The irregular verb "senden" in German

Meaning of "senden"

senden The German verb "senden" means:

1.- to send

Ich sende dir später eine Email
I’ll send you an e-mail later

The verb "senden" with the meaning "send with a courier" is irregular.

1.1.- to send (in the context of packages ["Pakete"], letters ["Briefe"], etc., meaning when a courier is necessary)

Ich habe dir heute einen Brief gesandt
I sent you a letter today

1.2.-to send persons to do something (only in the context of religion or politics)

Gott hat mir längst einen Engel gesandt
God sent me an angel a long time ago

2.-to transmit, to send out (in the context of broadcasting over the TV, radio, etc. or sending e-mails or faxes)

"Senden" with the meaning of transmit is regular.

Fußballspiele werden in 3D gesendet
The soccer games will be broadcasted in 3D

Das Radio sendet heute ein interessantes Interview
The radio is broadcasting an interesting interview today

Structure: senden + [dative] (to the person being sent something) + [accusative] (what is sent).

Differences between "senden" and "schicken"

  • "Senden" and "schicken" are synonyms in the context of sending things (e-mails, packages, letters,…). "Schicken" is used more often, especially in informal conversations.

  • For the context of transmitting (radio, TV), you can only use "senden".

  • For the context of sending persons to do something, only "schicken" is used.

Grammar of "senden"

"senden" is an irregular verb.

Verb3rd PersonPräteritumPartizip IIMeaning
sendensendetsandte/sendetegesandt/gesendetto send

Main article: Irregular verbs

Conjugation of "senden"

Present simple (Präsens Indikativ)

ConjugationMeaning
ich sendeI send
du sendestyou send
er sendethe sends
wir sendenwe send
ihr sendetyou send
sie sendenthey send

Meine ganze Familie sendet dir die besten Wünsche
My whole family sends you their best wishes

Perfect (Perfekt)

ConjugationMeaning
ich habe gesandt/gesendetI have sent
du hast gesandt/gesendetyou have sent
er hat gesandt/gesendethe has sent
wir haben gesandt/gesendetwe have sent
ihr habt gesandt/gesendetyou have sent
sie haben gesandt/gesendetthey have sent

Sie sandte uns allen eine Postkarte aus dem Urlaub
She sent us all a postcard from her vacation

Simple past (Präteritum)

ConjugationMeaning
ich sandte/sendeteI sent
du sandtest/sendetestyou sent
er sandte/sendetehe sent
wir sandten/sendetenwe sent
ihr sandtet/sendetetyou sent
sie sandten/sendetenthey sent

Subjunctive II (Konjunktiv II)

Conjugation
ich sendete
du sendetest
er sendete
wir sendeten
ihr sendetet
sie sendeten

Participle (Partizip)

Partizip IPartizip II
sendend
(sending)
gesandt/gesendet(sent)

Imperative (Imperativ)

PersonConjugationMeaning
2nd person singularsendesend
2nd person pluralsendetsend
Polite formsenden Siesend

Verbs with the stem "senden"

VerbMeaning
nachsendento forward (an e-mail)
(separable verb)
zurücksendento send back,
return
(separable verb)