The German verb "leihen" means "to lend, to borrow" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "leihen" across all 7 tenses. New to German verbs? Start with the German verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "leihen" in the Present Tense
Präsens Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | leihe |
| du | you (informal) | leihst |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | leiht |
| wir | we | leihen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | leiht |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | leihen |
Er leiht sich Geld von mir.
He is borrowing money from me.
How to Conjugate "leihen" in the Simple Past Tense
Präteritum Completed actions in the past (written/formal)| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | lieh |
| du | you (informal) | liehst |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | lieh |
| wir | we | liehen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | lieht |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | liehen |
Er lieh sich Geld aus.
He borrowed money.
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Perfekt Completed actions (spoken German)| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | habe geliehen |
| du | you (informal) | hast geliehen |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | hat geliehen |
| wir | we | haben geliehen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | habt geliehen |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | haben geliehen |
Er hat sich ein Auto geliehen.
He has borrowed a car.
How to Conjugate "leihen" in the Past Perfect Tense
Plusquamperfekt Actions completed before another past action| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | hatte geliehen |
| du | you (informal) | hattest geliehen |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | hatte geliehen |
| wir | we | hatten geliehen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | hattet geliehen |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | hatten geliehen |
Er hatte sich ein Auto geliehen.
He had borrowed a car.
How to Conjugate "leihen" in the Future Tense
Futur I Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | werde leihen |
| du | you (informal) | wirst leihen |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | wird leihen |
| wir | we | werden leihen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | werdet leihen |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | werden leihen |
Er wird mir sein Auto leihen.
He will lend me his car.
How to Conjugate "leihen" in the Subjunctive I Tense
Konjunktiv I Indirect speech and formal requests| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | leihe |
| du | you (informal) | leihest |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | leihe |
| wir | we | leihen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | leihet |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | leihen |
Sie sagt, er leihe das Fahrrad.
She says he lends the bicycle.
How to Conjugate "leihen" in the Subjunctive II Tense
Konjunktiv II Hypothetical situations and polite requests| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | liehe |
| du | you (informal) | liehest |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | liehe |
| wir | we | liehen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | liehet |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | liehen |
Er liehe ihr sein neues Auto.
He would lend her his new car.
Frequently Asked Questions About "leihen"
Is "leihen" regular or irregular in German?
"Leihen" is an irregular German verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "leihen" mean in English?
The German verb "leihen" means "to lend, to borrow" in English.
How do you conjugate "leihen" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Präsens): ich → leihe, du → leihst, er/sie/es → leiht, wir → leihen, ihr → leiht, sie/Sie → leihen.
How many tenses does "leihen" have in German?
"Leihen" is conjugated across 7 tenses in German: Present, Simple Past, Present Perfect, Past Perfect, Future, Subjunctive I, Subjunctive II.
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