früher habe ich
In German, 'I used to' is expressed as früher habe ich.
This phrase describes a habit or state that existed in the past but no longer exists now.
What does it mean word for word?
The word früher literally means 'formerly' or 'in the past'.
Which one should you use?
Unlike the English 'used to', which is a single auxiliary verb, German expresses this concept by using the adverb früher combined with a standard past tense construction.
How does it change in a sentence?
When expressing a past state of being with 'used to', use früher war ich (I was formerly) rather than the früher habe ich construction.
Did you know?
- The word früher is actually the comparative form of früh, meaning 'early'. While it translates to 'formerly' in this context, it literally implies that something happened 'earlier' than it does now.
- In spoken German, früher is often used alone as a conversational shorthand to contrast the past with the present without repeating the full sentence.
- In German, the placement of früher can change the emphasis of your sentence. While 'früher habe ich…' is standard, placing 'ich' first as 'Ich habe früher…' shifts the focus from the time period to the person performing the action.
Examples in context
- Früher habe ich das geglaubt.It's something I used to believe.This sentence is useful for expressing a past belief with früher habe ich.Tatoeba #11402162 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #11401682 by shekitten
- Früher habe ich Boston gehasst.I used to hate Boston.This sentence is useful for expressing a past feeling towards a location with früher habe ich.Tatoeba #4236663 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #3148403 by CK
- Früher habe ich das oft gemacht.I used to a lot.This sentence is useful for describing a past habit with früher habe ich.Tatoeba #2176473 by Zaghawa, translation #272177 by CM
- Ich habe früher viel Sport getrieben.I used to do a lot of sports.
- In der Vergangenheit habe ich viel gereist.In the past, I used to travel a lot.
- Früher habe ich gern Comics gelesen.I used to enjoy reading comics.
- Ich habe mal in Berlin gewohnt.I used to live in Berlin.
- Ich pflegte oft in die Berge zu wandern.I used to hike in the mountains frequently.
- 24 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Laura are talking about their old hobbies.
- LukasFrüher habe ich viel Fußball gespielt.I used to play a lot of football.
- LauraEcht? Spielst du jetzt gar nicht mehr?Really? You don't play anymore?
- LukasNein, jetzt gehe ich lieber joggen.No, now I prefer to go jogging.
- LauraDas klingt auch sehr gesund.That sounds very healthy too.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries früher, ich, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
