Year 8 - German
Since when and for how long? 'seit' with present, 'vor' with perfect tense
Last year or this year: present and perfect tenses
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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 revisits past and present tenses in familiar contexts including school. Pupils ask and answer questions in present and perfect tenses. with the use of 'seit' plus present tense contrasting with 'vor' ago, pupils can talk about what they do, since when and for how long.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to use dative prepositions 'seit' and 'vor' to say how long ago something happened, when it started, or how long it has been going on for.
Key Notes
- Long [e] and [ä] make similar sounds but knowing the difference is important for speaking and listening.
- The prepositions 'seit', 'vor' and 'bei' are followed by the dative case.
- 'Seit' means 'since' or 'for' and is used with the present tense and a unit of time in the dative.
- 'Vor' can mean ago and is used with the perfect tense and a unit of time in the dative.
- 'Bei' means 'at (the house of)', 'for' or 'with' and is followed by a noun or pronoun in the dative.
Vocabulary To Learn
- seit: preposition meaning 'since' or 'for', followed by the dative case
- vor: preposition meaning 'ago', followed by the dative case
- bei: preposition meaning 'at (the house of)', 'for' or 'with', followed by the dative case
- dative: case used for the indirect object in a sentence and after a dative verb or preposition
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- To mean 'for' with a period of time, use 'vor' in German.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain what you can now say or understand in this lesson.
Long [e] and [ä] make similar sounds but knowing the difference is important for speaking and listening. The prepositions 'seit', 'vor' and 'bei' are followed by the dative case.
2. Define this key language word and use it in context. 'seit'
preposition meaning 'since' or 'for', followed by the dative case. Say or write it in a short sentence so you use the word actively.
3. Correct this common language-learning mistake.
Mistake: To mean 'for' with a period of time, use 'vor' in German. Correction: 'Vor' means 'ago', e.g. vor zwei Jahren - two years ago. To mean 'for' with a period of time in the present tense, use 'seit'; in the past, add 'lang' after the time phrase, but don't use a preposition for 'for'.
More Lessons In This Unit
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