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Year 8 - German

Last summer: singular perfect tense with weak and some strong verbs

Holidays: present and past, perfect tense with 'haben'

Unit Summary

This unit provides pupils with the knowledge to form the German perfect tense with 'haben' and past participles for weak and some strong verbs. Pupils learn how to form questions in the perfect tense and two options for translating the German perfect tense into English.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to use the German perfect tense of weak and strong verbs with 'haben' to say what you, you and he or she did and to ask questions.

Key Notes

  • 'Welch-' is a determiner and question word which needs to agree with the noun it refers to.
  • Past participles of weak and strong verbs with 'haben' are consolidated.
  • The form of 'haben' changes when talking about different people but the past participle stays the same.
  • For questions in the past tense, swap 'haben' and the subject. The past participle stays at the end of the sentence.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • weak verb: a verb whose past participle sandwiches the verb stem with 'ge' and '-t'; for example, 'gespielt'
  • strong verb: a verb whose participle sandwiches the stem with 'ge' and 'en'; the stem vowel often changes
  • perfect tense: the German past tense formed with the verb 'haben' and the past participle
  • past participle: the form of a verb used in the perfect tense; for example, 'I have done'

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Pupils often either forget 'haben' altogether in a sentence or question, or forget to change it when talking about different people.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain what you can now say or understand in this lesson.

'Welch-' is a determiner and question word which needs to agree with the noun it refers to. Past participles of weak and strong verbs with 'haben' are consolidated.

2. Define this key language word and use it in context. 'weak verb'

a verb whose past participle sandwiches the verb stem with 'ge' and '-t'; for example, 'gespielt'. Say or write it in a short sentence so you use the word actively.

3. Correct this common language-learning mistake.

Mistake: Pupils often either forget 'haben' altogether in a sentence or question, or forget to change it when talking about different people. Correction: Use cards or physical gestures to demonstrate the elements of the sentence to reinforce the core structure, then vary these to demonstrate changing 'haben' to match the subject of the sentence, and to demonstrate change in word order in questions.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 8 German guide library.