⏱️ 2 min practice • 🔥 CEFR A1

kommen

Strong Verb (Ablaut o-a-o) Level A1 ⭐ #6 Most Common

English translation: to come / to arrive / to originate from

Stem Pattern: kommt, kam, gekommen / auxiliary: SEIN
💡 Key Usage Note: Takes 'sein' in compound tenses because it indicates motion/displacement: 'Er ist gekommen'.
📘 Linguistic Rule: Strong verb of Class 4. Präteritum: kam. Partizip II: gekommen.
⚖️ Kommen vs. Gehen (Coming vs. Going)
View GEHEN →
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Präsens (Present)

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Subject Pronoun Conjugation Audio
ich komme
du kommst
er/sie/es kommt
wir kommen
ihr kommt
sie/Sie kommen
Example Sentences in Context
  • Woher kommst du? — Ich komme aus Berlin. — Where do you come from? — I come from Berlin.
💡 Tip: Click any row's audio button to hear native pronunciation
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AI Smart Tutor: 'KOMMEN' Insights

Linguistic breakdowns & native shortcuts

Smart Tips
🧠 Memory Trick (Mnemonic)

Cognate with English 'come' (come, came, come).

⚠️ Most Common Student Mistake
✗ Don't say: Er hat gestern spät gekommen.
✓ Say instead: Er ist gestern spät gekommen.

Why: Kommen is a motion verb indicating displacement and MUST take the auxiliary 'sein', never 'haben'.

🗣️ Essential Native Idioms with 'kommen'
Aus dem Häuschen sein

= To be beside oneself with joy

"Sie ist ganz aus dem Häuschen."

Zur Sache kommen

= To get to the point

"Kommen wir bitte zur Sache."

🎴 Flashcard Practice Mode

Flip through pronouns to test active recall for 'kommen'

1 / 24
Präsens
ich

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Answer
komme

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Frequently Asked Questions: KOMMEN

Is "kommen" a regular or irregular verb in German? ▾

"kommen" is classified as a Strong Verb (Ablaut o-a-o) verb in German. Its characteristic conjugation pattern is "kommt, kam, gekommen / auxiliary: SEIN". Strong verb of Class 4. Präteritum: kam. Partizip II: gekommen. Takes 'sein' in compound tenses because it indicates motion/displacement: 'Er ist gekommen'.

What does "kommen" mean in English? ▾

In English, "kommen" translates primarily to "to come / to arrive / to originate from". In natural speech, it is commonly used across CEFR level A1 contexts for everyday communication.

What is the most frequent mistake learners make with "kommen"? ▾

A frequent error is saying "Er hat gestern spät gekommen." instead of "Er ist gestern spät gekommen.". Why? Kommen is a motion verb indicating displacement and MUST take the auxiliary 'sein', never 'haben'.

What are common idioms or expressions with "kommen"? ▾

A popular idiom is "Aus dem Häuschen sein" which means "To be beside oneself with joy" (e.g. "Sie ist ganz aus dem Häuschen.").

How can I practice and memorize "kommen" conjugations? ▾

Use Verbpedia's built-in interactive flashcards, pronounce each form using native Web Speech audio, and complete the instant mini-quiz below. You can also print a distraction-free A4 cheat sheet using the Print button above.

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Quick Practice: Fill in the Blanks

Test your understanding of 'kommen' across tenses

Interactive Quiz
Question 1 ()

Which auxiliary does German 'kommen' take in the Perfekt tense?

Other Important German Verbs to Study

sein Irregular

to be

haben Irregular

to have

werden Irregular

to become / will (future auxiliary)

können Irregular

can / to be able to

gehen Irregular

to go / to walk

sehen Strong Verb

to see / look

wissen Irregular (Preterite-Present)

to know (facts/information)

bleiben Strong Verb

to stay / remain

geben Strong Verb

to give / there is (es gibt)

sprechen Strong Verb

to speak / talk

fahren Strong Verb

to drive / ride / travel

helfen Irregular (e -> i / Dativ)

to help (takes dative)

nehmen Irregular (e -> imm)

to take

schreiben Strong Verb (Ablaut Class 1: ei-ie-ie)

to write

laufen Strong Verb (Ablaut au-äu / ie / au)

to run / to walk / to function

bringen Mixed Verb (Gemischtes Verb)

to bring / to take to

trinken Strong Verb (Class 3 Ablaut: i-a-u)

to drink

denken Mixed Verb (Gemischtes Verb)

to think

sollen Modalverb (Modal)

should / ought to / to be supposed to

dürfen Modalverb (Modal)

may / to be allowed to / to have permission

finden Strong Verb (Ablaut i-a-u)

to find / to consider / to think of

wollen Modalverb (Modal)

to want / to intend

stehen Strong Verb (Ablaut e-a-a)

to stand / to be situated / to suit

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