Frequently Asked German Questions

'Haben' or 'Sein' with the Verb 'Spielen' in German Past Tense with Plural Subject?

Home > German Language > 'Haben' or 'Sein' with the Verb 'Spielen' in German Past Tense with Plural Subject?

For example, the sentence "Die Kinder haben im Park gespielt."

In the case of 'spielen' which is an action verb, we typically use 'haben' as an auxiliary verb when forming the past tense. Thus, 'Die Kinder haben im Park gespielt' (The children played in the park) is the correct sentence. 'Sein' is usually used with verbs that depict movement or state change, which is not the case with 'spielen'. Understanding the appropriate usage of 'haben' and 'sein' forms a fundamental part mastering past tense in the German language.

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