The idea
Present tense: ich bastle, du bastelst, er/sie/es bastelt, wir basteln, ihr bastelt, sie/Sie basteln. Learn the sentence pattern etwas aus Material basteln; an etwas basteln together with the principal parts.
| Form | Deutsch |
|---|---|
| ich | bastle |
| du | bastelst |
| er/sie/es | bastelt |
| wir | basteln |
| ihr | bastelt |
| sie/Sie | basteln |
| Präteritum | bastelte |
| Perfekt | hat gebastelt |
| Imperativ (du) | Bastle! |
| Muster | etwas aus Material basteln; an etwas basteln |
Meaning and sentence pattern
Basteln describes hands-on making with small materials. An etwas basteln can mean tinkering with an unfinished solution.
Learn this pattern as a unit: etwas aus Material basteln; an etwas basteln. The six situations below show the verb with concrete objects, complements or circumstances.
Form check
Ich habe gebasteln.Ich habe gebastelt.The regular participle ends in t; the el of the stem remains.
Examples
- Ich bastle eine Laterne aus festem Papier.I make a lantern from sturdy paper.
- Du bastelst mit den Kindern kleine Namensschilder.You make small name badges with the children.
- Unser Nachbar bastelt an einem alten Radio.Our neighbor tinkers with an old radio.
- Wir bastelten Dekoration für das Sommerfest.We made decorations for the summer party.
- Sie hat die Einladungskarten selbst gebastelt.She made the invitation cards herself.
- Bastle zuerst ein kleines Muster aus Restmaterial.First make a small sample from leftover material.
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Watch out
The regular participle ends in t; the el of the stem remains.
Try it yourself
du ___ (basteln, Präsens)
Show answer or example answer
bastelst
bastelst: this is the second-person singular present form.
er/sie ___ (basteln, Präteritum)
Show answer or example answer
bastelte
bastelte: this is the third-person singular simple past.
Perfekt: er/sie hat ___
Show answer or example answer
gebastelt
gebastelt: in this use the perfect tense is hat gebastelt.
Practice round
Answer three questions, then rebuild three German sentences. We keep your score.
du ___ (basteln, Präsens)
er/sie ___ (basteln, Präteritum)
Perfekt: er/sie hat ___
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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Read the six situations aloud, compare the verb forms, and complete the present, past and participle checks. Then write a new sentence that follows etwas aus Material basteln; an etwas basteln.