The German verb "anfangen" means "to start, to begin" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "anfangen" across all 7 tenses. New to German verbs? Start with the German verb guide.
Jump to a tense
How to Conjugate "anfangen" in the Present Tense
Präsens Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | fange an |
| du | you (informal) | fängst an |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | fängt an |
| wir | we | fangen an |
| ihr | you all (informal) | fangt an |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | fangen an |
Er fängt das Spiel an.
He starts the game.
How to Conjugate "anfangen" in the Simple Past Tense
Präteritum Completed actions in the past (written/formal)| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | fing an |
| du | you (informal) | fingst an |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | fing an |
| wir | we | fingen an |
| ihr | you all (informal) | fingt an |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | fingen an |
Er fing das Spiel pünktlich an.
He started the game on time.
Want to actually remember these?
VerbPal drills "anfangen" in real German sentences using spaced repetition.
Try VerbPal FreeHow to Conjugate "anfangen" in the Present Perfect Tense
Perfekt Completed actions (spoken German)| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | habe angefangen |
| du | you (informal) | hast angefangen |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | hat angefangen |
| wir | we | haben angefangen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | habt angefangen |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | haben angefangen |
Er hat das Buch angefangen.
He has started the book.
How to Conjugate "anfangen" in the Past Perfect Tense
Plusquamperfekt Actions completed before another past action| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | hatte angefangen |
| du | you (informal) | hattest angefangen |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | hatte angefangen |
| wir | we | hatten angefangen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | hattet angefangen |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | hatten angefangen |
Er hatte mit dem Spiel angefangen.
He had started the game.
How to Conjugate "anfangen" in the Future Tense
Futur I Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | werde anfangen |
| du | you (informal) | wirst anfangen |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | wird anfangen |
| wir | we | werden anfangen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | werdet anfangen |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | werden anfangen |
Er wird bald anfangen.
He will start soon.
How to Conjugate "anfangen" in the Subjunctive I Tense
Konjunktiv I Indirect speech and formal requests| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | fange an |
| du | you (informal) | fangest an |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | fange an |
| wir | we | fangen an |
| ihr | you all (informal) | fanget an |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | fangen an |
Er sagt, er fange an.
He says he is starting.
How to Conjugate "anfangen" in the Subjunctive II Tense
Konjunktiv II Hypothetical situations and polite requests| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | finge an |
| du | you (informal) | fingest an |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | finge an |
| wir | we | fingen an |
| ihr | you all (informal) | finget an |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | fingen an |
Er finge sofort an.
He would start immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions About "anfangen"
Is "anfangen" regular or irregular in German?
"Anfangen" is an irregular German verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "anfangen" mean in English?
The German verb "anfangen" means "to start, to begin" in English.
How do you conjugate "anfangen" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Präsens): ich → fange an, du → fängst an, er/sie/es → fängt an, wir → fangen an, ihr → fangt an, sie/Sie → fangen an.
How many tenses does "anfangen" have in German?
"Anfangen" is conjugated across 7 tenses in German: Present, Simple Past, Present Perfect, Past Perfect, Future, Subjunctive I, Subjunctive II.
Master German verbs for real
Stop memorizing tables. Start speaking with confidence.
Try VerbPal Free3-day free trial. Cancel anytime.