What's included here
Practise conjugating the German verb sein (to be) in the present tense with these free A1 exercises. You'll learn when to use bin, bist, ist, sind and seid, and practise describing people, places and everyday situations.
The verb sein (to be) is one of the first verbs you'll learn in German, and one you'll use almost every day.
It's also irregular, so you'll need to learn its different forms rather than follow the usual conjugation pattern.
Let's have a quick look at how it works before putting it into practice.
Grammar Recap: Sein Conjugation
Sein means to be. We use it to talk about who someone is, how they feel, where they are and what something is like.
Here is its present-tense conjugation:
| Personal pronoun | Sein | English |
|---|---|---|
| ich | bin | I am |
| du | bist | you are |
| er / sie / es | ist | he / she / it is |
| wir | sind | we are |
| ihr | seid | you are (plural) |
| sie | sind | they are |
| Sie | sind | you are (formal) |
The form changes depending on the subject:
Ich bin müde.
Du bist sehr freundlich.
Wir sind zu Hause.
Sein in questions
In a normal statement, the conjugated verb usually comes second:
Du bist müde.
In a yes-or-no question, it comes first:
Bist du müde?
With a question word such as wo or wer, the verb comes directly after the question word:
Wo bist du?
Remember
Don't confuse ihr seid (you are, plural) with wir sind (we are) or sie sind (they are).
Exercise 1: Choose the Correct Form
Let's start with the basics.
Choose the correct form of sein for each personal pronoun.
Exercise 2: Singular or Plural?
Now let's use sein with nouns instead of personal pronouns.
Look at the subject of each sentence. Is it one person or thing, or more than one?
Choose the correct verb form.
Exercise 3: Complete the Sentences
This time, type the correct form of sein yourself.
Pay attention to the subject, especially the difference between sind and seid.
Exercise 4: Ask a Question
Let's practise using sein in questions.
Choose the correct word order. Remember that yes-or-no questions begin with the verb, while questions with wo, wer or wie begin with the question word.
Exercise 5: Change the Subject
For the final exercise, let's practise changing sentences.
Each sentence has a new subject in brackets. Rewrite the complete sentence with the correct form of sein.
The End
You've practised conjugating sein with personal pronouns, singular and plural nouns, and questions.
The most important forms to remember are ich bin, du bist, er/sie/es ist, wir sind, ihr seid and sie/Sie sind. You'll use them constantly in everyday German.
For more practice, explore our other exercises, or start our free German A1 course.