Genau
Topic test · A1

sein · haben · werden test

13questions
8minutes
60%pass mark
Start the test Read the topic first

One question at a time, the clock runs. Answers stay closed like a real exam: you see every correct answer with its explanation at the end. Score 60% to finish the topic.

Topic test

13 questions, easy to hard

Pick an option and press «Next». You can go back and change it. Anything left blank counts as wrong.

Du sehr nett.

You are very nice.

bist. The du row ends in -st. bis is a preposition meaning “until”, not a verb.

ihr müde?

Are you tired?

Seid. The ihr form ends in -d. seit is the preposition “since”.

“I’m 25.”

Ich bin 25. German gives age with sein. Ich werde 25 means “I’ll be 25” — right if your birthday is coming up.

“I’m a teacher.”

Ich bin Lehrer. A bare job title takes no article. With an adjective it does: ein guter Lehrer.

Es kalt. (It’s getting cold)

wird. This describes a change. Es ist kalt would be “it’s cold” — the current state, not a process.

Wir Hunger.

We’re hungry.

haben. Hunger, thirst, fear and time are things you have in German: Hunger · Durst · Angst · Zeit haben.

Du bald Vater.

You’ll be a father soon.

wirst. The du form of werden is wirst — the e in the stem drops out and -st is added.

Sie Herr Müller? (formal)

Are you Mr Müller?

The polite Sie always takes the plural form: Sind Sie …? seid is only for ihr.

Which one is wrong?

Age is said with sein: Ich bin 25. Your English “I am” instinct is right for age but backwards for hunger, which takes haben: Ich habe Hunger.

haben or sein? — Ich müde, aber ich ___ Zeit.

I’m tired, but I have time.

State and quality take sein (I’m tired), possession takes haben (I have time). Telling the two verbs apart in one sentence is the backbone of A1.

The sentence “Ich habe 25 Jahre alt.” is correct.

False. Age is said with sein in German: Ich bin 25 Jahre alt.

Ich Hunger. (I’m hungry)

I’m hungry.

habe. Conditions like hunger and thirst count as possession and are expressed with haben.

Build the sentence: I’m going to be a teacher.

Tap the pieces to build the sentence

werden is used for a future state or a career change, and job titles take no article.
Quick rules

The rules in three lines

The full topic lives on its own page. This is only the core you need for the test.

  1. Three basic verbs, all irregular

    sein (to be) · haben (to have) · werden (to become). The skeleton of German; the Perfekt and the passive are built with them too.

    ich bin · ich habe · ich werde

  2. sein: bin bist ist sind seid sind

    It looks like no rule at all, so learn it like a song. The polite Sie is always sind.

    Du bist nett. · Seid ihr müde?

  3. Patterns with haben where English uses “be”

    Hunger haben · Durst haben · Zeit haben — English says “I’m hungry”, German says “I have hunger”.

    Wir haben Hunger.

  4. werden = change

    Es wird kalt (it’s getting cold) · Du wirst Vater (you’re becoming a father) — a move from one state to another.

    Es wird kalt.

Traps

Commonly mixed up

Where a direct translation breaks. The hard questions come from here.

  • Ich habe 25 Jahre alt.

    Ich bin 25 Jahre alt.

    Age is said with sein.

  • Ich bin Hunger.

    Ich habe Hunger.

    Hunger is possession: haben.

  • Seid Sie Herr Müller?

    Sind Sie Herr Müller?

    Polite Sie → sind; seid is only for ihr.

  • Es ist kalt. (when you mean “it’s getting cold”)

    Es wird kalt.

    Change takes werden; ist states the current state.