A1Irregular

gehen

to go

One of the most common German verbs meaning 'to go' on foot. Irregular in Präteritum (ging) and uses 'sein' in Perfekt. Also used in many idiomatic expressions like 'Wie geht's?' (How are you?).

Conjugation

Present Tense (Präsens)

Pronomen	Form
ich	gehe
du	gehst
er/sie/es	geht
wir	gehen
ihr	geht
sie/Sie	gehen

Simple Past (Präteritum)

Pronomen	Form
ich	ging
du	gingst
er/sie/es	ging
wir	gingen
ihr	gingt
sie/Sie	gingen

Perfect (Perfekt)

Auxiliary	Partizip II
sein	gegangen

z.B.: Ich bin gegangen

Imperative (Imperativ)

du	ihr	Sie
geh(e)	geht	gehen Sie

Example Sentences

Ich gehe jeden Tag zur Arbeit.

I go to work every day.

Wir sind gestern ins Kino gegangen.

We went to the cinema yesterday.

Wie geht es Ihnen?

How are you? (formal)

Usage Tips

'gehen' uses 'sein' in Perfekt (ich bin gegangen), not 'haben'. This applies to all verbs of motion where the subject changes location.

Common Mistakes

Using 'haben' in Perfekt: 'Ich habe gegangen'

Fix: Motion verbs use 'sein': 'Ich bin gegangen'

Related Verbs

kommen(A1)fahren(A2)laufen(A2)

Explore More

Tools

Helpful tools for anyone learning German. No signup required.

Grammar

92 grammar topics organized by CEFR level, from A1 beginner to C1 advanced. Each topic includes examples, common mistakes, and learning tips.

Alternatives

See how de-de works alongside popular German learning tools.

Pronunciation

Master German sounds with IPA guides and practice tips.

Use Cases

German courses tailored to your goals.

News

10 daily news from Germany, adapted to your language level

Ready to speak German?

Start your AI-powered German course today. No subscription — just your OpenAI API key (~$0.50/week).