Präsens: regelmäßige Verben

English adds an ending in just one place: "he works". Luxembourgish verbs change for almost every person, but the endings are few and regular, and the n-rule takes care of some of them for you.

So there are three endings to learn: -en for ech, mir and si; -s for du; -t for hien/si/hatt and dir. A stem that already ends in an s-sound (-s, -ss, -z, -tz, -x) does not add a second one for du: du schwätz - you speak. The stem's own s-sound does the job of the ending.

The -en and the n-rule

Every -en ending loses its -n before a consonant other than n, d, t, z, h:

• Ech schaffen um Kierchbierg. - I work at Kirchberg. (vowel follows: -en)
• Ech schaffe bei der Bank. - I work at the bank. (b follows: -e)
• Mir wunnen zu Dikrech. - We live in Diekirch. (z follows: -en)
• Si wunne gär an der Stad. - They like living in town. (g follows: -e)

One present for two English tenses

Luxembourgish has no "-ing" form. Ech schaffen is both "I work" and "I'm working", and with a time word it also covers the future: Muer schaffen ech net - I'm not working tomorrow. Do not look for a helper verb in questions either: Wou wunns du? - Where do you live?