German · Everyday Verbs
"to wait" in German: warten
warten
To wait in German is warten. Say Ich warte or Warte kurz. With an object use warten auf: Ich warte auf dich.
At a stop
Ich warte schon zehn Minuten.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce warten
Say it
VAR-ten
/ˈvaʁtn̩/
VAR-ten. Soft w as v. Soft final -en.
"to wait" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| warten | to wait Default infinitive. | Default infinitive. |
| ich warte / du wartest | I/you wait Present forms. | Present forms. |
| warten auf | to wait for Needs auf + accusative. | Needs auf + accusative. |
| gewartet | waited Past participle. | Past participle. |
How to use warten in real life
- 1At a stop
Ich warte schon zehn Minuten.
I have already been waiting ten minutes.
Warte.
- 2Texting
Warte kurz, ich bin gleich da.
Wait a second, I will be right there.
Warte imperative.
- 3Past
Wir haben vor dem Tor gewartet.
We waited in front of the gate.
Gewartet.
Mistakes English speakers make with warten
Incorrect: Ich warte dich.
Correct: Ich warte auf dich.
Warten needs auf before the person/thing.
Incorrect: Ich warte für den Bus.
Correct: Ich warte auf den Bus.
Use auf, not für.
Good to know
Warten auf is the pattern learners must lock in. Anstehen is specifically waiting in a line.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Meeting at a café
ChatPal
Wartest du schon lange?
Have you been waiting long?
You
Nein, ich warte erst seit fünf Minuten.
No, I have only been waiting for five minutes.
ChatPal
Gut. Warte hier, ich hole Kaffee.
Good. Wait here, I will get coffee.
You
Okay. Ich warte am Fensterplatz.
Okay. I will wait at the window seat.
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 wait" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to wait" in German
How do you say to wait?
Warten.
Wait for someone?
Auf jemanden warten.
Past participle?
Gewartet.
Wait a second?
Warte kurz.
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
