Strong Verbs

(Involves the infinitive, simple past, present)

The vowel in the infinitive and the consonants following it dictate the class
N = m, n = nasals
L = l, r = liquids
R = m, n , l, r = resonants

Class I Drive conjugation Class V Give conjugation

bleiben, blieb, geblieben essen, a, gegessen
reiten, ritt, geritten geben, gab, gegeben
ei in the stem in the infinitive e/i followed by single consonant thats not resonant
(ei-ie-ie/i)
Class II Choose conjugation Class VI Shake conjugation
ziehen, zog, gezogen fahren, fuhr, gefahren
fliegen, flog, geflogen shlagen, schlug, geschlagen
ie in the stem in the infinitive a in infinitive
(ie-o-o) a, u, a
Class III Bind conjugation Class VII Fall conjugation
e/i followed by a resonant (&h) & another consonant schlafen, schlief, geschlafen
a) finden, fand, gefunden heien, hie, geheien
binden, band, gebunden x, ie, x (many vowels in infinitive, but ie in participle)
i followed by a resonant (& h) & another consonant Two exceptions where ie shortened:
regular (i-a-u) fangen, fing, gefangen
with substitution of o in participle (i-a-o) hngen, hing, gehangen
with substitution of o in preterite and participle (i-o-o)
b) sterben, starb, gestorben
helfen, half, geholfen
e followed by a resonant (& h) & another consonant
regular (e-a-o)
with substitution of o in preterite (e-o-o)
c) beginnen, began, begonnen
mixed
Class IV Bear conjugation [Some other exceptions exist]
stehlen, stahl, gestohlen
nehmen, nahm, genommen
single resonant, often h to indicate long vowel