wissen
to know a fact
The present singular differs sharply from the plural. Use wissen for facts or information, not as a universal replacement for kennen.
| Person | PresentPräsens | Simple pastPräteritum | PerfectPerfekt |
|---|---|---|---|
| ich | weiß | wusste | habe gewusst |
| du | weißt | wusstest | hast gewusst |
| er / sie / es | weiß | wusste | hat gewusst |
| wir | wissen | wussten | haben gewusst |
| ihr | wisst | wusstet | habt gewusst |
| sie / Sie | wissen | wussten | haben gewusst |
On a small screen, swipe the table sideways. Tap or focus a German form for its meaning.
Learn these together
wissen · ich wusste · ich habe gewusst
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.