Year 9 - German
Festivals and traditions: using plural verbs reflexively
Ordinary routines and special events: reflexive verbs
Study Hub
Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit introduces reflexive verbs in the present tense and teaches pupils to recognise reflexive vs non-reflexive use of common verbs. The 12 and 24- hour clock are revisited so that pupils can describe their actions and routines on a daily basis and for special occasions and festivals.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to use verbs reflexively to describe people's self-directed actions in the context of traditional festivals.
Key Notes
- Idioms are expressions that often don't have a literal meaning and may not translate directly into another language.
- Several German idioms include 'Wurst' because sausage is a culturally important German food, popular at many festivals.
- Stress is part of intonation and syllable stress refers to the syllable in a word that is spoken more strongly.
- Plural reflexive pronouns 'uns', 'euch' and 'sich' make verbs reflexive when subject and object are the same.
- In sentences where subject and object are different, 'uns' (us) and 'euch' (you all) are object pronouns.
Vocabulary To Learn
- idiom: phrase whose meaning isn't always literal and doesn't always translate word for word
- stress: pronouncing one syllable more heavily than other syllables in a word
- reflexive pronoun: used to indicate doing something to yourself, words like 'myself' and 'yourself'
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- The meaning of all German phrases should be taken literally.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain what you can now say or understand in this lesson.
Idioms are expressions that often don't have a literal meaning and may not translate directly into another language. Several German idioms include 'Wurst' because sausage is a culturally important German food, popular at many festivals.
2. Define this key language word and use it in context. 'idiom'
phrase whose meaning isn't always literal and doesn't always translate word for word. Say or write it in a short sentence so you use the word actively.
3. Correct this common language-learning mistake.
Mistake: The meaning of all German phrases should be taken literally. Correction: Just like English, German contains idioms, phrases that mean something other than their literal meaning, e.g., 'da haben wir den Salat' - 'we have the salad there', which should be understood as 'now we have a problem'.
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 9 German guide library.