Present Tense Endings
Take the stem of the verb, such as spill- from spillen, and add the ending that matches the subject: ech spillen, du spills, hie spillt, mir spillen, dir spillt, si spillen.
How It Works
The endings, with spillen (to play)
- ech spillen – I play
- du spills – you play
- hien / si / et spillt – he / she / it plays
- mir spillen – we play
- dir spillt – you (plural or polite) play
- si spillen – they play
Other verbs that work the same way: wunnen (to live), schaffen (to work), léieren (to learn), kachen (to cook), kucken (to look, to watch).
The n-rule. The -en forms lose their n before most consonants (n-rule): Mir spillen Tennis, but Mir spille samschdes Fussball.
No double s in the du form. If the stem ends in s, ss, z or x, the du form adds nothing: schwätzen – du schwätz, danzen – du danz, liesen – du lies, reesen – du rees.
One tense, several meanings. Ech kachen can mean I cook or I am cooking. With a time word it can also mean I will cook: Muer kachen ech (the present for the future).
Many common verbs also change their vowel in the du and hien forms (vowel changes), and a stem ending in w is written with f in those forms (w becomes f).
Examples (6)
- Ech wunnen zu Esch.
I live in Esch.
Word by Word: I live in Esch.
The ech form is the same as the infinitive wunnen.
- Du schaffs vill.
You work a lot.
Word by Word: You work a-lot.
The du form adds -s to the stem schaff-.
- D'Maria léiert Lëtzebuergesch.
Maria is learning Luxembourgish.
Word by Word: the Maria learns Luxembourgish.
The form for hien, si and et adds -t. It covers both learns and is learning.
- Mir spille samschdes Fussball.
We play football on Saturdays.
Word by Word: We play Saturdays football.
Spillen becomes spille before the consonant s, by the n-rule.
- Dir schwätzt gutt Franséisch.
You speak French well.
Word by Word: You speak good French.
The dir form adds -t, like the hien form.
- Du schwätz ze séier.
You speak too fast.
Word by Word: You speak too fast.
The stem schwätz- ends in z, so the du form adds no s.
Common Mistakes
Adding -s to a du form whose stem already ends in z or s.
Du schwätzs Lëtzebuergesch.Du schwätz Lëtzebuergesch.After s, ss, z or x the du form takes no extra s, as the official spelling rules state.
Using the German ending -st for du.
Du wunnst zu Esch.Du wunns zu Esch.The Luxembourgish du ending is -s, not -st.
Giving dir the -en ending.
Dir wunnen zu Diekirch.Dir wunnt zu Diekirch.The dir form ends in -t, just like the hien form.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Before Present Tense Endings, learn Subject Pronouns: Plural.
Related Patterns
- Vowel Changes in Forms With du and hienVowel Changes in the Du and Hien Forms
Common verbs that also change their vowel in the du and hien forms.
Level 1 - ech / du / hien / si / etSubject Pronouns: Singular
The singular pronouns that choose the ending.
Level 1 - The N-Rule (Eifeler Regel)
Explains why mir spillen can become mir spille.
Level 1 - w Becomes fW Becomes F: Du Schreifs
Explains spellings like du schreifs and hie bleift.
Level 2 - The Present for the Future
The same present forms can talk about the future.
Level 2
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Practice Present Tense Endings in Bubblegum
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