German · Everyday Verbs
"to read" in German: lesen
lesen
To read in German is lesen. Say Ich lese ein Buch and Liest du die Zeitung? Past participle is gelesen.
Commuter train
Ich lese auf dem Weg zur Arbeit immer Nachrichten.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce lesen
Say it
LAY-zen
/ˈleːzn̩/
LAY-zen. Long e. Soft s like z. Soft -en ending. Stress the first syllable.
"to read" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| lesen | to read Core irregular verb. | Core irregular verb. |
| ich lese / du liest | I read / you read Present forms. | Present forms. |
| gelesen | read (participle) With haben. | With haben. |
| vorlesen | to read aloud To children or audiences. | To children or audiences. |
How to use lesen in real life
- 1Commuter train
Ich lese auf dem Weg zur Arbeit immer Nachrichten.
I always read the news on the way to work.
Ich lese.
- 2Book club
Liest du noch das gleiche Buch wie ich?
Are you still reading the same book as me?
Liest du.
- 3Library return
Hast du das schon gelesen?
Have you already read that?
Gelesen participle.
Mistakes English speakers make with lesen
Incorrect: Ich liest ein Buch.
Correct: Ich lese ein Buch.
First person is lese; liest is du/er/sie.
Incorrect: Ich habe gelesen das Buch gestern. (word order)
Correct: Ich habe das Buch gestern gelesen.
Participle gelesen goes to the end in this perfect sentence.
Good to know
Lesungen (readings) by authors are popular events. On the Bahn, people still lesen paperbacks and phones side by side—headphones optional, eye contact rare.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Choosing a novel for a long train ride
ChatPal
Liest du Krimis oder lieber Essays?
Do you read crime novels or rather essays?
You
Heute lese ich etwas Leichtes.
Today I'm reading something light.
ChatPal
Leih dir meins—ich habe es schon gelesen.
Borrow mine—I've already read it.
You
Danke. Dann lese ich im Zug die erste Hälfte.
Thanks. Then I'll read the first half on the train.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to read" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to read" in German
How do you conjugate lesen?
Ich lese, du liest, er/sie liest, wir lesen, ihr lest, sie lesen.
What is the past participle?
Gelesen—Ich habe das Buch gelesen.
How do you say read aloud?
Vorlesen.
How do you say reading (the hobby)?
Das Lesen or simply Ich lese gern.
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