Learning tenses of a language can be a thorn in one\u2019s side, but learning these rules is crucial to an effective study, since tenses display essential word orders, which enable you to handle a language more freely.<\/p>\n
There is only one present tense form in German and this one corresponds to all three forms that exist in English: simple present, present progressive, and the emphatic present. Here are some examples:<\/p>\n
I write \/ I am writing \/ I do write = ich schreibe<\/p>\n
I speak \/ I am speaking \/ I do speak = ich spreche<\/p>\n
I dance \/ I am dancing \/ I do dance = ich tanze<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The present tense is mainly used to<\/p>\n
(a) refer to events that are happening at the present time<\/p>\n
(b) to describe habitual actions<\/p>\n
(c) general statements.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
(a) Ich esse einen Apfel. \u2013 I am eating an apple.<\/p>\n
(b) Ich gehe zur Schule. \u2013 I go to school.<\/p>\n
(c) Berlin ist die Hauptstadt von Deutschland. \u2013 Berlin is the capital of Germany.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Further, you can even use the Pr\u00e4sens<\/em> to refer to the future. Then the future is simply indicated by the time designation, for example, morgen<\/em> (tomorrow), sp\u00e4ter<\/em> (later), bald<\/em> (soon), n\u00e4chste Woche\/n\u00e4chsten Monat\/n\u00e4chstes Jahr<\/em> (next week\/month\/year), gleich<\/em> (right away), in drei Tagen\/Wochen<\/em> (in three days\/weeks), etc.<\/p>\n Ich <\/span>gehe morgen Einkaufen. \u2013 I <\/span>(will) go shopping tomorrow.<\/p>\n Ich komme gleich nach. \u2013 I (will) follow right away.<\/p>\n Ich fahre n\u00e4chste Woche in den Urlaub. \u2013 I (will) go on holidays next week.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The word order for Pr\u00e4sens<\/em> is S<\/span>–P<\/span>–O<\/span>.<\/p>\n Ich<\/span> schreibe<\/span> einen Brief<\/span>. –\u00a0 I<\/span> am writing<\/span> a letter<\/span>.<\/p>\n Ich<\/span> trinke<\/span> eine Tasse Kaffee<\/span>. \u2013 I<\/span> am drinking<\/span> a cup of coffee<\/span>.<\/p>\n Meine Lieblingsmusik<\/span> ist<\/span> Rock und Pop<\/span>. \u2013 My favorite music<\/span> is <\/span>rock and pop<\/span>.<\/p>\n Since there is no separated tense to emphasize the moment of speaking, you can simply add the word \u201cgerade\u201d<\/strong> (meaning here: at the moment) in German in order to make clear that something is taking place at the moment of speaking. For example, \u201csie arbeitet\u201d<\/em><\/strong> does mean both \u201cshe works\u201d<\/em><\/strong> and \u201cshe is working\u201d<\/em><\/strong> and becomes \u201csie arbeitet gerade\u201d<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n When a sentence does only consist of a SUBJECT and a PREDIACATE, the word \u201cgerade\u201d is attached at the end. When a phrase consists of a SUBJECT, a PREDICATE, and an OBJECT, then the word \u201cgerade\u201d is inserted between the predicate and the object.<\/p>\n Ich schreibe gerade<\/strong> einen Brief.<\/p>\n Ich trinke gerade<\/strong> eine Tasse Kaffee.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Learning tenses of a language can be a thorn in one\u2019s side, but learning these rules is crucial to an effective study, since tenses display essential word orders, which enable you to handle a language more freely. There is only one present tense form in German and this one corresponds to all three forms that…<\/p>\n2. Word order<\/h4>\n