verb
to paint, to paint (a picture)
A2
Malen means 'to paint', especially pictures or surfaces. It is a regular weak verb using haben as auxiliary; Partizip II gemalt. Present forms: ich male, du malst, er malt. Not reflexive or separable. Used for painting pictures (ein Bild malen) and painting walls or objects.
Examples
Ich male ein Bild.
I'm painting a picture.
Während die Kinder die Wand malten, bemerkte der Lehrer, dass die Farbe bald trocknete.
While the children painted the wall, the teacher noticed that the paint would dry soon.
Er malt die Wände des Wohnzimmers neu.
He is repainting the living-room walls.
Details
Mnemonics
Picture someone painting a colorful picture with the syllable 'mal' forming a brush stroke
sounds like English 'mallen' — imagine painting a mall
Notes
Regular weak verb; Partizip II 'gemalt'. Often used for both painting pictures and painting walls.