Use war and hatte to describe past states or possession.
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What you will learn
Use war and hatte to describe past states or possession.
The simple past of sein and haben
The simple past forms of sein and haben are common even in everyday speech: Ich war müde. Ich hatte Zeit. They need no extra auxiliary or past participle.
Sein becomes ich war, du warst, er/sie/es war, wir waren, ihr wart, sie/Sie waren. Ich and er/sie/es share a form. Do not add -t to war with er.
Haben becomes ich hatte, du hattest, er/sie/es hatte, wir hatten, ihr hattet, sie/Sie hatten. The finite verb stays in second position in statements: Gestern hatte ich frei.
Rule summary
Form
Use
ich / er / sie / es
war · hatte
du
warst · hattest
wir / sie / Sie
waren · hatten
ihr
wart · hattet
Examples
Ich war gestern krank.
Meaning
I was ill yesterday.
Wir hatten keine Zeit.
Meaning
We had no time.
Wart ihr in Berlin?
Meaning
Were you in Berlin?
Lesson exercises
A2 · 10
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Exercise 1 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context.
Ich ___ gestern müde.
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: war
Why? Ich takes war.
Exercise 2 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context.
Du ___ letzte Woche krank.
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: warst
Why? Du takes warst.
Exercise 3 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context.
Mia ___ am Montag frei. (haben)
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: hatte
Why? Third-person singular is hatte.
Exercise 4 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context.
Wir ___ im Urlaub. (sein)
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: waren
Why? Wir takes waren.
Exercise 5 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context.
Ihr ___ zwei Fahrräder. (haben)
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: hattet
Why? Ihr takes hattet.
Exercise 6 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context.
Frau Wolf, ___ Sie gestern hier? (sein)
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: waren
Why? Formal Sie takes waren.
Exercise 7 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context.
Du ___ keine Zeit. (haben)
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: hattest
Why? Du takes hattest.
Exercise 8 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context.
Gestern / ich / frei haben
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: Gestern hatte ich frei.
Why? After Gestern, hatte takes second position.
Exercise 9 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context.
Lena und Tom ___ in Bonn. (sein)
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: waren
Why? The plural subject takes waren.
Exercise 10 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context.
___ ihr gestern zu Hause? (sein)
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: Wart
Why? The verb comes first; ihr takes wart.
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Grammar references for further reading
Original A2 lessons, examples and exercises by WikiGerman. Study them in order or choose a topic to review.