01
gehen
to go
To move on foot from one place to another; to walk.
example
Ich gehe jeden Morgen zur Arbeit.
I go to work every morning.
gehen
to go
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Meanings
01 / 08
Usage tips
Perfect tense with 'sein'
As a verb of movement, 'gehen' (to go) always forms its past tense (Perfekt) with the auxiliary verb 'sein' (to be). So it is 'ich bin gegangen' (I went / have gone), not 'ich habe gegangen'.
EXAMPLE
Wir sind gestern Abend ins Kino gegangen.
We went to the cinema yesterday evening.
Asking about well-being
The question about well-being 'Wie geht es...?' (How is/are...?) always requires the dative. The person you are asking about is in the dative.
EXAMPLE
Wie geht es Ihnen heute?
How are you today?
Topic with accusative
The fixed expression 'es geht um' (it is about) is used to name the topic of a conversation or text. The topic that follows is always in the accusative.
EXAMPLE
In dem Film geht es um eine wahre Geschichte.
The film is about a true story.
Expressing possibility
To express that something is possible or feasible, 'gehen' (to work/be possible) is often used impersonally. The simplest form is 'Das geht' (That works/That's possible) or 'Das geht nicht' (That doesn't work/That's not possible).
EXAMPLE
Können wir uns um 15 Uhr treffen? – Ja, das geht.
Can we meet at 3 p.m.? – Yes, that works.
Typical prepositions
When 'gehen' describes movement toward a destination, it is often combined with prepositions such as 'zu' (to), 'in' (into/to), 'auf' (onto/to), or 'nach' (to). The choice of preposition depends on the destination.
EXAMPLE
Nach der Schule gehe ich zu einem Freund.
After school I go to a friend's place.
Context clue
When the subject is a device, machine, or technical system, 'gehen' almost always means 'to work' or 'to function'.
EXAMPLE
Das Internet geht schon wieder nicht.
The internet isn't working again.
Context clue
In the context of baking and cooking, 'gehen' or 'gehen lassen' means that dough increases in volume because of yeast. The subject is always the dough.
EXAMPLE
Lass den Pizzateig an einem warmen Ort gehen.
Let the pizza dough rise in a warm place.
Typical expression
To emphasize that you are moving on foot, the combination 'zu Fuß gehen' (to go on foot / to walk) is often used. This makes clear that no vehicle is being used.
EXAMPLE
Die Schule ist nicht weit, deshalb gehe ich immer zu Fuß.
The school is not far away, so I always walk.
Compare with
gehen vs können
to be able to
'können' and 'gehen' can both express that something is possible or feasible. 'können' is more general and says that a possibility exists or that someone is able to do something. In this meaning, 'gehen' is often used for practical questions: Is it doable, does it fit, is it acceptable? That is why it sounds very natural to ask: 'Geht das morgen?' (Would that work tomorrow?). Learners may confuse the words because both have to do with possibility. As a guide: 'können' works well with a person as the subject, while 'gehen' works well when you are checking a solution or an appointment time.
gehen
Geht es, wenn wir den Termin auf morgen verschieben?
Would it work if we moved the appointment to tomorrow?
können
Am Montag kann ich in der Bibliothek lernen.
On Monday, I can study in the library.
In real life
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