Year 9 - German
Interview with a musician: present tense weak verbs, yes/no questions
Modern lives and tall tales: present tense
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Unit Summary
This unit revisits previously known vocabulary and the present tense in new contexts. . The 2nd person plural 'ihr' (informal) is introduced for weak verbs and the contrasts between du and 'Sie' (formal) consolidated.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to ask and answer questions in the present tense in the context of an interview with a musician.
Key Notes
- Cognates are pronounced in German with different syllable stress from their English equivalents.
- For present tense weak (regular) verbs, add -e, -st, -t to the stem for singular persons.
- For present tense verbs, the 'wir' (we), 'Sie' (formal you) and 'sie' (they) forms are the same as the infinitive.
- German has one present tense, with two English translations, simple or continuous present - I do or I am doing.
- The German inversion question 'Spielst du?' can translate as either 'Do you play' or 'Are you playing?'.
Vocabulary To Learn
- syllable stress: pronouncing one syllable more heavily than other syllables in a word
- stem: part of the verb that appears in all forms, created by removing the ending of the infinitive
- inversion question: when the subject pronoun and the verb switch place to form a yes/no or closed question
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- German has two ways to formulate present tense questions - just like in English; e.g., 'Do you do play guitar?'; 'Are you playing guitar?'.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain what you can now say or understand in this lesson.
Cognates are pronounced in German with different syllable stress from their English equivalents. For present tense weak (regular) verbs, add -e, -st, -t to the stem for singular persons.
2. Define this key language word and use it in context. 'syllable stress'
pronouncing one syllable more heavily than other syllables in a word. Say or write it in a short sentence so you use the word actively.
3. Correct this common language-learning mistake.
Mistake: German has two ways to formulate present tense questions - just like in English; e.g., 'Do you do play guitar?'; 'Are you playing guitar?'. Correction: German just has one present tense; this means that the question 'Spielst du Gitarre?' means 'Do you play guitar?' and 'Are you playing guitar?'. The context and/or the temporal adverb (on Tuesdays, today) help us to use the correct translation.
More Lessons In This Unit
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