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Year 9 - German

Storytelling: pronouns 'du', 'ihr', 'Sie', object word order

Modern lives and tall tales: present tense

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 understand and correctly use the different forms of 'you' in German and use verbs with direct and indirect objects in the context of a modern fairy tale.

Key Notes

  • To say 'you' in German, use 'du' (singular) or 'Sie' (formal) or 'ihr' (plural informal) or 'man' (you, one or people).
  • In a sentence with two object nouns, the indirect object (dative) always comes first.
  • Identify the indirect object in a sentence by asking 'to/for whom'?' something is done and looking for dative articles.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • ihr: pronoun meaning you (all), used for more than one person that you address by their first name
  • indirect object: the person, people or thing(s) that the verb action is done to or for, taking the dative case in German

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • 'You' in German is just one word.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

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

To say 'you' in German, use 'du' (singular) or 'Sie' (formal) or 'ihr' (plural informal) or 'man' (you, one or people). In a sentence with two object nouns, the indirect object (dative) always comes first.

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

pronoun meaning you (all), used for more than one person that you address by their first name. Say or write it in a short sentence so you use the word actively.

3. Correct this common language-learning mistake.

Mistake: 'You' in German is just one word. Correction: German has four different words for 'you', depending on who you're talking to: 'du' – informal, singular; 'ihr' - informal, plural; 'Sie' - formal, singular; 'man' - people in general, one.

More Lessons In This Unit

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