The verb "werden"

Nico will kein Ingenieur werden.
Was willst du werden? Willst du gern Koch werden?

Deutschkurse | Nicos Weg | A2_E04_L2_S11_Foto2
null iStockphoto

The verb werden can be used as a helping verb or as a main verb. As a helping verb, it can be used to express that something will happen in the future.

As the main verb, werden expresses a development or change:

Die Kinder werden größer. (They are growing quickly.)

Werden is quite frequently used to express career desires.

Helene will Journalistin werden. (She is still studying.) 

The verb werden is irregular. Here are the forms it takes in the present tense:

Singular  
1st Person ich werde
2nd Person du wirst
3rd Person er/sie/es wird
Plural  
1st Person wir werden
2nd Person ihr werdet
3rd Person sie werden
formal: Sie werden

 

The present perfect tense is created when the verb werden is combined with the helping verb sein. The past participle geworden is irregular.

Helene ist Journalistin geworden.
Die Kinder sind größer geworden.