The irregular verb "treffen" in German
Meaning of "treffen"
The verb "treffen" means:
1.-to meet (like on a date), to get together
For this meaning, "treffen" is reflexive (sich treffen):
Wann und wo treffen wir uns?
When and where are we meet?
Structure: treffen + accusative (with whom one is meeting)
2.-to make a decision, reach an agreement
Ich muss heute eine Entscheidung treffen
I have to make a decision today
Structure: treffen + [accusative] (what is is decided on. Ex: the agreement)
3.-to hit, to strike (with a projectile)
Wilhelm Tell trifft den Apfel genau in der Mitte
William Tell hits the apple right in the center
Structure: treffen + [accusative] (what is hit. Ex: the apple)
Grammar of "treffen"
"treffen" is an irregular verb.
| Verb | 3rd Person | Präteritum | Partizip II | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| treffen | trifft | traf | getroffen | to meet |
Main article: Irregular verbs
Conjugation of "treffen"
Present simple (Präsens Indikativ)
| Conjugation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ich treffe | I meet |
| du triffst | you meet |
| er trifft | he meets |
| wir treffen | we meet |
| ihr trefft | you meet |
| sie treffen | they meet |
Perfect (Perfekt)
| Conjugation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ich habe getroffen | I have met |
| du hast getroffen | you have met |
| er hat getroffen | he have met |
| wir haben getroffen | we have met |
| ihr habt getroffen | you have met |
| sie haben getroffen | they have met |
Simple past (Präteritum)
| Conjugation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ich traf | I met |
| du trafst | you met |
| er traf | he met |
| wir trafen | we met |
| ihr traft | you met |
| sie trafen | they met |
Subjunctive II (Konjunktiv II)
| Conjugation |
|---|
| ich träfe |
| du träfst |
| er träfe |
| wir träfen |
| ihr träft |
| sie träfen |
Participle (Partizip)
| Partizip I | Partizip II |
|---|---|
| treffend (meeting) | getroffen (met) |
Imperative (Imperativ)
| Person | Conjugation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd person singular | triff | meet |
| 2nd person plural | trefft | meet |
| Polite form | treffen Sie | meet |
Verbs with the stem "treffen"
| Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| antreffen | to encounter to run across something/someone (separable verb) |
| eintreffen | to arrive (separable verb) |
| übertreffen | to exceed, to beat (inseparable verb) |
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