The German verb "dürfen" means "may, to be allowed to" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "dürfen" across all 7 tenses. New to German verbs? Start with the German verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "dürfen" in the Present Tense
Präsens Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | darf |
| du | you (informal) | darfst |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | darf |
| wir | we | dürfen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | dürft |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | dürfen |
Er darf das nicht sagen.
He is not allowed to say that.
How to Conjugate "dürfen" in the Simple Past Tense
Präteritum Completed actions in the past (written/formal)| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | durfte |
| du | you (informal) | durftest |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | durfte |
| wir | we | durften |
| ihr | you all (informal) | durftet |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | durften |
Er durfte das Spiel sehen.
He was allowed to watch the game.
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Perfekt Completed actions (spoken German)| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | habe gedurft |
| du | you (informal) | hast gedurft |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | hat gedurft |
| wir | we | haben gedurft |
| ihr | you all (informal) | habt gedurft |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | haben gedurft |
Er hat mitspielen dürfen.
He has been allowed to play along.
How to Conjugate "dürfen" in the Past Perfect Tense
Plusquamperfekt Actions completed before another past action| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | hatte gedurft |
| du | you (informal) | hattest gedurft |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | hatte gedurft |
| wir | we | hatten gedurft |
| ihr | you all (informal) | hattet gedurft |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | hatten gedurft |
Er hatte mitkommen dürfen.
He had been allowed to come along.
How to Conjugate "dürfen" in the Future Tense
Futur I Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | werde dürfen |
| du | you (informal) | wirst dürfen |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | wird dürfen |
| wir | we | werden dürfen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | werdet dürfen |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | werden dürfen |
Er wird das Auto fahren dürfen.
He will be allowed to drive the car.
How to Conjugate "dürfen" in the Subjunctive I Tense
Konjunktiv I Indirect speech and formal requests| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | dürfe |
| du | you (informal) | dürfest |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | dürfe |
| wir | we | dürfen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | dürfet |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | dürfen |
Er sagt, er dürfe gehen.
He says that he may go.
How to Conjugate "dürfen" in the Subjunctive II Tense
Konjunktiv II Hypothetical situations and polite requests| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | dürfte |
| du | you (informal) | dürftest |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | dürfte |
| wir | we | dürften |
| ihr | you all (informal) | dürftet |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | dürften |
Er dürfte das Auto jetzt fahren.
He might be allowed to drive the car now.
Frequently Asked Questions About "dürfen"
Is "dürfen" regular or irregular in German?
"Dürfen" is an irregular German verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "dürfen" mean in English?
The German verb "dürfen" means "may, to be allowed to" in English.
How do you conjugate "dürfen" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Präsens): ich → darf, du → darfst, er/sie/es → darf, wir → dürfen, ihr → dürft, sie/Sie → dürfen.
How many tenses does "dürfen" have in German?
"Dürfen" is conjugated across 7 tenses in German: Present, Simple Past, Present Perfect, Past Perfect, Future, Subjunctive I, Subjunctive II.
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