Year 11 - German
Das Wattenmeer: present tense weak and strong verbs, reflexives
Communication and the world around us: mein Wohnort
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit consolidates known grammar and vocabulary, including past and present tenses, direct and indirect object pronouns, and comparatives, as pupils explore new places. Pupils also learn the imperative in the formal 'Sie' form.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to use a range of weak, strong and reflexive verbs in the present tense to understand texts about and to describe new places.
Key Notes
- Weak verbs in the present tense follow a regular pattern of changes, like 'lernen'.
- Strong verbs in the present tense change their vowel in the verb stem in the 'du' and 'er, sie, es' forms.
- Strong verb stem changes in the present tense are: e to i, e to ie, and a to ä.
- Use reflexive pronouns with reflexive verbs. They often relate the action to the subject of the sentence.
- Some verbs have a different meaning when they are used as reflexive verbs, e.g., 'anziehen' and 'sich anziehen'.
Vocabulary To Learn
- weak verb: a verb that follows a regular pattern of changes
- strong verb (present tense): a verb which changes its vowel in the verb stem of some of its forms
- reflexive: describes an action where the subject and object of the verb are the same, used with reflexive pronouns
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Verbs have the same meaning whether they are used reflexively or non-reflexively.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain what you can now say or understand in this lesson.
Weak verbs in the present tense follow a regular pattern of changes, like 'lernen'. Strong verbs in the present tense change their vowel in the verb stem in the 'du' and 'er, sie, es' forms.
2. Define this key language word and use it in context. 'weak verb'
a verb that follows a regular pattern of changes. Say or write it in a short sentence so you use the word actively.
3. Correct this common language-learning mistake.
Mistake: Verbs have the same meaning whether they are used reflexively or non-reflexively. Correction: Some verbs have the same or similar meanings when used reflexively and non-reflexively, e.g. nennen, to call; sich nennen, to call oneself. However, some verbs completely change their meaning, e.g. anziehen, to attract; sich anziehen, to get dressed.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Abenteuer im Ausland: perfect tense stem changes, perfect tense questions Study Guide
- Ausflüge: formal and informal questions Study Guide
- Deutsche Städte: comparative adjectives Study Guide
- Feste: present tense weak and strong verbs Study Guide
- Flüsse in Deutschland: negation, 'sondern', 'entweder...oder', 'weder...noch' Study Guide
- Freiwilligenarbeit: direct and indirect object pronouns, position of objects Study Guide
- Hilf der Umwelt! Imperative 'du', 'ihr', 'Sie' Study Guide
- In der Stadt unterwegs: expanding vocabulary, role-play Study Guide
- Mein Brückenjahr: preposition 'bei', 'beim' and 'am' with nominalised verbs Study Guide
- Recyceln: formal and informal questions, 'du', 'ihr', 'Sie' Study Guide
- Wie ist die Stadt? Dative articles after 'laut' Study Guide
- Wie komme ich am besten ... ? Formal and informal imperatives Study Guide
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