⏱️ 2 min practice • 🔥 CEFR A1

schlafen

Strong Verb Level A1 ⭐ #25 Most Common

English translation: to sleep

Stem Pattern: a -> ä (schläft) / schlief / geschlafen
💡 Key Usage Note: Umlaut in 2nd/3rd person singular: du schläfst, er schläft.
📘 Linguistic Rule: Class 7 Strong Germanic verb with a -> ä stem modification.
⚖️ Schlafen vs. Bleiben
View BLEIBEN →
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Präsens

Umlaut a -> ä in singular.

Subject Pronoun Conjugation Audio
ich schlafe
du schläfst
er / sie / es schläft
wir schlafen
ihr schlaft
sie / Sie schlafen
Example Sentences in Context
  • Das Baby schläft friedlich. — Bebek huzurla uyuyor.
💡 Tip: Click any row's audio button to hear native pronunciation
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AI Smart Tutor: 'SCHLAFEN' Insights

Linguistic breakdowns & native shortcuts

Smart Tips
🧠 Memory Trick (Mnemonic)

English cognate 'sleep' (schlafen).

⚠️ Most Common Student Mistake
✗ Don't say: Er schlaft tief.
✓ Say instead: Er schläft tief.

Why: Stem vowel a becomes ä in 3rd person singular: schläft.

🗣️ Essential Native Idioms with 'schlafen'
Darüber muss ich eine Nacht schlafen

= I need to sleep on it before deciding

"Gute Idee, aber ich muss eine Nacht darüber schlafen."

🎴 Flashcard Practice Mode

Flip through pronouns to test active recall for 'schlafen'

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Präsens
ich

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Answer
schlafe

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Frequently Asked Questions: SCHLAFEN

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

"schlafen" is classified as a Strong Verb verb in German. Its characteristic conjugation pattern is "a -> ä (schläft) / schlief / geschlafen". Class 7 Strong Germanic verb with a -> ä stem modification. Umlaut in 2nd/3rd person singular: du schläfst, er schläft.

What does "schlafen" mean in English? ▾

In English, "schlafen" translates primarily to "to sleep". In natural speech, it is commonly used across CEFR level A1 contexts for everyday communication.

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

A frequent error is saying "Er schlaft tief." instead of "Er schläft tief.". Why? Stem vowel a becomes ä in 3rd person singular: schläft.

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

A popular idiom is "Darüber muss ich eine Nacht schlafen" which means "I need to sleep on it before deciding" (e.g. "Gute Idee, aber ich muss eine Nacht darüber schlafen.").

How can I practice and memorize "schlafen" 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 'schlafen' across tenses

Interactive Quiz
Question 1 (Präsens)

Wie lange ___ du am Wochenende?

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

kommen Strong Verb (Ablaut o-a-o)

to come / to arrive / to originate from

stehen Strong Verb (Ablaut e-a-a)

to stand / to be situated / to suit

lassen Irregular (Modal-like)

to let / to allow / to leave behind

beginnen Inseparable Strong Verb

to begin / to start

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