„Werden“ is an important verb in German that is used in a number of different ways. It can be used as a main verb (meaning "to become") or as helping verb when constructing the future tense, passive voice, or subjunctive 2. This page talks about when and how to use „werden“, along with a number of examples.
Using „Werden“
The verb „werden“ can be used in different situations:
A Main Verb
Use with a noun:
- „Ich werde später Polizist.“
- „Du wirst bestimmt ein Feuerwehrmann.“
Use with an adjective:
- „Autos werden immer schneller.“
- „Dein Deutsch wird immer besser.“
As a main verb it means "to become".
As Auxiliary Verb
Future 1: „Ich werde morgen zu dir kommen.“
Passive: „Der Kuchen wird gebacken.“
Subjunctive 2: „Er würde gern Millionär sein.“
When „werden“ is used in these constructions, it doesn't have any meaning of its own. It is just used to signal what tense is being used. For more information on how to use „werden“ in these situations, look at the individual pages on the Future 1 , Passive and Subjunctive 2.
Recommendation: Tenses + Subjunctive 2
„Werden“ is used here to form the form, but has no meaning of its own. You can find out exactly how „werden“ is used as an Auxiliary verb in the individual forms in the presentations Future Tense 1, Passive and the Subjunctive 2.
Conjugating „Werden“
„Worden“ or „geworden“?
When do I use „worden“ and when „geworden“?
When using the Perfect Tense with „werden“ as the main verb (i.e. "He has become a teacher."), use „geworden“.
When using the Perfect Tense in the Passive voice (i.e. "The cake has been baked."), use „worden“.
Recommendation: The Passive
If you're new to the Passive voice, I recommend my lessons on the Passive voice:
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Related Topics:
Entire lesson in German only: Das Verb „werden”
You can find more lessons on Verbs here:
- Was sind Verben? (What are Verbs?)
- Starke Verben (Strong Verbs)
- „sein“ und „haben“ ("sein" and "haben")
- Reflexive Verben (Reflexive Verbs)
- Trennbare & Untrennbare Verben (Separable & Inseparable Verbs)
- Modalverben (Modal Verbs)
- Partizip 1 (Present Participle)
- Partizip 2 (Past Participle)
- Das Verb „lassen” (Verb "lassen")
- Imperativ (Imperative)
- Konjunktiv 1 (Subjunctive 1)
- Konjunktiv 2 (Subjunctive 2)
- Das Passiv (Passive Voice)
- Vorgangspassiv (Process Passive)
- Das Passiv in allen zeitformen (Process Passive in all tenses)
- Verben ohne Passiv (Verbs without Passive voice)
- Zustandpassiv (Status Passive)
- Das unpersönliche Passiv (Impersonal Passive)
- Verben mit Ergänzungen (Verbs with Complements)
- Verben mit Nominativ (Verbs with Nominative)
- Verben mit Akkusativ (Verbs with Accusative)
- Verben mit doppeltem Akkusativ (Verbs with double Accusative)
- Verben mit Dativ (Verbs with Dative)
- Verben mit Akkusativ & Dativ (Verbs with Accusative & Dative)
- Verben mit Genitiv (Verbs with Genitive)
- Verben mit Präpositionen (Verbs with Prepositions)
Lists on the topic of German verbs:
- Die 30 wichtigsten Verben mit Vokalwechsel (The 30 most important verbs with vowel change)
- Untrennbare Präfixe (Inseparable Prefixes)
- Wechselpräfixe (Two-case Prefixes)
- Unregelmäßige Partizip 2 Formen (Irregular Participle 2 forms)
- Nomen-Verb-Verbindungen (Noun-Verb compounds)
You can find an overview of all topics under German Grammar.
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