leben
to live; to be alive
Leben describes living or being alive and can have a broader meaning than wohnen.
| Person | PresentPräsens | Simple pastPräteritum | PerfectPerfekt |
|---|---|---|---|
| ich | lebe | lebte | habe gelebt |
| du | lebst | lebtest | hast gelebt |
| er / sie / es | lebt | lebte | hat gelebt |
| wir | leben | lebten | haben gelebt |
| ihr | lebt | lebtet | habt gelebt |
| sie / Sie | leben | lebten | haben gelebt |
On a small screen, swipe the table sideways. Tap or focus a German form for its meaning.
Learn these together
leben · ich lebte · ich habe gelebt
Using the table
The rows cover the six person/number patterns. Formal Sie uses the same verb form as plural sie, with its capital letter retained in a sentence. German Perfekt often translates naturally as an English simple past, so choose the meaning from context.
These are ordinary main-clause forms. A separable prefix stays joined with its verb in a verb-final subordinate clause. Modal verbs with another governed infinitive use the separate double-infinitive pattern rather than mechanically keeping the standalone perfect forms above.