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In Brunos Glas gärt der Kohl, und kleine Bläschen steigen nach oben. The cabbage is fermenting in Bruno's jar, and tiny bubbles are rising to the top.

verb · C1

gären

[ˈɡɛːʁən]

to ferment, to seethe

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Other Examples

  • Die Gurken gären etwa eine Woche bei Zimmertemperatur.

    The cucumbers ferment for about a week at room temperature.

  • Lass den Teig über Nacht gären, dann wird das Brot luftiger.

    Let the dough ferment overnight, and the bread will be airier.

  • Der Apfelsaft gor im Keller, weil Frau Hilde ihn zu warm gelagert hatte.

    The apple juice fermented in the cellar because Frau Hilde had stored it too warm.

  • In der Frühschicht gärt es schon seit Wochen, aber niemand spricht es an.

    Trouble has been brewing on the early shift for weeks, but no one mentions it.

  • Hat der Kwass schon lange genug gegoren, oder warten wir noch?

    Has the kvass fermented long enough, or shall we wait a bit longer?

Grammar

Present
er/sie/es gärt What happens now or usually.
Simple past (Präteritum)
er/sie/es gor The past in stories and in writing; in speech mostly with sein, haben and the modal verbs.
Perfect (Perfekt)
er/sie/es hat gegoren The past in conversation. Verbs of movement or change take "ist", most others "hat".

Conjugation

The verb in every person; under each table, when German uses it.

Indikativ
Person Präsens Präteritum Perfekt
ich gäregorhabe gegoren
du gärstgorsthast gegoren
er/sie/es gärtgorhat gegoren
wir gärengorenhaben gegoren
ihr gärtgorthabt gegoren
sie/Sie gärengorenhaben gegoren
Präsens
What happens now or usually; with a time word also the future.
Präteritum
The past in stories and in writing; in speech mostly with sein, haben and the modal verbs.
Perfekt
The past in conversation.
More Tenses and Moods
Indikativ
Person Plusquamperfekt Futur I Futur II
ich hatte gegorenwerde gärenwerde gegoren haben
du hattest gegorenwirst gärenwirst gegoren haben
er/sie/es hatte gegorenwird gärenwird gegoren haben
wir hatten gegorenwerden gärenwerden gegoren haben
ihr hattet gegorenwerdet gärenwerdet gegoren haben
sie/Sie hatten gegorenwerden gärenwerden gegoren haben
Plusquamperfekt
What had happened before another moment in the past.
Futur I
Plans, promises and guesses about the future; often the Präsens is enough.
Futur II
What will be finished by a moment in the future, or a guess about the past.
Person Konjunktiv II
ich göre
du görst
er/sie/es göre
wir gören
ihr gört
sie/Sie gören
Konjunktiv II
Wishes, polite requests and what isn't real.
Person Imperativ
du gär!
ihr gärt!
Sie gären Sie!
Imperativ
Requests and instructions to du, ihr and Sie.

How the Word Is Built

gär root en ending

-en
the ending of the infinitive, the form of a verb in the dictionary.

Word family

die Gärungvergärender Gärtopf

In Otti's situations: Bruno and the art of fermentation

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