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HOW TO REVISE: LANGUAGES! | GCSE, A Level, and  General Tips and Tricks!

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This section will point you to the right direction if you have specific gaps in your knowledge or skills.

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This section will point you to the right direction if you have specific gaps in your knowledge or skills.

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This schedule is here to help you not to dictate your time! You can change the focus of your Revision. You may not need so much writing practice and more listening/reading focus, for example. You should aim to work for 30-40 minutes at a time. When carrying out writing tasks, you will detect gaps. Be proactive and revise the Quizlets, Sentence Builders that address those gaps.

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Being successful at AQA Higher Writing Q2 (150-word question)

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Verbs are a constant challenge and incorrect conjugation can be costly. If you're still struggling, have a look here!

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To use German verbs correctly, you need to learn conjugation. Conjugation simply means changing parts of verbs to tell us who is doing the action and when.

For example, the German equivalent of "I eat and we eat" would be e enIn this example, the end of each verb changes to show who is doing the action.

In this article, we'll look at the fundamentals of German verb conjugation rules, including:

The most-used verb tenses: Past, present, and future

The three classes of German verbs: Regular, irregular, and mixed

Subjects of the verb (who's doing the action)

Conjugation patterns for common regular, irregular, and mixed verbs

Ways to practice German verb conjugation

Lass uns anfangen! (Let's get started!)

Rules for German verb conjugation

How to conjugate verbs in German depends on a few different factors, including the verb class.

German verb classes

There are two primary classes of German verbs:

Regular verbs - also called "weak" verbs, regular verbs obey standard conjugation rules.

Irregular verbs - also known as "strong" verbs, each follow their own path, and they don't fit into a specific set of rules or formulas.

You'll sometimes see a third class of German verbs: mixed verbs. These are verbs that are regular but do their own thing every once in a while. For instance: informieren (to inform) is regular in the present tense but irregular in the past tense.

How to conjugate verbs in German

To figure out which conjugation pattern to use, ask yourself:

Subject of the verb

In addition to the verb's class (regular, irregular, or mixed) and the time frame, you'll need to keep in mind the subject (whoever is doing the action).

The subject will match one of these pronouns:

As you look at more German verb conjugations, you'll start to see helpful patterns that make learning the conjugations easier.

The German verb conjugation process: the basics

Even though there are several different ways to conjugate verbs in German, parts of the process are almost always the same - especially for regular verbs.

Here are the three basic steps to regular German verb conjugation in the present and past tenses:

1. Start with the verb's infinitive. This is the form listed in the dictionary. For example, if you look up the German verb for "to play," you get , which is the infinitive.

2. Add the verb ending for the appropriate subject and tense. Based on who is doing the action and when it's happening, you can figure out which ending to put after the verb stem. For example, if you wanted to say "I work" in German, you would use the (I) form in the present tense and say, "Ich arbeite." If you wanted to say, "We worked," you'd use the (we) form for the past tense, and say, "Wir arbeiteten."

The conjugation process for irregular and mixed verbs relies a little more on memorization. These types of verbs can have stems that look nothing like their infinitives; they need to be learned by rote. Some verbs are "stem-changing," meaning that their stems might differ depending on the subject or verb tense. For instance, the vowel in the verb stem might add an umlaut or change to an entirely different vowel (We'll look at a few examples of stem-changing verbs below.)

German verb tenses and conjugations

German verb conjugation rules in the present tense

The German present tense is considered simple, since there's only one verb involved.

These verbs have a little quirk: In the present tense form for there's an alternate conjugation. It's created by dropping the -el from the stem and adding -le in its place.

Let's look at how this works with the verb klingeln (to ring, as in a bell or a phone).

Like the conjugation for verbs, you'll drop the final from infinitives to get the present-tense stem. The endings follow the same, regular pattern:

How to conjugate irregular verbs in German in the present tense

There are dozens of irregular German verbs . Start with the following list, where you'll find six of the most common and useful ones:

has particular importance because its present tense is used with another verb to create the German future tense. For example: " Ich werde zum Profi in deutscher Grammatik" (I am turning into an expert on German grammar - present tense). And " Ich werde deutsche Grammatik üben" (I will practice German grammar).

Although you'll spot a few patterns similar to regular verbs, these strong (irregular) German verbs have a mind of their own. (This is where you'll see those stem-changing verbs I mentioned earlier, among other oddities.)

Let's check out the unique present-tense conjugations for each of these verbs.

In the present tense, (to be) has a one-of-a-kind conjugation for each subject. There's no consistent stem, although the conjugations for and / are the same.

* (to eat [used with animals]) is conjugated using the same pattern as essen; essen is used to talk about people eating.

On to mixed verbs, which sometimes act regular and sometimes... not so much.

Here's the present tense of (to bring), which follows the regular verb pattern we discussed above - as do common mixed German verbs such as (to think), (to be familiar with), and (to know a fact):

Fairly regular, right? Keep an eye out to see what happens with these mixed verbs in other tenses, though.

For example, in the past tense, bringen uses a totally different verb stem - brach- - instead of using bring- (like it does in the present tense). With regular verbs, such as machen, klingeln, and klettern, the verb stem essentially stays the same throughout all the tenses.

The past tense of German verbs

The irregular verbs may follow some of these same patterns, such as the mirrored conjugations for and However, the verb stems can be very different from their infinitive forms.

Again, let's start with the regular verbs, and then take a look at the past-tense conjugations for some irregular and mixed verbs.

Regular -ern verbs: klettern (to climb)

Irregular German verbs in the past tense

For irregular verbs (as well as some mixed verbs), the past-tense verb stems can be quite different from their infinitives.

Of course, some verbs, such as (to be) actually have a more regular stem in the past tense than in the present - even if the past-tense verb stem bears no resemblance to the verb's infinitive!

Rules for german verb conjugation in the future

The future is now! And, even though it's not technically a "simple" tense, it can be much easier than the past and the present.

Why? Because all you need to know for the German future tense is the present tense of werden, plus the infinitive of the verb you want in the future tense.

This is true for regular, irregular, and mixed verbs. is used in the German future tense just like "will" in the English future tense (as in, "I will learn how to conjugate verbs in German!").

Let's look at the future conjugation for several different verbs:

How to practice the German verb conjugation rules

Now you have an overview of how to conjugate many different German verbs in the three most common verb tenses.

But how can you put this theory into practice, so you can remember these rules whenever you need them? Here are a few suggestions:

Look for mirrored conjugations

Note which personal pronouns (like etc.) conjugate the same way for a particular verb. For example:

The conjugations for and are often identical to each other - and to the verb's infinitive.

In the present tense of many regular verbs, the conjugations for (you [plural informal]) tend to be the same as those for (he/she/it).

In the past tense of many verbs, including several irregular ones, the and forms mirror each other.

Find global patterns

Look for similarities in most verb conjugations (irregular verbs will often be exceptions!). You might notice that:

Write and recite German verb conjugations

It might sound tedious, but writing out German verb conjugations by hand and reciting them aloud can help cement them in your memory.

Writing by hand helps you memorize things more easily , and saying the conjugations aloud (which means you're both speaking and hearing them) stimulates different parts of your brain than writing. Schedule half an hour each week (at least) to practice this technique.

Get everyday exposure to German reading and writing

Take time to read or listen to a little German every day, like an online (newspaper) or choose from a list of the top 11 German podcasts . Pay special attention to the conjugations of the verbs you read and hear.

This habit will also help you learn to use German verbs in context, not just conjugate them correctly.

Practice German verb conjugation rules through speaking and writing

Even if you start by using simple German words and phrases for beginners , speaking and writing in German are both effective ways to familiarize yourself with German verb conjugations.

Spend just a few minutes a day on these activities, and you'll start to notice how easily the conjugations come to you. Also, a sk questions in German conversations, using a variety of verbs.

Soon, you won't even have to consciously think about how to conjugate the more common verbs; you'll just remember from frequent use.

Get feedback from a fluent speaker

To make sure you're on the right track with the German verb conjugation rules, work with a fluent or native German speaker.

An experienced German tutor from Preply can explain even the trickier German verb concepts, such as reflexive verbs and separable verbs (both of which can change the of a German sentence).

A tutor will also give you the chance to practice speaking in 1-on-1 conversations, giving you feedback as you go. You'll hear how German verbs are used correctly - and try them out for yourself.

Final thoughts

Verbs are essential words in the German language. Use this guide as a starting point, practice learning German online consistently, and start trying to incorporate conjugations into real-life situations and conversations as soon as possible.

Do this, and you'll start to be able to use German verbs confidently, an important milestone in your journey towards German fluency.

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German Verb Conjugation Rules: Your Simple Guide

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Whatever you want to express in German, verbs make it happen. They're action words, like ich spreche (I talk). They also identify states of being, like sie ist glücklich (she is happy). To use German verbs correctly, you need to learn conjugation. Conjugation simply means changing parts of verbs to tell us who is doing the [...]

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If you're still unsure about reading, do plenty of practise. Here you will find some past papers

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Get some tips here!

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Increasing Listening Comprehension - German Learning Tips #16 - Deutsch lernen

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How to Push Yourself to the Next Level and Achieve Success

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How to Push Yourself to the Next Level and Achieve Success

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Day 1 Vocabulary, vocabulary, vocabulary!

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Day 1 Vocabulary, vocabulary, vocabulary!

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If you want real success in a language, you must know vocabulary. Work through the vocabulary and spend about 30 minutes at a time on this.

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AQA GCSE German Vocabulary Flashcards | Quizlet

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All the GCSE German vocabulary required by the specification incl. little words &verbs Learn with flashcards, games and more — for free.

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Day 2: Oral Practice, General Conversation

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Day 2: Oral Practice, General Conversation

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Revise the General Conversation questions from your Nominated Theme:
Have the questions in flashcards and test yourself!!!
Mix the questions, so they are not in the same order.
Remember: you don't need to learn them by heart but you need to know some high impact expressions extremely well.
Do this for 45 minutes and remember you should be recording your responses in your OneNote!

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Day 3 Vocabulary, vocabulary, vocabulary!

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Day 3 Vocabulary, vocabulary, vocabulary!

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If you want real success in a language, you must know vocabulary. Work through the vocabulary and spend about 30 minutes at a time on this.

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AQA GCSE German Vocabulary Flashcards | Quizlet

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All the GCSE German vocabulary required by the specification incl. little words &verbs Learn with flashcards, games and more — for free.

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Success isn’t free. What price are you willing to pay? Time, resources, inconvenience? To expect to reach your goals without effort and sacrifice is setting yourself up for failure

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Day 1: Oral Practice. Photocards/Role Plays

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Day 1: Oral Practice. Photocards/Role Plays

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From your Oral Booklet, choose 3 Photocards and practise the questions, including the Teacher's surprise questions.
Remember that you don't need to practise Photocards from your Nominated Theme!!!
Then choose 3 Roleplays at random and practise the questions, including the Surprise Question from the Teacher's section.
Spend 45 minutes doing this.

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Day 2 Vocabulary, vocabulary, vocabulary!

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Day 2 Vocabulary, vocabulary, vocabulary!

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If you want real success in a language, you must know vocabulary. Work through the vocabulary and spend about 30 minutes at a time on this.

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AQA GCSE German Vocabulary Flashcards | Quizlet

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All the GCSE German vocabulary required by the specification incl. little words &verbs Learn with flashcards, games and more — for free.

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Day 3: Oral Practice, General Conversation

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Day 3: Oral Practice, General Conversation

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Revise the General Conversation questions from your non Nominated Theme:
Have the questions in flashcards and test yourself!!!
Mix the questions, so they are not in the same order.
Remember: you don't need to learn them by heart but you need to know some high impact expressions extremely well.
Do this for 45 minutes

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Day 4: Oral Practice. Photocards/Role Plays

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Day 4: Oral Practice. Photocards/Role Plays

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From your Oral Booklet, choose 3 Photocards and practise the questions, including the Teacher's surprise questions.
Remember that you don't need to practise Photocards from your Nominated Theme!!!
Then choose 3 Roleplays at random and practise the questions, including the Surprise Question from the Teacher's section.
Spend 45 minutes doing this.

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Plenty of practise on the photo cards! Aim to spend about 45 minutes on these.

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Role Plays are easy enough but practise makes perfect!

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Day 2: Oral Practice, General Conversation

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Day 2: Oral Practice, General Conversation

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Revise the General Conversation questions from your Nominated Theme:
Have the questions in flashcards and test yourself!!!
Mix the questions, so they are not in the same order.
Remember: you don't need to learn them by heart but you need to know some high impact expressions extremely well.
Do this for 45 minutes

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Day 3: Vocabulary, vocabulary, vocabulary!

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Day 3: Vocabulary, vocabulary, vocabulary!

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If you want real success in a language, you must know vocabulary. Work through the vocabulary and spend about 30 minutes at a time on this.

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AQA GCSE German Vocabulary Flashcards | Quizlet

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All the GCSE German vocabulary required by the specification incl. little words &verbs Learn with flashcards, games and more — for free.

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There a many really useful tasks and activities here to help you with all topics and every aspect of the speaking exam!

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Reading 2018

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Listening 2018
https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/GCSE/G erman/2016/exam-materials/1GN0_1H_aud_1806.mp3

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https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/GCSE/German/2016/exam-materials/1906-1GN0-1H-recording-German.mp3

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Reading 2020

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Listening 2020
https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/GCSE/German/2016/exam-materials/2006-1GN0-1H-E2.mp3

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A short but useful video

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In German, the verb is the second idea in a sentence. But this does not necessarily mean that it is the second word.

In English, the verb as the second idea is only true in short, simple sentences with no additional information, eg:

Here ' ' is the second idea, but also the second word in this particular case.

If we add some more information to the start of the sentence, you can see how English and German differ. In the next example below, the extra phrase 'in winter' is just tacked on to the front and the word order for the rest of the sentence stays the same.

In the winter, I live in England.

In German, when an extra phrase is added to the front of a sentence, the verb still has to go second. So:

Look at these other examples of the verb in second place in German:

- In my opinion, we eat too much fat.

Look at these present tense examples where the first idea is in bold.

Can you identify the second idea - the verb - in the sentences?

Reorganise these sentences so that the verb is the second idea. Don't forget that it might not be the second word.

Once you are happy with the word order, translate the sentences into English.

unsere Freunde - wir - Am Montag - besuchen

erklärt - Mathelehrer - sehr gut - Der neue

sind - und - das rote Auto - sehr teuer - Das blaue Auto - beide

nicht - sich - streiten - Die Geschwister

Am Montag besuchen wir unsere Freunde. - On Monday we are visiting our friends. ('On Monday' is the first idea.)

Der neue Mathelehrer erklärt sehr gut. - The new maths teacher explains very well. ('The new maths teacher' is the first idea.)

Das blaue Auto und das rote Auto sind beide sehr teuer. - The blue car and the red car are both very expensive. ('The blue car and the red car' are the first idea.)

Die Geschwister streiten sich nicht. - The siblings don't fight. ('The siblings' are the first idea.)

Did you know?

Order certainly matters when it comes to the famous bronze statue of The Town Musicians of Bremen - Die Bremer Stadtmusikanten - in the city of Bremen, north Germany.

The statue represents a fairy story by the Brothers Grimm about a donkey ( ein Esel ), a dog ( ein Hund ), a cat ( eine Katze ) and a cockerel ( ein Hahn ), who head to Bremen to become town musicians - Stadtmusikanten .

On the way to Bremen, the animals decide to spend the night in a forest, where they discover a cottage being used as a robbers' den. The animals decide to frighten the thieves by standing on each other's backs and making a huge noise. As the largest, the donkey stands at the bottom with the dog on his back. The cat stands on the dog's back with the cockerel perched on the very top. The robbers flee in terror at the din and the animals move into the cottage where they live happily ever after. Despite the name of the tale, the animals never actually reach Bremen.

A statue of the animals - in order - can also be found outside each of Germany's five veterinary schools, and features on the coat of arms of the city of Bremen.

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Verb as second idea - Word order - GCSE German Revision - BBC Bitesize

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In German, the verb is the second idea in a sentence. But this does not necessarily mean that it is the second word. In English, the verb as the second idea is only true in short, simple sentences with no additional information, eg: Here ' ' is the second idea, but also the second word in this particular case.

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The ultimate overview of German Prepositions!

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What are prepositions? - Prepositions - GCSE German Revision - BBC Bitesize

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Get to know the four groups of prepositions in German and which case they take so that you can use them accurately.

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Perfekt mit SEIN: When to use the German PERFECT Tense with "to Be"

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The perfect tense is used to express things that have happened in the past in general. It is the most commonly used past tense in German.

It is used in letters, emails and spoken German.

It is used to describe something that you have done, but maybe do often and are likely to do again, eg:

This is different from the , which is used more often in written German for narratives and accounts of events, and to talk about one particular incident in the past, eg:

ich sah das Brandenburger Tor - I saw the Brandenburg Gate

The perfect tense could be described as the most interesting of the German past tenses as, apart from the subject that always has to be used, there are two distinct parts to it. You also get to play with the word order.

Did you know?

For many years, the Brandenburger Tor was the main city gate separating East and West Berlin. However, since the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989, the Brandenburg Gate has now come to represent freedom, German unity and European harmony.

The Brandenburger Tor is one of most iconic constructions in Germany and is recognised throughout the world. It is one of the most visited sites - Sehenswürdigkeiten - in Berlin.

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What is the perfect tense? - Perfect tense - GCSE German Revision - BBC Bitesize

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The perfect tense is used to express things that have happened in the past in general. It is the most commonly used past tense in German. It is used in letters, emails and spoken German.

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The Future Tense in German (B1) ⏳ Online German Grammar Class - Easy to Understand!

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What is the future tense? - Future tense - GCSE German Revision - BBC Bitesize

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Practise understanding and talking about the future in German.

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The German Relative Clauses in under 3 Minutes

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To get the full set of 72 uniquely efficient German grammar videos with over 6hrs of playtime and extensive handouts go here: http://smartergerman.com/shop/complete-basic-german-grammar-set/ For free tipps and tricks in written form visit my blog at http://www.smartergerman.com/blog The German Relative Clauses in under 3 Minutes The German relative clauses are pretty simple to construct.