Study Hub

Study Guides

This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.

Back to Study HubBrowse Year 8 German Guides

Year 8 - German

Everyday experiences: present tense separable verbs, 'gern'

What we like and prefer doing: separable verbs, 'gern' and 'lieber'

Unit Summary

This unit revisits adverbs, such as 'gut' 'schnell' and 'gern', and introduces the adverb 'lieber'. It extends knowledge of separable verbs for the plural forms 'wir' and 'sie'.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to understand separable verbs in the present tense in the context of everyday experiences.

Key Notes

  • Regular practice of different sound-symbol correspondences (SSCs) supports listening and speaking skills.
  • Separable verbs are made up of a prefix and a base verb, e.g., 'einkaufen' - 'to shop, shopping'.
  • Present tense separable verbs match verb and subject, using the same endings as other verbs.
  • The prefix of a separable verb usually moves to the end of the sentence in the present tense.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • separable verb: two-part verb with a base verb and a prefix that usually moves to the end of the sentence in the present tense
  • prefix: a letter or group of letters added to the start of a word to change its meaning or how it is used, e.g., 'an-', 'auf-'

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Separable verbs work exactly the same as all other verbs in the present tense.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

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

Regular practice of different sound-symbol correspondences (SSCs) supports listening and speaking skills. Separable verbs are made up of a prefix and a base verb, e.g., 'einkaufen' - 'to shop, shopping'.

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

two-part verb with a base verb and a prefix that usually moves to the end of the sentence in the present tense. Say or write it in a short sentence so you use the word actively.

3. Correct this common language-learning mistake.

Mistake: Separable verbs work exactly the same as all other verbs in the present tense. Correction: Separable verbs use the same endings as all other present tense verbs, but in most sentences the separable verb prefix moves to the end of the sentence, e.g., 'anrufen' - 'ich rufe meinen Freund an'.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 8 German guide library.