ich gehe
The German phrase for "I go" is ich gehe.
Ich gehe specifically implies movement on foot, whereas ich fahre would be used if you are going by vehicle.
Which one should you use?
While ich gehe can mean "I am going" (present continuous), German does not use a separate continuous form like English. The context determines if the action is happening now or is a general habit.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb 'gehen' is conjugated for the first-person singular subject 'ich' by adding the suffix '-e'.
Did you know?
- The verb gehen is used in the phrase das geht, which means 'that works' or 'that is possible', having nothing to do with physical movement.
- The word ich shares the same ancient root as the English word 'I', both descending from the Proto-Indo-European form *eǵh₂óm.
- In certain German dialects, particularly in the south, you might hear people use i instead of the standard ich.
Examples in context
- Ich gehe zum Markt.I go to the market.This sentence shows using ich gehe to indicate going to the market.Tatoeba #4170590 by Wuzzy, translation #4170599 by Wuzzy
- Ich gehe zur Schule.I go to school.This sentence shows using ich gehe to indicate going to school.Tatoeba #708626 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #472089 by tamsanh
- Ich gehe nach Kioto.I go to Kyoto.This sentence shows using ich gehe to indicate going to Kyoto.Tatoeba #1832877 by Tamy, translation #252233 by CN
- 131 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Sarah are at a party and Lukas decides to leave.
- LukasIch gehe jetzt nach Hause.I am going home now.
- SarahWarum gehst du schon?Why are you leaving already?
- LukasIch bin sehr müde.I am very tired.
- SarahGut, gute Nacht, Lukas!Okay, good night, Lukas!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ich, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
