Frequently Asked German Questions
'Haben' or 'Sein' with the Verb 'Fahren' in German Past Tense?
For example, the sentence "Ich bin nach Berlin gefahren."
When using the verb 'fahren' in the German past tense, 'sein' is the correct auxiliary verb to indicate movement or travel, such as in 'Ich bin nach Berlin gefahren' which means 'I traveled to Berlin'. The choice of 'sein' over 'haben' is pivotal in such contexts because 'fahren' is an intransitive verb that implies a change of location, a state where 'sein' is appropriate to express the action. However, in the sentence 'Ich habe das Auto gefahren' ('I have driven the car'), it uses 'haben' because it emphasizes the action of driving a specific object – the car. Understanding the nuances of 'haben' and 'sein' helps in accurately conveying past actions and is essential for fluency in German.
Challenge me!Related Challenges
Which auxiliary verb correctly completes the sentence to fit the context given?
Was ist Ihr Lieblingsrestaurant, in dem Sie gegessen ____?
Which auxiliary verb correctly completes the sentence to fit the context given?
Ich ____ nach Hause gelaufen.
Which auxiliary verb correctly completes the sentence to fit the context given?
Ich ____ schon zum Bahnhof gefahren.
Which auxiliary verb correctly completes the sentence to fit the context given?
Meine Schwester ____ zum Supermarkt gegangen.
Which auxiliary verb correctly completes the sentence to fit the context given?
Das Kind ____ das ganze Eis aufgegessen.
Which auxiliary verb correctly completes the sentence to fit the context given?
Die Katze ____ den ganzen Tag geschlafen.
Which auxiliary verb correctly completes the sentence to fit the context given?
Ich ____ einen Kuchen gebacken.
Which auxiliary verb correctly completes the sentence to fit the context given?
Die Kinder ____ im Park gespielt.
Which auxiliary verb correctly completes the sentence to fit the context given?
Mein Bruder ____ gestern schwimmen gegangen.
Which auxiliary verb correctly completes the sentence to fit the context given?
Der Hund ____ im Garten gespielt.