSE German with 10 exam-style questions and 16 flashcards. This topic shows up very often in GCSE exams, so students should be able to explain it clearly, not just recognise the term. It is section 2 of 4 in this topic. Use this deep dive to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
📋 Die 15 Kernverben
These 15 high-frequency verbs form the backbone of AQA German (8662) Foundation and Higher. Learn to recognise and produce them in the present tense — they appear in reading, listening, writing, and speaking tasks.
| Infinitiv | Meaning |
|---|---|
| sein | to be |
| haben | to have |
| werden | to become / will (future) |
| gehen | to go (on foot) |
| kommen | to come |
| fahren | to drive / travel by vehicle |
| machen | to do / to make |
| sagen | to say |
| geben | to give |
| nehmen | to take |
| wissen | to know (a fact) |
| sehen | to see |
| denken | to think |
| finden | to find / to think (an opinion) |
| fragen | to ask |
⭐ These 4 are the trickiest
These verbs change their stem vowel in the 2nd (du) and 3rd (er/sie/es) person singular present tense. This is different from regular weak verbs — learn the er/sie form alongside the infinitive:
| Infinitiv | du-form | er/sie/es-form | Vowel change |
|---|---|---|---|
| fahren | du fährst | er/sie fährt | a → ä |
| geben | du gibst | er/sie gibt | e → i |
| nehmen | du nimmst | er/sie nimmt | e → i (+ mm) |
| sehen | du siehst | er/sie sieht | e → ie |
Common exam error: writing er gehst (wrong — gehen is completely regular) vs er fährt (correct — fahren has a vowel change). Never add a vowel change to a regular verb.
Annotated model sentences
Ich gehe* jeden Tag in die Schule und mache** meine Hausaufgaben zu Hause.
I go to school every day and do my homework at home.
- * gehe = ich-form of gehen — regular verb, no vowel change
- ** mache = ich-form of machen — regular weak verb
- zu Hause = fixed phrase meaning "at home" (not nach Hause, which means "home-ward")
Er nimmt* den Bus, weil** er nicht fahren*** kann.
He takes the bus because he can't drive.
- * nimmt = er-form of nehmen — vowel change e → i; also note mm
- ** weil = subordinating conjunction — finite verb moves to the end of the clause
- *** fahren = infinitive; after modal kann, the infinitive goes to the end (Satzklammer)
Practice questions for The core German verbs
What does the German verb 'gehen' mean in English?
What is the German verb for 'to see'?