The Conjugation of "Werden" (to become) in German

A caterpillar becomes a moth. Getty Images / Science Photo Library
By
Hyde Flippo
Hyde Flippo
German Expert
Hyde Flippo taught the German language for 28 years at high school and college levels and published several books on the German language and culture.
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Updated on February 26, 2020

The verb werden (to become) conjugated in all its tenses

Present Tense

DEUTSCH ENGLISH
ich werde I become
du wirst you (fam.) become
er wird
sie wird
es wird		 he becomes
she becomes
it becomes
wir werden we become
ihr werdet you (guys) become
sie werden they become
Sie werden you become

NOTE: The verb "werden" is used in combination with other verbs to form the future tense, the passive voice, and the subjunctive. Here are several examples:

Wir werden es kaufen. We will buy it. (future)
Der Brief wird geschrieben. The letter is being written. (passive)
Was würden Sie tun? What would you do? (subjunctive)

Simple Past Tense - Imperfekt

DEUTSCH ENGLISH
ich wurde I became
du wurdest you (fam.) became
er wurde
sie wurde
es wurde		 he became
she became
it became
wir wurden we became
ihr wurdet you (guys) became
sie wurden they became
Sie wurden you became

Past Tense (Pres. Perfect) - Perfekt

DEUTSCH ENGLISH
ich bin geworden I became/have become
du bist geworden you (fam.) became
have become
er ist geworden
sie ist geworden
es ist geworden		 he became/has become
she became/has become
it became/has become
wir sind geworden we became/have become
ihr seid geworden you (guys) became
have become
sie sind geworden they became/have become
Sie sind geworden you became/have become

Past Perfect - Plusquamperfekt

DEUTSCH ENGLISH
ich war geworden I had become
du warst geworden you (fam.) had become
er war geworden
sie war geworden
es war geworden		 he had become
she had become
it had become
wir waren geworden we had become
ihr wart geworden you (guys) had become
sie waren geworden they had become
Sie waren geworden you had become

Future Tense - Futur

DEUTSCH ENGLISH
ich werde werden I will become
du wirst werden you (fam.) will become
er wird werden
sie wird werden
es wird werden		 he will become
she will become
it will become
wir werden werden we will become
ihr werdet werden you (guys) will become
sie werden werden they will become
Sie werden werden you will become

Future Perfect - Futur II

DEUTSCH ENGLISH
ich werde geworden sein I will have become
du wirst geworden sein you (fam.) will have become
er wird geworden sein
sie wird geworden sein
es wird geworden sein		 he will have become
she will have become
it will have become
wir werden geworden sein we will have become
ihr werdet geworden sein you (guys) will
have become
sie werden geworden sein they will have become
Sie werden geworden sein you will have become

Commands - Imperativ

DEUTSCH ENGLISH
(du) werde! become/get
(ihr) werdet! become/get
werden Sie! become/get
werden wir! let's become/get

Subjunctive I - Konjunktiv I

The subjunctive is a mood, not a tense. The Subjunctive I (Konjunktiv I) is based on the infinitive form of the verb. It is most often used to express indirect quotation (indirekte Rede).

DEUTSCH ENGLISH
ich werde (würde)* I become
du werdest you become
er werde
sie werde
es werde		 he becomes
she becomes
it becomes
wir werden (würden)* we become
ihr werdet you (guys) become
sie werden (würden)* they become
Sie werden (würden)* you become

*NOTE: Because the Subjunctive I (<strong>Konjunktiv I</strong>) of werden and some other verbs is sometimes identical to the indicative (normal) form, the Subjunctive II is sometimes substituted, as in the items marked.

Subjunctive II - Konjunktiv II

The Subjunctive II (Konjunktiv II) expresses wishful thinking, contrary-to-reality situations and is used to express politeness. The Subjunctive II is based on the simple past tense (Imperfekt).

DEUTSCH ENGLISH
ich würde I would become
du würdest you would become
er würde
sie würde
es würde		 he would become
she would become
it would become
wir würden we would become
ihr würdet you (guys) would become
sie würden they would become
Sie würden you would become

NOTE: The Subjunctive form of "werden" is often used in combination with other verbs to form the conditional mood (Konditional). Here are several examples:

  • Sie würden es kaufen - you would buy it
  • Was würden Sie tun? - What would you do?
  • ich würde nach Berlin (fahren) - I would go to Berlin
  • ich würde gerufen haben - I would have called

Since the Subjunctive is a mood and not a tense, it can also be used in various tenses. Below are several examples.

  • ich sei geworden - I am said to have become
  • ich wäre geworden - I would have become
  • sie wären geworden - they would have become
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Flippo, Hyde. "The Conjugation of "Werden" (to become) in German." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/the-conjugation-of-werden-in-german-4071590. Flippo, Hyde. (2023, April 5). The Conjugation of "Werden" (to become) in German. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/the-conjugation-of-werden-in-german-4071590 Flippo, Hyde. "The Conjugation of "Werden" (to become) in German." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/the-conjugation-of-werden-in-german-4071590 (accessed May 30, 2023).
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