The German verb "bauen" means "to build" in English. It is a regular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "bauen" across all 7 tenses. New to German verbs? Start with the German verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "bauen" in the Present Tense
Präsens Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | baue |
| du | you (informal) | baust |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | baut |
| wir | we | bauen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | baut |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | bauen |
Er baut ein Regal für mich.
He is building a shelf for me.
How to Conjugate "bauen" in the Simple Past Tense
Präteritum Completed actions in the past (written/formal)| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | baute |
| du | you (informal) | bautest |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | baute |
| wir | we | bauten |
| ihr | you all (informal) | bautet |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | bauten |
Er baute ein neues Regal.
He built a new shelf.
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Perfekt Completed actions (spoken German)| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | habe gebaut |
| du | you (informal) | hast gebaut |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | hat gebaut |
| wir | we | haben gebaut |
| ihr | you all (informal) | habt gebaut |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | haben gebaut |
Er hat eine Brücke gebaut.
He has built a bridge.
How to Conjugate "bauen" in the Past Perfect Tense
Plusquamperfekt Actions completed before another past action| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | hatte gebaut |
| du | you (informal) | hattest gebaut |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | hatte gebaut |
| wir | we | hatten gebaut |
| ihr | you all (informal) | hattet gebaut |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | hatten gebaut |
Er hatte eine Mauer gebaut.
He had built a wall.
How to Conjugate "bauen" in the Future Tense
Futur I Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | werde bauen |
| du | you (informal) | wirst bauen |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | wird bauen |
| wir | we | werden bauen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | werdet bauen |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | werden bauen |
Er wird eine Mauer bauen.
He will build a wall.
How to Conjugate "bauen" in the Subjunctive I Tense
Konjunktiv I Indirect speech and formal requests| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | baue |
| du | you (informal) | bauest |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | baue |
| wir | we | bauen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | bauet |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | bauen |
Er sagt, er baue eine Brücke.
He says he is building a bridge.
How to Conjugate "bauen" in the Subjunctive II Tense
Konjunktiv II Hypothetical situations and polite requests| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | baute |
| du | you (informal) | bautest |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | baute |
| wir | we | bauten |
| ihr | you all (informal) | bautet |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | bauten |
Er baute gerne eine Garage.
He would like to build a garage.
Frequently Asked Questions About "bauen"
Is "bauen" regular or irregular in German?
"Bauen" is a regular German verb that follows standard conjugation patterns for its verb group.
What does "bauen" mean in English?
The German verb "bauen" means "to build" in English.
How do you conjugate "bauen" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Präsens): ich → baue, du → baust, er/sie/es → baut, wir → bauen, ihr → baut, sie/Sie → bauen.
How many tenses does "bauen" have in German?
"Bauen" is conjugated across 7 tenses in German: Present, Simple Past, Present Perfect, Past Perfect, Future, Subjunctive I, Subjunctive II.
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