das  Perfekt

B1

Estimated CEFR level.

/pɛɐ̯ˈfɛkt/

📖 What does 'das Perfekt' mean?

Das Perfekt is a grammatical tense in German. It describes an action that was completed in the past. It's often called the 'vollendete Gegenwart' (present perfect), as the result of the action often still has relevance in the present.

Primarily, das Perfekt is used in spoken language to report about past events. It is formed using a conjugated form of the auxiliary verb haben (to have) or sein (to be) in the present tense and the past participle (Partizip II) of the main verb.

• Example with haben: Ich habe das Buch gelesen. (I have read the book / I read the book.)
• Example with sein: Er ist nach Hause gegangen. (He has gone home / He went home.)

🚨 Attention: The word 'perfekt' also exists as an adjective, meaning 'perfect' or 'flawless'. In that case, it's written in lowercase (e.g., 'ein perfekter Tag' - a perfect day). This entry, however, deals with the noun 'das Perfekt' (the tense).

🧐 Grammar & Declension: Das Perfekt as a Noun

Although 'Perfekt' usually refers to the tense, it can also be used as a noun. It is neuter and takes the article 'das'.

Forming the 'Perfekt' Tense

The tense itself isn't declined, but the verbs within it are conjugated. The basic rule is:

Form of haben or sein (present tense) + Partizip II (past participle)

• Most verbs form the Perfekt with haben.
• Verbs of motion (gehen, fahren, fliegen, ...) and change of state (aufwachen, sterben, ...) as well as the verbs sein, bleiben (to stay), and werden (to become) form the Perfekt with sein.

📝 Example Sentences using the Perfekt

1. Wir haben gestern Pizza gegessen.
   (We ate pizza yesterday.)
2. Sie ist am Wochenende nach Berlin gefahren.
   (She went to Berlin on the weekend.)
3. Ich habe meine Hausaufgaben schon gemacht.
   (I have already done my homework.)
4. Der Zug ist pünktlich angekommen.
   (The train arrived on time.)
5. Hast du gut geschlafen?
   (Did you sleep well?)

🗣️ When to use 'das Perfekt'?

The use of das Perfekt in German is clearly defined, but differs slightly from the English 'Present Perfect'.

• Spoken Language: In conversation and informal writing (e.g., emails to friends), das Perfekt is the standard past tense for most situations. It often translates to the English Simple Past in these contexts.
• Completed Action: It describes actions that took place and were completed in the past. Example: Er hat das Fenster geschlossen. (He closed the window.)
• Present Relevance (often): Frequently, the past action still has relevance to the present. Example: Ich habe meinen Schlüssel verloren. (I lost my key - implication: and I can't find it now).
• North/South Variation: In Southern Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, das Perfekt is used even more frequently, sometimes even in writing where Northern Germans might prefer the Präteritum.

Perfekt vs. Präteritum: The Präteritum (Simple Past, e.g., ich las - I read, er ging - he went) is primarily used in written language (books, newspapers, formal reports) and for narration. However, the auxiliary verbs haben and sein are often used in the Präteritum even in spoken language (ich hatte - I had, ich war - I was, instead of ich habe gehabt, ich bin gewesen).

🧠 Mnemonics to Remember

For the article 'das': Think of 'das' as the neutral article for concepts or abstract nouns in grammar, like das Tempus (the tense) or das Substantiv (the noun). Das Perfekt fits this pattern as a grammatical concept.

For the meaning (tense): Imagine an action being 'perfectly' finished. It's done, it's 'perfect'. The Perfekt tense describes completed actions.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

⚠️ Similar Words

• perfekt (adjective): Means 'perfect', 'flawless'. Written in lowercase. Example: Dein Plan ist perfekt! (Your plan is perfect!)
• Partizip Perfekt / Partizip II: The verb form needed to build the Perfekt tense (e.g., gelesen, gegangen, gemacht - read, gone, done/made).

😂 A Little Joke

Lehrer: "Wer kann mir einen Satz im Perfekt nennen?"
(Teacher: "Who can give me a sentence in the Perfect tense?")

Fritzchen: "Der Unterricht ist endlich vorbei gewesen!"
(Little Fritz: "The lesson has finally been over!")

Lehrer: "Fritzchen, das ist Plusquamperfekt. Aber die Freude daran ist wohl Präsens!" 😉
(Teacher: "Fritzchen, that's Pluperfect. But the joy about it seems to be Present tense!")

✍️ Poem about the Perfekt

Was gestern war, was ich getan,
(What was yesterday, what I have done,)
fängt mit dem Perfekt oft erst an.
(Often begins with the Perfekt tense.)
Ich habe laut gelacht,
(I laughed out loud,)
Bin früh aufgewacht.
(I woke up early.)
Mit 'haben' oder 'sein' geschwind,
(With 'haben' or 'sein' swiftly,)
die Zeit vergeht, mein liebes Kind.
(Time passes, my dear child.)
Was abgeschlossen und vorbei,
(What's completed and gone by,)
erzähl' ich mit Partizip II dabei.
(I tell with the Past Participle thereby.)

❓ Little Riddle

Ich bin eine Zeit, die gern erzählt,
(I am a tense that likes to tell,)
was gestern in der Welt geschah, ganz unverstellt.
(What happened yesterday in the world, quite plainly.)
Mit 'haben' oder 'sein' werd ich gebaut,
(With 'haben' or 'sein' I am built,)
und einem Partizip, das jeder kennt und schaut.
(And a participle that everyone knows and sees.)
Gesprochen werd' ich meistens, das ist klar.
(I am mostly spoken, that is clear.)
Wie heiß ich? Na, sag's Jahr für Jahr!
(What's my name? Well, say it year after year!)

Solution: Das Perfekt

💡 Other Information

Etymology: The term 'Perfekt' comes from the Latin word (tempus) perfectum, meaning 'completed (time)'. This reflects its function of describing completed actions.

International Similarities: Many languages have a similar tense, such as the English 'Present Perfect' or the French 'Passé Composé'. However, the exact usage can differ. ⚠️ The German Perfekt often corresponds to the English 'Simple Past' in spoken language.