Deutschplust

Overview of tense uses

CA58

A summary of tense uses is presented below.

	present	past	future

present		(with a time expression)	(with a time expression)

Präteritum

present perfect			with a time expression

past perfect

simple future (Future I)

future perfect (Future II)			with a time expression

Certain tenses, besides their main function i.e. the expression of temporal aspects, have additional functions.

	supposition	request/demand	intention / promise	universal facts

present

simple future (Future I)	reference to the present

future perfect (Future II)	reference to the past