Frequently Asked German Questions

'Haben' or 'Sein' with the Verb 'Wachsen' in German Past Tense?

Home > German Language > Auxiliary Verbs > 'Haben' or 'Sein' with the Verb 'Wachsen' in German Past Tense?

For example, the sentence "Sie sind gestern sehr schnell gewachsen."

'Wachsen' indicates a change of state (to grow) which typically requires 'sein' as the auxiliary verb in past tenses. Hence, 'Sie sind gestern sehr schnell gewachsen' (They grew very quickly yesterday) is the correct sentence. 'Haben' could be used with 'wachsen' in certain dialects or colloquial usage, but is generally considered less standard. Mastering the appropriate usage of 'haben' and 'sein' enhances the precision of expressing states and actions in the German language.

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