treiben

to drive, to do (sports)

German Irregular

The German verb "treiben" means "to drive, to do (sports)" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "treiben" across all 7 tenses.

How to Conjugate "treiben" in the Present Tense

Präsens Actions happening now or regularly
Person English Conjugation
ich I treibe
du you (informal) treibst
er/sie/es he/she/it treibt
wir we treiben
ihr you all (informal) treibt
sie/Sie they/you (formal) treiben
Er treibt das Vieh heim.
He drives the cattle home.

How to Conjugate "treiben" in the Simple Past Tense

Präteritum Completed actions in the past (written/formal)
Person English Conjugation
ich I trieb
du you (informal) triebst
er/sie/es he/she/it trieb
wir we trieben
ihr you all (informal) triebt
sie/Sie they/you (formal) trieben
Er trieb die Kühe auf die Weide.
He drove the cows to the pasture.

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How to Conjugate "treiben" in the Present Perfect Tense

Perfekt Completed actions (spoken German)
Person English Conjugation
ich I habe getrieben
du you (informal) hast getrieben
er/sie/es he/she/it hat getrieben
wir we haben getrieben
ihr you all (informal) habt getrieben
sie/Sie they/you (formal) haben getrieben
Er hat es zu weit getrieben.
He has taken it too far.

How to Conjugate "treiben" in the Past Perfect Tense

Plusquamperfekt Actions completed before another past action
Person English Conjugation
ich I hatte getrieben
du you (informal) hattest getrieben
er/sie/es he/she/it hatte getrieben
wir we hatten getrieben
ihr you all (informal) hattet getrieben
sie/Sie they/you (formal) hatten getrieben
Er hatte Yoga getrieben.
He had done yoga.

How to Conjugate "treiben" in the Future Tense

Futur I Actions that will happen
Person English Conjugation
ich I werde treiben
du you (informal) wirst treiben
er/sie/es he/she/it wird treiben
wir we werden treiben
ihr you all (informal) werdet treiben
sie/Sie they/you (formal) werden treiben
Er wird Yoga treiben.
He will do yoga.

How to Conjugate "treiben" in the Subjunctive I Tense

Konjunktiv I Indirect speech and formal requests
Person English Conjugation
ich I treibe
du you (informal) treibest
er/sie/es he/she/it treibe
wir we treiben
ihr you all (informal) treibet
sie/Sie they/you (formal) treiben
Er treibe den Handel.
He may conduct the trade.

How to Conjugate "treiben" in the Subjunctive II Tense

Konjunktiv II Hypothetical situations and polite requests
Person English Conjugation
ich I triebe
du you (informal) triebest
er/sie/es he/she/it triebe
wir we trieben
ihr you all (informal) triebet
sie/Sie they/you (formal) trieben
Er triebe gern mehr Fitness.
He would like to do more fitness.

Frequently Asked Questions About "treiben"

Is "treiben" regular or irregular in German?
"Treiben" is an irregular German verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "treiben" mean in English?
The German verb "treiben" means "to drive, to do (sports)" in English.
How do you conjugate "treiben" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Präsens): ich → treibe, du → treibst, er/sie/es → treibt, wir → treiben, ihr → treibt, sie/Sie → treiben.
How many tenses does "treiben" have in German?
"Treiben" is conjugated across 7 tenses in German: Present, Simple Past, Present Perfect, Past Perfect, Future, Subjunctive I, Subjunctive II.

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