Simple Past Or Present Perfect?

You now know that German has two main tenses to talk about things that happened in the past. But when should you use which? The general rule is: present perfect when speaking; simple past in writing. But like many other rules, this one is not always followed strictly and there are situations when both are acceptable.

Another guideline is: in a very formal situation, use simple past, in a familiar environment use the present perfect, regardless if you are speaking or writing. Let’s look at a few situations and discuss the appropriate use.

Click each situation below to find out which tense to use and a sample sentence: