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Year 9 - German

What makes us happy? Authentic texts, relative pronouns and comparatives

School exchange: verbs with prepositions

Unit Summary

This unit revisits the present tense, introducing sentences with two objects, and verbs with direct or indirect objects. Verbs with prepositions an, auf, für and vor are introduced.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to apply the full extent of your linguistic knowledge to help you understand authentic texts about happiness.

Key Notes

  • By regularly revisiting a range of vocabulary, you will be better prepared to understand authentic texts.
  • Add –er to an adjective or adverb to form the comparative. Some comparatives are irregular, such as 'gut' - 'besser'.
  • Relative clauses add information about the noun in a main clause, without starting another sentence.
  • Relative clauses start with a relative pronoun. Use the definite article that matches the noun in the main clause.
  • 'Wenn' (if, when[ever]) is a conjunction that triggers word order three, sending the verb to the end of the statement.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • comparative: a form of adjective or adverb used to compare people, things or ideas
  • relative clause: adds information about the noun in the main clause
  • wenn: conjunction meaning 'if, when(ever)'
  • word order three (WO3): after certain conjunctions, the verb is sent to the end of the sentence or clause

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Words which look the same in English and German will have the same meaning.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

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

By regularly revisiting a range of vocabulary, you will be better prepared to understand authentic texts. Add –er to an adjective or adverb to form the comparative. Some comparatives are irregular, such as 'gut' - 'besser'.

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

a form of adjective or adverb used to compare people, things or ideas. Say or write it in a short sentence so you use the word actively.

3. Correct this common language-learning mistake.

Mistake: Words which look the same in English and German will have the same meaning. Correction: There are many false friends in German. These are words that look exactly the same but do not have the same meaning: for example, 'bald' means 'soon'.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 9 German guide library.