Verbs

The following is a list of common verbs that follow the rule of dropping the infinitive
ending.
1. beginnen to begin
3. lachen to laugh
5. besuchen to visit
7. leben to live
9. bezahlen to pay
11.lieben to love
13.blhen to bloom
15.machen to make, to do
17.brauchen to need
19.probieren to try
21.danken to thank
23.prfen to test
25.decken to cover, to set (the
table)
27.rauchen to smoke
29.dienen to serve
31.hngen to hang
33.wohnen to live, reside
35.hoffen to hope
37.zahlen to pay
39.kommen to come

2. sagen to say
4. erklren to explain
6. schauen to look
8. erzhlen to tell
10.schicken to send
12.fragen to ask
14.spielen to play
16.gehen to go
18.suchen to look for, to search
20.gehorchen to obey
22.weinen to cry
24.glauben to believe
26.wiederholen to repeat
28.sagen to say
30.erklren to explain
32.zhlen to count
34.hren to hear
36.zeigen to show, point
38.horchen to listen
40.

Verb Stems Ending in -s, -ss, -, -z, or tz :

When the stem of the verb ends in -s, -ss, -, -z, or -tz, the -s- of the second-person
singular is dropped (reisendu reist; sitzendu sitzt). The following list of common
verbs fall into this category:
beeinussen to inuence
reisen to travel
beien to bite
gieen to pour
tanzen to dance
sitzen to sit
reien to tear
schlieen to close
Sich setzen to sit down

putzen to clean
verschmutzen to pollute
heien to be called
panzen to plant
verletzen to injure
genieen to enjoy
besitzen to own
beweisen to prove

Verb Stems Ending in -t, -d, or -n

When the stem of the verb ends in -t,-d,or -n, an -e-is inserted between the stem
and the ending of the verb in the second- and third-person singular and in the
second-person plural, to aid in pronunciation. Arbeiten (To Work)
Zeichnen (To Draw)
du arbeitest

zeichnest

er arbeitet

zeichnet

ihr arbeitet

zeichnet

antworten to answer
einladen to invite
arbeiten to work
erwarten to expect
berichten to report
reden to talk
beten to pray
berichten to report
warten to wait

baden to bathe
finden to find
beantworten to answer a question/letter
(sich) frchten to be afraid, to fear
bedeuten to mean
heiraten to marry
beobachten to notice, to watch
sich einbilden to imagine
zeichnen to draw

Verb Stems Ending in -el or -er

the infinitive ending is only -n. The -e in the firstperson singular is often dropped,
especially in speech. lcheln ich lchle I smile
Here are a few verbs belonging to this smaller group:
schtteln to shake
feiern to celebrate
steuern to steer
stern to whisper
verbessern to correct

ndern to change
lcheln to smile
(sich) erinnern to remember, to remind
wandern to hike, wander
klingeln to ring (a bell)