werden
will
Serves as an auxiliary verb to form the future tense (Futur I).
EXAMPLE
Ich werde dich morgen anrufen.
I will call you tomorrow.
werden
to become / will
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
werden
to be
Serves as an auxiliary verb to form the passive. It describes that an action is happening to someone or something.
EXAMPLE
Das Auto wird gerade repariert.
The car is being repaired right now.
werden
to become
As a main verb, it describes a change or development into a new state or a new quality.
EXAMPLE
Mein Bruder möchte Arzt werden.
My brother wants to become a doctor.
werden
would
Serves as an auxiliary verb in the form 'würde' to form the Konjunktiv II, in order to express wishes, hypothetical situations, or polite requests.
EXAMPLE
Ich würde jetzt gerne ein Eis essen.
I would like to eat some ice cream now.
Usage tips
False friend
'Werden' as a main verb means a change and corresponds to the English 'to become.' Don't confuse it with 'bekommen' (to get / to receive). This mistake is very common.
EXAMPLE
Im Herbst werden die Blätter bunt.
In autumn, the leaves become colorful.
Forming the future
To form the future tense (Futur I), the conjugated form of 'werden' is combined with the infinitive of another verb. The conjugated 'werden' stands in position 2 in the main clause, and the infinitive stands at the end of the sentence.
EXAMPLE
Nächstes Jahr werde ich nach Spanien reisen.
Next year I will travel to Spain.
Forming the passive
The passive is formed with the conjugated form of 'werden' and the past participle (Partizip II). 'Werden' stands in position 2 in the main clause, and the past participle stands at the end.
EXAMPLE
Das Paket wird morgen geliefert.
The package will be delivered tomorrow.
'Werden' as a main verb
When 'werden' as a main verb describes a change, it is usually followed by an adjective or a noun in the nominative. It describes the new state or the new identity.
EXAMPLE
Es wird langsam dunkel.
It's slowly getting dark.
Forming the Konjunktiv II
The form 'würde' (Konjunktiv II of 'werden') is used together with an infinitive to form a polite, hypothetical, or unreal statement. 'Würde' stands in position 2, and the infinitive stands at the end.
EXAMPLE
Ich würde dir gerne helfen, aber ich habe keine Zeit.
I would like to help you, but I don't have time.
Compare with
werden vs sein
to be
Using sein with a participle describes the state after a completed action. Werden with a participle, by contrast, focuses on the action or process itself. That is why sein fits the finished result, while werden is used for the repair in progress.
werden
Das Auto wird gerade repariert und ist bald wieder fahrbereit.
The car is being repaired right now and will soon be ready to drive again.
sein
Das Auto ist repariert und wieder fahrbereit.
The car is repaired and ready to drive again.
In real life
Loading video examples...