{"id":19665,"date":"2019-01-20T04:23:59","date_gmt":"2019-01-20T14:23:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/resources.german.lsa.umich.edu\/?page_id=19665"},"modified":"2025-08-27T14:13:27","modified_gmt":"2025-08-27T14:13:27","slug":"werden","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.lsa.umich.edu\/german-resources\/grammatik\/werden\/","title":{"rendered":"Werden"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/span>
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Werden<\/h1>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Summary of the Uses of “werden”<\/a>\nConjugation Tables<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Related Topic: Passive<\/a> (includes diagnostic and practice exercises on this topic)<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Indicative<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are three possibilities if the sentence contains the verb werden <\/i>in the indicative:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>(a) Become<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

If the clause contains no other verb<\/strong>, werden <\/i>is being used as an independent verb. In this case it means to become<\/i>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ach, wie klein du geworden bist<\/strong>!<\/td>My, how small you’ve become<\/strong>! [try this on growing kids]<\/td><\/tr>
Was m\u00f6chtest du einmal werden<\/strong>?<\/td>What would you like to become<\/strong> one day?<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>(b) Future<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

If the clause contains another verb in the infinitive<\/strong>, werden <\/i>is being used as an auxiliary to indicate the future tense<\/strong>. Note that the other verb could be a modal, or a modal + infinitive (third example), or it could even be werden <\/i>itself (see the second example).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mehr und mehr Leute werden<\/strong> Computer kaufen<\/strong>.<\/td>More and more people will buy<\/strong> computers.<\/td><\/tr>
Computer werden<\/strong> immer besser werden<\/strong>.<\/td>Computers will become<\/strong> better and better.<\/td><\/tr>
Eines Tages werden<\/strong> Computer uns Deutsch beibringen k\u00f6nnen.<\/strong><\/td>One day, computers will be able to teach<\/strong> us German.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If the sentence contains haben <\/i>or sein <\/i>in the infinitive<\/strong> together with a past participle<\/strong>, werden <\/i>is being used as an auxiliary to indicate the future perfect tense [what will have<\/strong> happened]. Do not confuse this with option (c) below, where werden<\/i>+ a past participle<\/strong> (but no<\/strong> infinitive of haben <\/i>or sein<\/i>) indicates the passive<\/strong>! We don’t talk much about the future perfect tense, but here are two examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wenn du ankommst, wird<\/strong> das gute Essen schon verschwunden <\/strong>sein.<\/strong><\/td>When you arrive, the good food will<\/strong> already have disappeared<\/strong>.<\/td><\/tr>
Die anderen werden<\/strong> schon alles gegessen haben<\/strong>.<\/td>The others will<\/strong> already have eaten<\/strong> everything.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>(c) Passive<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

If the clause contains a past participle<\/strong>, werden <\/i>is being used to indicate the passive<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Das Essen ist<\/strong> in der Kantine gekocht worden<\/strong>. [perfect tense]<\/td>The food was cooked<\/strong> in the cafeteria.<\/td><\/tr>
Dann wurde<\/strong> es von den Studenten gegessen<\/strong>.  [narrative\/simple past]<\/td>Then it was eaten<\/strong> by the students.<\/td><\/tr>
Im Moment wird<\/strong> es verdaut<\/strong>. [present]<\/td>At the moment it is being digested<\/strong>.<\/td><\/tr>
Morgen wird<\/strong> wieder etwas anderes gekocht werden<\/strong>. [future]<\/td>Tomorrow, something else will be cooked<\/strong>.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Zur\u00fcck nach oben<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Subjunctive II<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

All of the above applies in the same way if werden <\/i>is in the subjunctive. By itself, it then means “would become<\/i>“; with a past participle it indicates the various passive tenses (now in the subjunctive). To say “would become<\/strong>,” use w\u00fcrde <\/i>by itself or w\u00fcrde werden<\/i>. W\u00fcrde + infinitive <\/i>indicates the present subjunctive <\/strong>(what someone would do), and so can refer to what someone would do now or<\/strong> what s\/he would do in the future, depending on the context. Subjunctive forms of werden <\/i>combined with past participles<\/strong> indicate subjunctive forms of the passive voice<\/strong>. We don’t emphasize this much in class and so there will be just one example here, but it should make sense in principle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Was w\u00fcrdest<\/strong> du werden<\/strong>, wenn Geld egal w\u00e4re?”
— “Ich w\u00fcrde<\/strong> Touristenf\u00fchrer.”<\/td>		“What would<\/strong> you become<\/strong> if money didn’t matter?”
— “I would become<\/strong> a tourist guide.”<\/td><\/tr>
Was w\u00fcrdest<\/strong> du tun<\/strong>?<\/td>What would<\/strong> you do<\/strong>? [now or in the future, depending
on the context]<\/td><\/tr>
“Was w\u00fcrde passieren<\/strong>, wenn Rodney Dangerfield Pr\u00e4sident w\u00fcrde<\/strong>?” — “Er w\u00fcrde<\/strong> immer noch nicht respektiert werden<\/strong>!”<\/td>“What would happen<\/strong> if Rodney Dangerfield became<\/strong> President?” — “He still wouldn’t be respected<\/strong>!” [Falls [=in case] Sie Rodney Dangerfield nicht kennen: er sagt immer “Ich bekomme keinen Respekt!”]<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Zur\u00fcck nach oben<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Conjugation Tables<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Pr\u00e4sens [Present Tense]<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Perfekt [Perfect Tense\/Conversational Past]<\/a><\/td>Pr\u00e4teritum [Narrative past, Simple Past, Imperfect]<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Plusquamperfekt [Past Perfect]<\/a><\/td>Futur [Future Tense]<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Pr\u00e4sens [Present Tense]<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
ich werde<\/td>wir werden<\/td><\/tr>
du wirst<\/td>ihr werdet<\/td><\/tr>
er\/sie\/es wird<\/td>sie\/Sie werden<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Perfekt [Perfect Tense\/Conversational Past]<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
ich bin geworden<\/td>wir sind geworden<\/td><\/tr>
du bist geworden<\/td>ihr seid geworden<\/td><\/tr>
er\/sie\/es ist geworden<\/td>sie\/Sie sind geworden<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When “werden” is used to form the passive voice in the perfect tense, “geworden<\/strong>” is shortened to “worden<\/strong>“:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

R\u00f6ntgenstrahlen sind<\/strong> 1895 von Wilhelm R\u00f6ntgen entdeckt <\/strong>worden<\/strong>.<\/td>X-rays were discovered by Wilhelm R\u00f6ntgen in 1895.<\/td><\/tr>
Das Erhaltungsgesetz der Energie ist 1847 von Hermann Helmholtz offiziell formuliert worden<\/strong>.<\/td>The law of conservation of energy was officially formulated by Hermann Helmholtz in 1847.<\/td><\/tr>
Das erste Auto mit einem Verbrennungsmotor [=internal combustion engine] ist<\/strong> 1885 von Carl Benz gebaut worden<\/strong>.<\/td>The first car with an internal combustion engine was built by Carl Benz in 1885.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Pr\u00e4teritum [Narrative Past, Simple Past, Imperfect]<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Remember that this tense does not differ in meaning from the perfect tense, but is used in more formal writing, whereas the perfect tense is for more informal conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ich wurde<\/td>wir wurden<\/td><\/tr>
du wurdest<\/td>ihr wurdet<\/td><\/tr>
er\/sie\/es wurde<\/td>sie\/Sie wurden<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Plusquamperfekt [Past Perfect]<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Remember that this is the tense that is used to emphasize that a past event had<\/strong> happened before<\/strong> another past event (and so you don’t need it very often). It is formed just like the Perfekt above, using the Pr\u00e4teritum forms of sein <\/i>as an auxiliary verb instead of the present tense of sein<\/i>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ich war geworden<\/td>wir waren geworden<\/td><\/tr>
du warst geworden<\/td>ihr wart geworden<\/td><\/tr>
er\/sie\/es war geworden<\/td>sie\/Sie waren geworden<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As with the perfect tense, when “werden<\/i>” is used to form the passive voice in the past perfect tense, “geworden<\/strong>” is shortened to “worden<\/strong>“:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Im Jahre 1811, lange bevor man bei ABC die Sendung “The Mole” sehen konnte, war<\/strong> die Idee des Mols von dem italienischen Physiker Avogadro formuliert<\/strong>
worden<\/strong>. [Es gibt 6.02 x 1023<\/sup> Molek\u00fcle in einem Mol von einer Substanz]<\/td>		In the year 1811, log before one could see the show “The Mole” on ABC, the idea of the mole had been formulated by the italian physicist Avogadro. [There are 6.02 x 1023 <\/sup>molecules in one mole of a substance.]<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Futur<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The future of any verb is formed by conjugating the verb werden <\/i>in the present tense, and leaving the main verb in the infinitive. When werden <\/i>is used as an independent verb to mean “to become,” its meaning already implies the future, so you almost never need to use the future tense of werden<\/i>, but for completeness’ sake, and also because it becomes useful in the passive voice, here is how the conjugation of werden <\/i>would look like in the future tense:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ich werde werden<\/td>wir werden werden<\/td><\/tr>
du wirst werden<\/td>ihr werdet werden<\/td><\/tr>
er\/sie\/es wird werden<\/td>sie\/Sie werden werden<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In the passive voice, the above forms of werden <\/i>are combined as always with the past participle of the verb to form the future tense:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Das Hubble Teleskop wird<\/strong> noch bis etwa 2010 benutzt werden<\/strong>.<\/td>The Hubble telescope will still be used until roughly the year 2010.<\/td><\/tr>
Danach wird<\/strong> es zur\u00fcck zur Erde gebracht werden<\/strong>.<\/td>After that it will be brought back to Earth.<\/td><\/tr>
Es wird<\/strong> dann im Smithsonian Institute ausgestellt werden<\/strong>.<\/td>It will then be exhibited at the Smithsonian Institute.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Zur\u00fcck nach oben<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary of the Uses of “werden” Indicative Become Future Passive Subjunctive II Conjugation Tables Related Topic: Passive (includes diagnostic and practice exercises on this topic) Indicative There are three possibilities if the sentence contains the verb werden in the indicative: (a) Become If the clause contains no other verb, werden is being used as an independent verb. In this case… Continue reading Werden<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":0,"parent":19599,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"tw-no-title.php","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-19665","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","entry"],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false,"post-thumbnail":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Jessica Darga","author_link":"https:\/\/sites.lsa.umich.edu\/german-resources\/author\/jadarga\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Summary of the Uses of “werden” Indicative Become Future Passive Subjunctive II Conjugation Tables Related Topic: Passive (includes diagnostic and practice exercises on this topic) Indicative There are three possibilities if the sentence contains the verb werden in the indicative: (a) Become If the clause contains no other verb, werden is being used as an independent verb. In this case……","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.lsa.umich.edu\/german-resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19665","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.lsa.umich.edu\/german-resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.lsa.umich.edu\/german-resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.lsa.umich.edu\/german-resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/44"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.lsa.umich.edu\/german-resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19665"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/sites.lsa.umich.edu\/german-resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19665\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":45361,"href":"https:\/\/sites.lsa.umich.edu\/german-resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19665\/revisions\/45361"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.lsa.umich.edu\/german-resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19599"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.lsa.umich.edu\/german-resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19665"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}