In German
laufen
Meaning: to run
Formal or informal? “Laufen” is to run, or to walk on foot in a general sense. For a sprint, the word is “rennen”.
Example sentences
Ich laufe jeden Morgen im Park.
I run in the park every morning.
Läufst du gern?
Do you like running?
Der Hund läuft sehr schnell.
The dog runs very fast.
Grammar note
Present tense: ich laufe, du läufst, er läuft, wir laufen. The stem vowel changes from au to äu in the du and er forms, so “läufst” and “läuft”.
Common mistake
Write “du läufst” and “er läuft” with the umlaut. Writing “du laufst” makes it sound like the wrong verb form.
Quick check
Which form is correct for “he runs” (er)?
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Practise it in a lesson →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between “laufen” and “rennen”?
“Laufen” is running or walking in general, while “rennen” is to sprint.
What's the du form of “laufen”?
“Du läufst”, with the umlaut.