The German verb "trinken" means "to drink" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "trinken" across all 7 tenses. New to German verbs? Start with the German verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "trinken" in the Present Tense
Präsens Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | trinke |
| du | you (informal) | trinkst |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | trinkt |
| wir | we | trinken |
| ihr | you all (informal) | trinkt |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | trinken |
Er trinkt jeden Morgen Kaffee.
He drinks coffee every morning.
How to Conjugate "trinken" in the Simple Past Tense
Präteritum Completed actions in the past (written/formal)| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | trank |
| du | you (informal) | trankst |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | trank |
| wir | we | tranken |
| ihr | you all (informal) | trankt |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | tranken |
Er trank Kaffee mit viel Milch.
He drank coffee with a lot of milk.
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Perfekt Completed actions (spoken German)| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | habe getrunken |
| du | you (informal) | hast getrunken |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | hat getrunken |
| wir | we | haben getrunken |
| ihr | you all (informal) | habt getrunken |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | haben getrunken |
Er hat ein Bier getrunken.
He has drunk a beer.
How to Conjugate "trinken" in the Past Perfect Tense
Plusquamperfekt Actions completed before another past action| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | hatte getrunken |
| du | you (informal) | hattest getrunken |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | hatte getrunken |
| wir | we | hatten getrunken |
| ihr | you all (informal) | hattet getrunken |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | hatten getrunken |
Er hatte den Tee getrunken.
He had drunk the tea.
How to Conjugate "trinken" in the Future Tense
Futur I Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | werde trinken |
| du | you (informal) | wirst trinken |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | wird trinken |
| wir | we | werden trinken |
| ihr | you all (informal) | werdet trinken |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | werden trinken |
Er wird ein Bier trinken.
He will drink a beer.
How to Conjugate "trinken" in the Subjunctive I Tense
Konjunktiv I Indirect speech and formal requests| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | trinke |
| du | you (informal) | trinkest |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | trinke |
| wir | we | trinken |
| ihr | you all (informal) | trinket |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | trinken |
Sie sagt, er trinke einen Kaffee.
She says he is drinking a coffee.
How to Conjugate "trinken" in the Subjunctive II Tense
Konjunktiv II Hypothetical situations and polite requests| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | tränke |
| du | you (informal) | tränkest |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | tränke |
| wir | we | tränken |
| ihr | you all (informal) | tränket |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | tränken |
Er tränke gern ein Wasser dort.
He would like to drink a water there.
Frequently Asked Questions About "trinken"
Is "trinken" regular or irregular in German?
"Trinken" is an irregular German verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "trinken" mean in English?
The German verb "trinken" means "to drink" in English.
How do you conjugate "trinken" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Präsens): ich → trinke, du → trinkst, er/sie/es → trinkt, wir → trinken, ihr → trinkt, sie/Sie → trinken.
How many tenses does "trinken" have in German?
"Trinken" is conjugated across 7 tenses in German: Present, Simple Past, Present Perfect, Past Perfect, Future, Subjunctive I, Subjunctive II.
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