sprechen
to speak
An irregular verb meaning 'to speak' with stem change e→i (du sprichst, er spricht). Used with languages: 'Ich spreche Deutsch'. Different from 'sagen' (to say content) and 'reden' (to talk/chat).
Conjugation
Present Tense (Präsens)
| Pronomen | Form |
|---|---|
| ich | spreche |
| du | sprichst |
| er/sie/es | spricht |
| wir | sprechen |
| ihr | sprecht |
| sie/Sie | sprechen |
Simple Past (Präteritum)
| Pronomen | Form |
|---|---|
| ich | sprach |
| du | sprachst |
| er/sie/es | sprach |
| wir | sprachen |
| ihr | spracht |
| sie/Sie | sprachen |
Perfect (Perfekt)
| Auxiliary | Partizip II |
|---|---|
| haben | gesprochen |
z.B.: Ich habe gesprochen
Imperative (Imperativ)
| du | ihr | Sie |
|---|---|---|
| sprich | sprecht | sprechen Sie |
Example Sentences
Sprechen Sie Deutsch?
Do you speak German? (formal)
Kann ich bitte mit Herrn Müller sprechen?
Can I please speak with Mr. Müller?
Wir haben über das Problem gesprochen.
We talked about the problem.
Usage Tips
'sprechen' + language (no article): 'Ich spreche Deutsch' (NOT 'Ich spreche das Deutsch'). Also: 'sprechen mit' (talk with someone) and 'sprechen über' (talk about something).
Common Mistakes
Forgetting stem change: 'du sprechst'
Related Verbs
Related Grammar
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