Präteritum in German (Simple Past Tense)

What Is Präteritum in German?

Präteritum is a German past tense that corresponds most closely to the Simple Past in English (also called the Imperfect). It describes actions, events or states that happened entirely in the past, without emphasizing a connection to the present.

Example:

• Ich ging nach Hause. → I went home.

In German grammar the terms Präteritum and Imperfekt refer to the same tense.

Präteritum vs Other German Past Tenses

German mainly uses two past tenses:

• Perfekt – preferred in spoken, everyday German
  Ich habe gegessen. → I have eaten / I ate

• Präteritum – preferred in written and formal German
  Ich aß. → I ate

Another important past tense:

• Plusquamperfekt – action completed before another past action
  Bevor ich ins Kino ging, hatte ich zu Abend gegessen. → Before I went to the cinema, I had eaten dinner.

👉 Key point: The difference between Präteritum and Perfekt is mostly about style and context, not time.

Why Learning Präteritum Is Important

Even though Perfekt dominates spoken German, Präteritum is essential because:

• 📖 It is the standard tense in written German (books, fairy tales, news)

• 🎓 It appears frequently in exams and formal texts

• 🗣️ Some verbs (sein, haben, modal verbs) are often used in Präteritum even in speech

• 🧠 It is crucial for reading comprehension

Summary:
You may speak mostly in Perfekt, but you must understand Präteritum to read German fluently.

Präteritum Formation & Conjugation

Regular (Weak) Verbs

Rule:

Example: spielen (to play)

Example sentence:

• Wir spielten den ganzen Tag. → We played all day.

Irregular (Strong) Verbs

Irregular verbs:

• Change the stem vowel

• Do not use -te

• Must be memorized

Example: gehen (to go)

Example:

• Er ging früh nach Hause. → He went home early.

Mixed Verbs

Mixed verbs combine vowel change and -te endings.

Example:

• Ich dachte an dich. → I thought of you.

Modal Verbs & Auxiliaries

These verbs are very common in Präteritum, even in spoken German.

Auxiliaries

Examples:

• Ich war müde. → I was tired.

• Sie hatte keine Zeit. → She had no time.

Modal Verbs

Common Präteritum Verbs

Regular verbs

Irregular verbs

When & Why Germans Use Präteritum

Standard Uses

Präteritum is the default tense for:

• Stories and fairy tales
  Es war einmal ein König … → Once upon a time there was a king…

• News, reports, historical texts

• Formal speeches and presentations

Habitual Past & States

Präteritum often expresses:

• Habitual past actions
  Als Kind spielte ich jeden Tag draußen. → As a child, I used to play outside every day.

• Past states or conditions
  Er war sehr krank. → He was very ill.

Spoken German Exceptions

In spoken German, Präteritum is common with:

• sein → war

• haben → hatte

• Modal verbs (musste, konnte, wollte)

Example:

• Wir mussten früh gehen. → We had to leave early.

Regional note: Spoken Präteritum is more common in Northern Germany than in the south.

Präteritum vs Perfekt: Practical Comparison

Key highlights

• Präteritum dominates written German

• Perfekt dominates spoken German

• Certain verbs (sein, haben, modals) are spoken exceptions

• Choosing the tense is about style, not correctness