Holen Present Tense Conjugation in German

The present tense of holen — “to fetch” — is the form you need for habits, facts and what is happening now. This page gives you the complete present tense table for holen, how it is formed, when to use it, the mistakes learners make with it, and a quiz to check yourself. The first example shows it in action: “Ich hole die Post vom Briefkasten.” — “I fetch the post from the letter box.”

Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for holen, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one.

Present Tense conjugation of holen

Every form in the table below comes from VerbFlow’s verified conjugation tables for holen. holen is a regular weak verb, so you can build the present tense from the regular endings once you know the stem.

Present (Präsens) — holen

Person Form
ich hole
du holst
er/sie/es holt
wir holen
ihr holt
sie/Sie holen

The present participle of holen is holend and the past participle is geholt. You need the participle for the perfect tenses, and the present participle for adjectival use.

How the present tense of holen is formed

For a regular weak verb, the present tense is built on the stem hol- (the infinitive holen without its -en ending) plus the present tense endings: ich → hole, du → holst, er/sie/es → holt, wir → holen, ihr → holt, sie/Sie → holen. So holen gives hole, holst, holt, holen, holt, holen.

When to use the present tense of holen

1. Habits and routines

Use the present tense for habits and routines. For example, with holen: “Ich hole die Post vom Briefkasten.” — “I fetch the post from the letter box.” Notice how the time expression and the context, not just the verb form, tell you which rule applies.

2. General truths and facts

Use the present tense for general truths and facts. For example, with holen: “Du holst die Post vom Briefkasten.” — “You fetch the post from the letter box.” Notice how the time expression and the context, not just the verb form, tell you which rule applies.

3. What is happening right now

Use the present tense for what is happening right now. For example, with holen: “Er holt die Post vom Briefkasten.” — “He fetches the post from the letter box.” Notice how the time expression and the context, not just the verb form, tell you which rule applies.

4. Scheduled plans and the near future

Use the present tense for scheduled plans and the near future. For example, with holen: “Wir holen die Post vom Briefkasten.” — “We fetch the post from the letter box.” Notice how the time expression and the context, not just the verb form, tell you which rule applies.

5. Narration and instructions

Use the present tense for narration and instructions. For example, with holen: “Sie holen die Post vom Briefkasten.” — “They fetch the post from the letter box.” Notice how the time expression and the context, not just the verb form, tell you which rule applies.

Present vs future: holen now, holen later

The present and the future both talk about things that have not happened yet in one sense, but they are not interchangeable. The present is for what is true now or already fixed; the future is for what will happen and is not yet certain. Compare the pairs below — the present form comes from this page, the future form from the full conjugation table.

  • Present: “Ich hole die Post vom Briefkasten.” — “I fetch the post from the letter box.”

  • Future: “Ich werde die Post vom Briefkasten holen.” — “I will fetch the post from the letter box.”

  • Present: “Du holst die Post vom Briefkasten.” — “You fetch the post from the letter box.”

  • Future: “Du wirst die Post vom Briefkasten holen.” — “You will fetch the post from the letter box.”

  • Present: “Wir holen die Post vom Briefkasten.” — “We fetch the post from the letter box.”

  • Future: “Wir werden die Post vom Briefkasten holen.” — “We will fetch the post from the letter box.”

Example sentences: holen in the present tense

Six sentences using only the present tense of holen, with English translations. Read them aloud — saying the forms is the fastest way to fix them in memory.

  • “Ich hole die Post vom Briefkasten.” — “I fetch the post from the letter box.”
  • “Du holst die Post vom Briefkasten.” — “You fetch the post from the letter box.”
  • “Er holt die Post vom Briefkasten.” — “He fetches the post from the letter box.”
  • “Wir holen die Post vom Briefkasten.” — “We fetch the post from the letter box.”
  • “Ihr holt die Post vom Briefkasten.” — “You fetch the post from the letter box.”
  • “Sie holen die Post vom Briefkasten.” — “They fetch the post from the letter box.”

Common mistakes with holen in the present tense

1. Using the infinitive instead of the present

✗ Wrong: “Ich holen die Post vom Briefkasten.”

✓ Right: “Ich hole die Post vom Briefkasten.”

The infinitive never takes a subject; use the conjugated form hole.

2. Mixing up the persons

✗ Wrong: “Du hole die Post vom Briefkasten.”

✓ Right: “Du holst die Post vom Briefkasten.”

After du you need holst, not the ich form hole. Each person has its own ending.

3. Using the future for a habit

✗ Wrong: “Ich werde die Post vom Briefkasten holen.”

✓ Right: “Ich hole die Post vom Briefkasten.”

A habit that happens every day takes the present (hole), not the future.

4. Using the Präteritum for something happening now

✗ Wrong: “Ich holte die Post vom Briefkasten.”

✓ Right: “Ich hole die Post vom Briefkasten.”

Something happening right now takes the present (hole), not the Präteritum.

Quiz: holen in the present tense

  1. What is the ich form of holen in the Present (Präsens)?

    • A) hole
    • B) holst
    • C) holt
    • D) holen

  2. What is the du form of holen in the Present (Präsens)?

    • A) holen
    • B) holt
    • C) holst
    • D) hole

  3. What is the er/sie/es form of holen in the Present (Präsens)?

    • A) hole
    • B) holst
    • C) holen
    • D) holt

  4. What is the wir form of holen in the Present (Präsens)?

    • A) holst
    • B) holen
    • C) hole
    • D) holt

  5. What is the ihr form of holen in the Present (Präsens)?

    • A) holt
    • B) hole
    • C) holen
    • D) holst

  6. What is the sie/Sie form of holen in the Present (Präsens)?

    • A) holt
    • B) hole
    • C) holen
    • D) holst

  7. What is the past participle of holen?

    • A) holend
    • B) holte
    • C) geholt
    • D) hole

  8. Which auxiliary does holen take in the Perfekt?

    • A) haben
    • B) werden
    • C) sein

Answer key

  1. A) hole — the ich form of holen in the present tense is hole.
  2. C) holst — the du form of holen in the present tense is holst.
  3. D) holt — the er/sie/es form of holen in the present tense is holt.
  4. B) holen — the wir form of holen in the present tense is holen.
  5. A) holt — the ihr form of holen in the present tense is holt.
  6. C) holen — the sie/Sie form of holen in the present tense is holen.
  7. C) geholt — the past participle of holen is geholt; the Perfekt uses haben + geholt.
  8. A) haben — holen takes haben in the Perfekt: habe geholt.

Frequently asked questions

How is the present tense of holen formed?

From the stem plus the present endings: ich → hole, du → holst, er/sie/es → holt, wir → holen, ihr → holt, sie/Sie → holen. The German present tense guide explains the pattern for all verbs.

Is holen regular in the present tense?

Yes — holen is regular in the present tense: the forms follow the standard pattern. The full picture, including the irregular tenses if any, is on the full conjugation page.

What is the past participle of holen?

The past participle is geholt. Use it with haben for the Perfekt, as in habe geholt, and with haben in the past for the Plusquamperfekt, as in hatte geholt.

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