The German verb "heißen" means "to be called" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "heißen" across all 7 tenses. New to German verbs? Start with the German verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "heißen" in the Present Tense
Präsens Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | heiße |
| du | you (informal) | heißt |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | heißt |
| wir | we | heißen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | heißt |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | heißen |
Er heißt Markus von Beruf.
His name is Markus by profession.
How to Conjugate "heißen" in the Simple Past Tense
Präteritum Completed actions in the past (written/formal)| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | hieß |
| du | you (informal) | hießt |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | hieß |
| wir | we | hießen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | hießt |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | hießen |
Er hieß wie sein Großvater.
He was called like his grandfather.
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Perfekt Completed actions (spoken German)| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | habe geheißen |
| du | you (informal) | hast geheißen |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | hat geheißen |
| wir | we | haben geheißen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | habt geheißen |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | haben geheißen |
Er hat früher anders geheißen.
He was called something else before.
How to Conjugate "heißen" in the Past Perfect Tense
Plusquamperfekt Actions completed before another past action| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | hatte geheißen |
| du | you (informal) | hattest geheißen |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | hatte geheißen |
| wir | we | hatten geheißen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | hattet geheißen |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | hatten geheißen |
Er hatte im Buch anders geheißen.
He had been called differently in the book.
How to Conjugate "heißen" in the Future Tense
Futur I Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | werde heißen |
| du | you (informal) | wirst heißen |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | wird heißen |
| wir | we | werden heißen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | werdet heißen |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | werden heißen |
Er wird wie sein Vater heißen.
He will be called like his father.
How to Conjugate "heißen" in the Subjunctive I Tense
Konjunktiv I Indirect speech and formal requests| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | heiße |
| du | you (informal) | heißest |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | heiße |
| wir | we | heißen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | heißet |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | heißen |
Er sagt, er heiße Klaus.
He says he is called Klaus.
How to Conjugate "heißen" in the Subjunctive II Tense
Konjunktiv II Hypothetical situations and polite requests| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | hieße |
| du | you (informal) | hießest |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | hieße |
| wir | we | hießen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | hießet |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | hießen |
Er hieße gern wie sein Vater.
He would like to be called like his father.
Frequently Asked Questions About "heißen"
Is "heißen" regular or irregular in German?
"Heißen" is an irregular German verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "heißen" mean in English?
The German verb "heißen" means "to be called" in English.
How do you conjugate "heißen" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Präsens): ich → heiße, du → heißt, er/sie/es → heißt, wir → heißen, ihr → heißt, sie/Sie → heißen.
How many tenses does "heißen" have in German?
"Heißen" is conjugated across 7 tenses in German: Present, Simple Past, Present Perfect, Past Perfect, Future, Subjunctive I, Subjunctive II.
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