German · Everyday Verbs
"to run" in German: rennen
rennen
Note: also: laufen
To run in German is rennen. Say Ich renne zum Bus or Warum rennst du?. Laufen can also mean run in sport talk, but for this headword stick to rennen forms.
Missing the tram
Ich renne, sonst verpasse ich die Bahn.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce rennen
Say it
REN-nen
/ˈʁɛnən/
REN-nen. Short e. Soft double n.
"to run" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| rennen | to run Fast running, chasing, rushing. | Fast running, chasing, rushing. |
| ich renne / du rennst / er rennt | I/you/he run(s) Present forms. | Present forms. |
| gerannt | run (past participle) With sein: ich bin gerannt. | With sein: ich bin gerannt. |
| losrennen | to start running / dash off Sudden start. | Sudden start. |
How to use rennen in real life
- 1Missing the tram
Ich renne, sonst verpasse ich die Bahn.
I'm running or I'll miss the tram.
Ich renne.
- 2Playground
Die Kinder rennen über den Hof.
The kids are running across the yard.
Rennen plural.
- 3Asking why
Warum rennst du so?
Why are you running like that?
Rennst du.
Mistakes English speakers make with rennen
Incorrect: Ich laufe zum Bus. (only, when teaching rennen)
Correct: Ich renne zum Bus.
For this headword use rennen; laufen alone does not count.
Incorrect: Ich bin gelaufen. (for rennen)
Correct: Ich bin gerannt.
Past participle of rennen is gerannt.
Good to know
In everyday rush talk rennen feels more urgent than gehen. Sport jogs are often laufen or joggen; rennen is the sprint-to-the-bus energy.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Catching a departing bus
ChatPal
Der Bus kommt! Rennst du mit?
The bus is coming! Are you running with me?
You
Ja — ich renne schon!
Yes — I'm already running!
ChatPal
Nicht stolpern. Wir rennen nur bis zur Haltestelle.
Don't trip. We're only running to the stop.
You
Geschafft. Ich renne nie wieder mit Kaffee in der Hand.
Made it. I'll never run with coffee in hand again.
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 run" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to run" in German
How do you conjugate rennen?
Ich renne, du rennst, er/sie rennt, wir rennen, ihr rennt, sie rennen.
Past participle?
Gerannt — Ich bin zur Bahn gerannt.
Rennen or laufen?
Rennen is clear running; laufen can mean walk or run depending on region and sport.
How do you say I'm running?
Ich renne.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
