When to Use Praeteritum in German?

5 Answers. You use Präteritum for events which are not yet completed or for which the time doesn't matter. In novels for example Präteritum is used more often.

What is the difference between the perfect and imperfect tense in German?

The imperfect tense is different to the perfect tense because it tends to be used to describe one particular event in the past, rather than things that have happened in the past in general. For example, you may want to describe a particular concert you went to or a holiday you had.

How do you know when to use haben or sein in Perfekt?

das Perfekt Skit

(Herr Lehrer) If a verb shows motion, use “sein” in the Perfekt. If a verb does not show motion, use “haben” in the Perfekt.