The German verb "bestehen" means "to exist, to pass" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "bestehen" across all 7 tenses. New to German verbs? Start with the German verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "bestehen" in the Present Tense
Präsens Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | bestehe |
| du | you (informal) | bestehst |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | besteht |
| wir | we | bestehen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | besteht |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | bestehen |
Er besteht den Test sehr gut.
He passes the test very well.
How to Conjugate "bestehen" in the Simple Past Tense
Präteritum Completed actions in the past (written/formal)| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | bestand |
| du | you (informal) | bestandst |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | bestand |
| wir | we | bestanden |
| ihr | you all (informal) | bestandet |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | bestanden |
Er bestand den Test ohne Fehler.
He passed the test without errors.
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Perfekt Completed actions (spoken German)| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | habe bestanden |
| du | you (informal) | hast bestanden |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | hat bestanden |
| wir | we | haben bestanden |
| ihr | you all (informal) | habt bestanden |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | haben bestanden |
Er hat das Abenteuer bestanden.
He survived the adventure.
How to Conjugate "bestehen" in the Past Perfect Tense
Plusquamperfekt Actions completed before another past action| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | hatte bestanden |
| du | you (informal) | hattest bestanden |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | hatte bestanden |
| wir | we | hatten bestanden |
| ihr | you all (informal) | hattet bestanden |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | hatten bestanden |
Er hatte das Abenteuer bestanden.
He had survived the adventure.
How to Conjugate "bestehen" in the Future Tense
Futur I Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | werde bestehen |
| du | you (informal) | wirst bestehen |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | wird bestehen |
| wir | we | werden bestehen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | werdet bestehen |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | werden bestehen |
Er wird das Abenteuer bestehen.
He will survive/pass the adventure.
How to Conjugate "bestehen" in the Subjunctive I Tense
Konjunktiv I Indirect speech and formal requests| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | bestehe |
| du | you (informal) | bestehest |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | bestehe |
| wir | we | bestehen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | bestehet |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | bestehen |
Er sagt, er bestehe den Kurs.
He says he passes the course.
How to Conjugate "bestehen" in the Subjunctive II Tense
Konjunktiv II Hypothetical situations and polite requests| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | bestände |
| du | you (informal) | beständest |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | bestände |
| wir | we | beständen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | beständet |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | beständen |
Er bestünde die Aufgabe.
He would pass the task.
Frequently Asked Questions About "bestehen"
Is "bestehen" regular or irregular in German?
"Bestehen" is an irregular German verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "bestehen" mean in English?
The German verb "bestehen" means "to exist, to pass" in English.
How do you conjugate "bestehen" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Präsens): ich → bestehe, du → bestehst, er/sie/es → besteht, wir → bestehen, ihr → besteht, sie/Sie → bestehen.
How many tenses does "bestehen" have in German?
"Bestehen" is conjugated across 7 tenses in German: Present, Simple Past, Present Perfect, Past Perfect, Future, Subjunctive I, Subjunctive II.
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