German has only six tenses, but with several moods and voices and a variety of prefixes and prepositions, German verbs can seem overwhelmingly complex. What's more, some things that look similar to English, such as the simple past and present perfect, are used differently in German. The lack of a continuous tense and use of the subjective also cause confusion. If you're wondering where to start, find out how to learn German verbs by using conjugation tables, flash cards and authentic texts.

Be selective about which verbs you study. First, learn the auxiliary (helping) verbs like sein and haben. These are essential for using certain tenses. Then learn the six modal verbs like wollen and sollen. After that, concentrate on the most commonly used verbs, regardless of whether they're regular or irregular. If you're a beginner, you don't need to learn each verb in all tenses and moods. Start with the present, simple past, present perfect and future.

Get a book that lists the full conjugation of essential verbs. Choose a book of 100 or more verbs with the conjugation in all tenses, voices and moods presented in table format. Look for one with verbs listed alphabetically and one verb per page. Ideally, the book should provide example sentences, idioms and proverbs, tests with answer keys and an overview of the rules for verbs. Use this book as a reference for daily study.

Buy or make verb flash cards. If you're a beginner, choose cards with a variety of verbs in different basic conjugations. Look at each card and determine the roots and first conjugation of the first. As you improve, move on to determining which conjugation is shown. For more advanced study, determine related prepositions, the meaning and usage of appropriate separable and inseparable prefixes and whether the verb takes haben or sein in the present perfect and related tenses.

Keep a list of commonly confused verbs. Some German verb pairs, such as kennen and wissen, have only one common English translation. Other verbs, such as lassen, have several possible translations in English, so the meaning isn't always clear. Still others, like machen and tun, are used differently than in English. Also list false cognates like meinen, which means "have an opinion," not "mean."

Collect real-life examples. German verb tenses don't always correspond to their English equivalents and the subjunctive is rarely used in English. Word order is also different. Examining authentic examples shows you how native German speakers use different verbs and tenses. Choose a common verb and search native German sources for example sentences that use that verb in different tenses and moods. Review the examples until you get a feel for the way native speakers use each tense and mood.

Speak and write frequently. Creative activities develop your sense of when to use which verb in which conjugation. Choose a tense or mood to practice and write full sentences using it with different verbs. Do writing exercises that focus on a particular group of tenses. For example, practice the simple past and present perfect by telling a story about something that happened to you as a child.