When to Use "Haben" and "Sein" in German

This section explains When to Use "Haben" and "Sein" in the prefect tense in German. The perfect tense (Perfekt) is used to talk about actions that have already happened or events that have been completed in the past. In German, the perfect tense is formed using an auxiliary verb (either "haben" or "sein") and a past participle of the main verb. The choice of auxiliary verb depends on the type of verb in the sentence.

When to Use "Haben" and "Sein" in the Perfect Tense

• "Haben" is the most commonly used auxiliary verb in the perfect tense.
• "Sein" is used less frequently, but it has specific situations where it is needed.

Using "Haben" as the Auxiliary Verb

"Haben" is used with most verbs in the perfect tense. It is used for:

1. Transitive verbs (verbs that require a direct object).
2. Reflexive verbs (verbs that involve the subject performing the action on themselves).
3. Most intransitive verbs (verbs that do not express movement or a change of state).

Examples of Verbs that Use "Haben":

• Transitive verbs (verbs with a direct object):
  • Ich habe das Buch gelesen.
    (I have read the book.)
  • Sie hat den Film gesehen.
    (She has seen the film.)
• Reflexive verbs:
  • Ich habe mich erinnert.
    (I have remembered.)
  • Wir haben uns gewaschen.
    (We have washed ourselves.)
• Most intransitive verbs (verbs that don’t indicate movement or a change of state):
  • Ich habe gestern gearbeitet.
    (I worked yesterday.)
  • Er hat viel gegessen.
    (He has eaten a lot.)

Using "Sein" as the Auxiliary Verb

"Sein" is used as the auxiliary verb in the perfect tense with certain intransitive verbs (verbs that do not have a direct object). These include:

1. Verbs of movement (e.g., gehen – to go, fahren – to drive).
2. Verbs of change of state (e.g., werden – to become, sterben – to die).
3. Some intransitive verbs that don’t fit into the above categories (e.g., bleiben – to stay, passieren – to happen).

Examples of Verbs that Use "Sein":

• Verbs of movement:
  • Ich bin nach Hause gegangen.
    (I have gone home.)
  • Wir sind in den Urlaub gefahren.
    (We have travelled on holiday.)
• Verbs of change of state:
  • Sie ist älter geworden.
    (She has grown older.)
  • Er ist krank geworden.
    (He has become ill.)
• Some intransitive verbs:
  • Er ist gestern angekommen.
    (He arrived yesterday.)
  • Die Sonne ist untergegangen.
    (The sun has set.)
  • Wir sind zu Hause geblieben.
    (We stayed at home.)
  • Transitive verbs (verbs with a direct object).
  • Reflexive verbs (verbs that reflect the action back on the subject).
  • Most intransitive verbs that do not express movement or a change of state.
  • Verbs of movement (e.g., gehen – to go, fahren – to drive).
  • Verbs of change of state (e.g., werden – to become, sterben – to die).
  • Some other intransitive verbs, such as bleiben (to stay) or passieren (to happen).
  • Ich habe das Mittagessen gegessen.
    (I have eaten lunch.)
  • Er hat einen Film gesehen.
    (He has seen a film.)
  • Sie hat in Berlin gewohnt.
    (She has lived in Berlin.)
  • Wir haben das Spiel gewonnen.
    (We have won the game.)
  • Ich bin nach Hause gekommen.
    (I have come home.)
  • Du bist schnell gelaufen.
    (You (singular) have run quickly.)
  • Wir sind nach Frankfurt gefahren.
    (We have gone to Frankfurt.)
  • Er ist nach dem Unfall ins Krankenhaus gegangen.
    (He went to the hospital after the accident.)
  • Ich habe die ganze Woche gearbeitet.
    (I have worked all week.)
  • Er hat das Problem endlich gelöst.
    (He has finally solved the problem.)
  • Wir haben viel über die Geschichte gelernt.
    (We have learned a lot about history.)
  • Sie ist nach der Schule nach Hause gegangen.
    (She has gone home after school.)
  • Wir sind nach Italien gereist.
    (We have travelled to Italy.)
  • Er ist während des Films eingeschlafen.
    (He has fallen asleep during the film.)

Key Points to Remember:

"Haben" is used with most verbs in the perfect tense, particularly:

"Sein" is used with:

Foundation Tier Examples:

With "haben":

With "sein":

Higher Tier Examples:

With "haben":

With "sein":

Summary:

• "Haben" is used for most verbs in the perfect tense, including transitive verbs, reflexive verbs, and most intransitive verbs.
• "Sein" is used for intransitive verbs that express movement or a change of state, and some other specific intransitive verbs.
• When learning the perfect tense, always check the type of verb to determine whether to use "haben" or "sein".