Werden - To Become (Present Tense)

At its heart, werden is a process verb. It describes a transition. Think of it like a movie instead of a photo. A photo says "The soup is cold" (Die Suppe ist kalt). A movie says "The soup is getting cold" (Die Suppe wird kalt). You are describing the change as it happens. In the present tense, werden works mostly like a normal verb. However, it has a little secret. It likes to change its vowel in the middle. This happens only for "you" and "he/she/it." Don't worry, even native speakers had to learn this once! Think of it like a grammar traffic light. Green means go (regular), yellow means watch out (vowel change).

1. 1Learning the conjugation of werden is like memorizing a short melody. Once you have the rhythm, you won't forget it. Follow these steps to build it:
2. 2Start with the stem werd-.
3. 3Keep it regular for ich (I) and the plural forms.
4. 4Swap the e for an i in the second and third person singular.
5. 5Notice that for er/sie/es, we don't add a t at the end because the stem already ends in d. Adding another t would make it sound like you're clicking your tongue!
6. 6Here is the full breakdown:
7. 7ich werde (I become/get)
8. 8du wirst (you become/get) - Notice the i!
9. 9er/sie/es wird (he/she/it becomes/gets) - The i returns!
10. 10wir werden (we become/get)
11. 11ihr werdet (you all become/get)
12. 12sie/Sie werden (they/You become/get)

You will use werden in almost every conversation. It’s perfect for the weather. "It’s getting dark" is Es wird dunkel. It’s essential for health. "I’m getting sick" is Ich werde krank. You also use it for professions. If you are in a job interview and they ask about your goals, you might say Ich werde Manager. It describes aging too. "You are getting older" is Du wirst älter. It’s also great for emotions. "He is getting angry" is Er wird sauer. Basically, if something is changing its state, color, or status, reach for werden.

Don't confuse werden with sein. sein (to be) is for a finished state. If the soup is already cold, use ist. If it is currently dropping in temperature, use wird. Also, be very careful with the English word "get." In English, "get" can mean "become" (I get tired) or "receive" (I get a gift). In German, werden ONLY means "become." If you receive a gift, you use bekommen. Using werden there would mean you are literally transforming into a gift. That would be a very strange magic trick!

The biggest trap is the vowel change. Many learners try to say du werdest. It sounds logical, but it’s wrong. It must be du wirst. Another common slip is the er/sie/es form. People want to add a t and say wirdt. Just remember: the d is enough. It already has that "t" sound at the end. Finally, don't confuse wird (becomes) with will (wants). They look similar, but they are worlds apart. One is about change, the other is about desire. Yes, German likes to keep you on your toes!

Let's look at werden vs. bekommen. This is the classic "False Friend" mistake. If you say Ich werde einen Kaffee, you are saying "I am turning into a cup of coffee." While that sounds like a great plot for a sci-fi movie, the waiter will be very confused. You mean Ich bekomme einen Kaffee. Another contrast is werden vs. wollen. Ich werde Arzt means it is happening or decided. Ich will Arzt werden means you want it to happen. One is a process, the other is a wish.