Cheatography
https://cheatography.com
German quick tips for past perfect and present perfect.
This is a draft cheat sheet. It is a work in progress and is not finished yet.
Ich habe Arby's gegessen...
Present Prefect/Perfekt |
When to use |
In spoken German or casual conversation. To talk about something you did in the past that's still relevant to the present. |
You're not hungry now because you already ate. |
Example |
Willst du etwas essen? (Do you want anything to eat?) |
Nein, ich habe Arby's gegessen. (No, I ate at Arby's.) |
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Ich hatte Arby's gegessen...
(Past Perfect/Plusquamperfekt) |
When to use |
To talk about something that happened before another event in the past. To give background information or explain why something else happened. |
Example |
Ich hatte Arby's gegessen, bevor ich ins Kino ging. (I had eaten at Arby's before I went to the movies.) |
Here, you're describing the order of events: first you ate, then you went to the movies. |
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Quick Tip:
Ich habe Arby's gegessen... |
for general past events or in conversation. |
Ich hatte Arby's gegessen... |
whn you need to show that it happened before another past event. |
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