🎓 Prepared by students from Boğaziçi University

What are the Common German Verbs: gehen, kommen, fahren?

Gehen, kommen, and fahren are essential verbs describing movement and travel. Gehen means 'to go/walk', kommen means 'to come', and fahren means 'to drive/travel'. These are foundational vocabulary.

Short answer

Gehen means 'to go/walk', kommen means 'to come', and fahren means 'to drive/travel by vehicle'. All three are strong (irregular) verbs and appear in most conversational contexts.

Movement Verbs in Relation

1
gehen
To walk, to go on foot — most general
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2
kommen
To come — motion toward speaker/listener
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3
fahren
To drive, to travel by vehicle — requires transport

Step-by-step worked examples

Conjugate 'gehen' in present tense for all persons.

ich gehe (I walk/go)
du gehst (you walk)
er/sie/es geht (he/she/it walks)
wir gehen (we walk)
ihr geht (you walk)
sie/Sie gehen (they/you walk)

Conjugate 'kommen' in present tense.

ich komme (I come)
du kommst (you come)
er/sie/es kommt (he/she/it comes)
wir kommen (we come)
ihr kommt (you come)
sie/Sie kommen (they/you come)

Conjugate 'fahren' in present tense (note: a→ä in du/er forms).

ich fahre (I drive)
du fährst (you drive) — vowel change a→ä
er/sie/es fährt (he/she/it drives)
wir fahren (we drive)
ihr fahrt (you drive)
sie/Sie fahren (they/you drive)

Flashcards

Quick quiz

Q1.Conjugate 'gehen' for 'du'.

Correct answer: B. du form of gehen: du gehst (adds -st).

Q2.Conjugate 'kommen' for 'er'.

Correct answer: C. Third person singular: er/sie/es kommt.

Q3.What's the vowel change in 'fahren'?

Correct answer: C. fahren has vowel change a→ä in du and er forms: du fährst, er fährt.

Q4.Which sentence is correct?

Correct answer: D. ich fahre + noun (no vowel change for ich). Both 'mit Auto' and 'Auto' work; 'fahre Auto' means 'drive a car'.

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Common mistakes

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Confusing gehen (walk) with fahren (drive). — Correct: gehen = on foot, fahren = by vehicle. Both mean motion but are very different.

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Forgetting the vowel change a→ä in fahren. — Correct: fahren: ich fahre, du fährst, er fährt. The umlaut is essential.

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Using 'fahren' for all transportation. — Correct: fahren = drive/travel by vehicle. For walking, use gehen. For flight, use fliegen.

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Confusing the direction: 'Ich gehe' vs. 'Er kommt'. — Correct: gehen = general motion, kommen = coming toward speaker. Context matters.

FAQ

What are gehen, kommen, fahren?

Three essential German movement verbs: gehen (to walk/go), kommen (to come), fahren (to drive/travel by vehicle).

What is the conjugation of gehen?

ich gehe, du gehst, er/sie/es geht, wir gehen, ihr geht, sie/Sie gehen.

Does fahren have a vowel change?

Yes, a→ä in du and er/sie/es forms: du fährst, er fährt.

When should I use gehen vs. fahren?

gehen for walking/going on foot; fahren for traveling by vehicle (car, bus, train, bike).