The sun shines, but a plan seems useful: learn the two everyday meanings of scheinen, its zu infinitive and irregular past forms.
The idea
Scheinen can describe light: Die Sonne scheint. It also describes an impression: Der Plan scheint sinnvoll; Das Gerät scheint zu funktionieren. The forms are scheint – schien – hat geschienen.
| Pattern / form | German example |
|---|---|
| Licht | Die Sonne scheint. |
| Eindruck + Adjektiv | Der Vorschlag scheint gut. |
| Eindruck + zu-Infinitiv | Sie scheint den Weg zu kennen. |
| Vergangenheitsformen | schien / hat geschienen |
Practise the supporting grammar before changing the people or tense in these examples: German infinitives with zu: sentence patterns
Read the whole construction
You see the screen light up: Der Computer scheint zu funktionieren reports your impression. Der Computer funktioniert makes a direct statement instead. An adjective can stand without sein, as in Der Plan scheint gut, or with zu sein: Der Plan scheint gut zu sein. With sunlight, no impression is implied: Heute scheint die Sonne describes the weather.
Examples
- Heute scheint die Sonne.The sun is shining today.
- Die Sonne schien durch das Fenster.The sun was shining through the window.
- Der Plan scheint sinnvoll.The plan seems sensible.
- Das Gerät scheint zu funktionieren.The device seems to be working.
- Du scheinst müde zu sein.You seem to be tired.
- Die Sonne hat den ganzen Tag geschienen.The sun has shone all day.
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Watch out
Seems does not promise certainty. For another verb after scheinen, use the zu infinitive, not a bare infinitive.
Try it yourself
Die Sonne scheint durch das Fenster. Welche Bedeutung passt? (Licht / Eindruck)
Show answer or example answer
Licht
Licht — The sun shines through the window; this describes light, not uncertainty.
Das Gerät scheint ___ funktionieren.
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zu
zu — This infinitive construction requires zu before the final verb.
Gestern ___ die Sonne. (scheinen, Präteritum)
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schien
schien — The irregular past changes ei to ie: scheinen becomes schien.
Die Sonne hat lange ___. (scheinen)
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geschienen
geschienen — The auxiliary is already present; use the past participle shown in the reference.
Practice round
Answer three questions, then rebuild three German sentences. We keep your score.
Die Sonne scheint durch das Fenster. Welche Bedeutung passt? (Licht / Eindruck)
Das Gerät scheint ___ funktionieren.
Gestern ___ die Sonne. (scheinen, Präteritum)
Die Sonne hat lange ___. (scheinen)
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Write two connected sentences about your own situation using these patterns: Heute scheint ... . / ... scheint ... zu sein.