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Formal vs. Informal Greetings

German has two ways to say 'you': the formal Sie and the informal du. This choice shapes which greetings you use.
  • Use Sie with strangers, elders, and in business ("Wie geht es Ihnen?")
  • Use du with friends, family, children, and peers ("Wie geht's?")
  • Sie is always capitalized, even mid-sentence
  • Germans switch to du less readily than English speakers switch to first names
  • When in doubt, start with Sie and let the other person offer du

Greetings by Time of Day

German greetings often change with the time of day.
  • Guten Morgen – good morning (until ~10-11am)
  • Guten Tag – good day/hello (daytime, most common)
  • Guten Abend – good evening
  • Gute Nacht – good night (only when parting, not a greeting)
  • Hallo and Servus (regional) work any time informally

Saying Goodbye

Farewells also split along the formal/informal line.
  • Auf Wiedersehen – formal goodbye
  • Tschüss – informal goodbye, very common
  • Bis bald / Bis später – see you soon / see you later
  • Ciao is used informally, borrowed from Italian
  • Mach's gut – informal, casual 'take care'

Politeness Words

Three small words carry a lot of social weight.
  • Danke – thank you; Danke schön – thank you very much
  • Bitte – please, and also 'you're welcome'
  • Entschuldigung – excuse me / sorry, used to get attention or apologize
  • Bitte schön / Gern geschehen – you're welcome (extra polite)
  • Es tut mir leid – I'm sorry (for something more serious)

Vowels and Umlauts

German vowel sounds differ from English and must be learned by sound, not by English spelling instinct.
  • ä sounds like 'e' in 'bed' (Mädchen)
  • ö has no English equivalent; round lips and say 'e' (schön)
  • ü has no English equivalent; round lips and say 'ee' (müde)
  • ie is a long 'ee' sound (wie, Sie); ei is like English 'eye' (nein, Wein)
  • ß (Eszett) represents a sharp 's' sound, used after long vowels/diphthongs (Straße, groß)

Key Consonant Sounds

A handful of consonants are pronounced very differently from English.
  • w is pronounced like English v (Wasser sounds like 'VAH-ser')
  • v is usually pronounced like English f (Vater sounds like 'FAH-ter')
  • z is always pronounced 'ts' (Zeit sounds like 'tsyte')
  • ch after a/o/u is a throaty sound (Bach); after e/i/consonants it's softer (ich)
  • sch is pronounced like English 'sh' (Schule)
Saying 'Wie heißen du?' instead of 'Wie heißt du?' — du takes the -t ending, not -en.
Pronouncing w like English w — it should sound like English v, so Wasser is 'VAH-ser', not 'WAH-ser'.
Using du with strangers, older people, or in formal settings — this can sound rude; use Sie until invited to use du.
Confusing bitte (please/you're welcome) with danke (thank you) — they are opposites in function, not synonyms.

The Three Genders

Every German noun has a grammatical gender — masculine, feminine, or neuter — shown by its article.
  • der = masculine (der Mann, der Tisch)
  • die = feminine (die Frau, die Tür)
  • das = neuter (das Kind, das Buch)
  • Gender is often not logical: das Mädchen (the girl) is neuter, not feminine
  • You must memorize the article together with each new noun

Definite vs. Indefinite Articles

Definite articles (der/die/das) mean 'the'; indefinite articles (ein/eine/ein) mean 'a/an'.
  • Masculine: der Hund → ein Hund
  • Feminine: die Katze → eine Katze
  • Neuter: das Auto → ein Auto
  • Indefinite articles have no plural form (Autos, not 'eine Autos')
  • kein negates a noun that would take ein/eine: kein Hund, keine Katze

The Nominative Case

The nominative case marks the subject of the sentence — the one doing the action.
  • Der Mann liest. – The man is reading. (der Mann = subject)
  • Die Frau arbeitet. – The woman works.
  • Das Kind spielt. – The child plays.
  • Question word: Wer? (Who?) asks for the nominative subject
  • Nominative articles: der, die, das, die (plural)

The Accusative Case

The accusative case marks the direct object — the thing or person receiving the action.
  • Only the masculine article changes: der → den
  • Ich sehe den Mann. – I see the man.
  • Feminine, neuter, and plural stay the same: die Frau/die Frau, das Kind/das Kind
  • Ich habe einen Hund. – ein → einen in the masculine accusative
  • Question word: Wen? / Was? (Whom?/What?) asks for the accusative object

Plural Articles

No matter the original gender, all plural nouns use the same definite article.
  • die Männer – the men
  • die Frauen – the women
  • die Kinder – the children
  • die Bücher – the books
  • Plural endings vary (-e, -er, -n/-en, -s, or none) and must be learned per noun

Personal Pronouns

Pronouns replace nouns and must match the noun's gender and number.
  • ich (I), du (you, informal), er/sie/es (he/she/it)
  • wir (we), ihr (you all, informal), sie/Sie (they/you formal)
  • der Mann → er; die Frau → sie; das Kind → es
  • Pronoun gender always matches the noun's grammatical gender, even for objects
  • Der Tisch ist groß. Er ist braun. – The table is big. It is brown.
Saying 'Ich habe ein Hund' instead of 'Ich habe einen Hund' — masculine accusative needs einen, not ein.
Assuming das Mädchen (girl) is feminine because of its meaning — it is neuter because it ends in -chen.
Using der for every noun by default — die and das nouns are just as common and must be learned separately.
Forgetting that die is used for ALL plural nouns, regardless of the noun's singular gender.

Building the Verb Stem

Regular (weak) verbs are conjugated by removing -en from the infinitive to find the stem, then adding endings.
  • spielen → stem: spiel-
  • machen → stem: mach-
  • lernen → stem: lern-
  • wohnen → stem: wohn-
  • The stem never changes for regular verbs, unlike irregular verbs

Present Tense Endings

The same six endings attach to the stem of every regular verb.
  • ich spiel-e
  • du spiel-st
  • er/sie/es spiel-t
  • wir spiel-en
  • ihr spiel-t
  • sie/Sie spiel-en

Stems Ending in -t or -d

Verbs like arbeiten (to work) insert an extra -e- before -st and -t endings for easier pronunciation.
  • arbeiten → stem: arbeit-
  • du arbeit-e-st (not arbeitst)
  • er/sie/es arbeit-e-t (not arbeitt)
  • Other examples: reden (to talk) → du redest; finden (to find) → du findest
  • The wir/sie/Sie forms are unaffected: wir arbeiten

Common Regular Verbs

A core set of everyday regular verbs to memorize.
  • machen – to do/make
  • kaufen – to buy
  • kochen – to cook
  • sagen – to say
  • fragen – to ask
  • hören – to hear/listen

Basic Sentence Building

A simple German sentence needs a subject and a conjugated verb, in that order for statements.
  • Ich lerne Deutsch. – I learn German.
  • Du spielst Fußball. – You play soccer.
  • Wir wohnen in Berlin. – We live in Berlin.
  • The conjugated verb must always match its subject
  • Word order: Subject + Verb + rest of sentence

Negation with nicht

nicht (not) negates verbs and most sentence elements.
  • Ich spiele nicht. – I don't play.
  • Er arbeitet heute nicht. – He isn't working today.
  • nicht usually comes after the verb and object, but before adjectives/adverbs
  • Compare with kein, which negates nouns: Ich habe kein Buch.
  • Ich lerne nicht gern. – I don't like learning.
Leaving the verb unconjugated: 'Ich spielen' is wrong — it must be 'Ich spiele'.
Using -st for er/sie/es: 'er spielst' is wrong — it must be 'er spielt'.
Dropping the extra -e- with -t/-d stems: 'du arbeitst' is wrong — it must be 'du arbeitest'.
Confusing nicht (negates verbs/adjectives) with kein (negates nouns with an article): 'Ich habe nicht Buch' is wrong — it must be 'Ich habe kein Buch'.

Conjugating sein (to be)

sein is one of the most important and most irregular German verbs.
  • ich bin – I am
  • du bist – you are (informal)
  • er/sie/es ist – he/she/it is
  • wir sind – we are
  • ihr seid – you all are (informal)
  • sie/Sie sind – they/you (formal) are

Conjugating haben (to have)

haben is the other essential irregular verb, used for possession and idioms.
  • ich habe – I have
  • du hast – you have (informal)
  • er/sie/es hat – he/she/it has
  • wir haben – we have
  • ihr habt – you all have (informal)
  • sie/Sie haben – they/you (formal) have

Uses of sein

sein links a subject to descriptions, identities, locations, and professions.
  • Identity: Ich bin Anna. – I am Anna.
  • Description: Er ist müde. – He is tired.
  • Location: Wir sind zu Hause. – We are at home.
  • Profession: Sie ist Lehrerin. – She is a teacher.
  • Age (important!): Ich bin 20 Jahre alt. – I am 20 years old (uses sein, not haben)

Uses of haben

haben expresses possession and appears in many fixed idiomatic expressions.
  • Possession: Ich habe ein Auto. – I have a car.
  • Hunger haben – to be hungry: Ich habe Hunger.
  • Durst haben – to be thirsty: Er hat Durst.
  • Angst haben – to be afraid: Sie hat Angst.
  • Zeit haben – to have time: Habt ihr Zeit?

Negating sein and haben

Both verbs are negated with nicht (or kein before a noun).
  • Ich bin nicht müde. – I am not tired.
  • Er hat keine Zeit. – He has no time.
  • Wir sind nicht zu Hause. – We are not at home.
  • Sie hat kein Auto. – She doesn't have a car.
  • nicht goes right after sein/haben when negating the whole idea

Why These Verbs Matter

sein and haben form the backbone of countless expressions and later grammar (like the perfect tense).
  • They cannot be conjugated with regular endings — they must be memorized as whole forms
  • Nearly every description of a person uses a form of sein
  • Nearly every possession or idiom uses a form of haben
  • Later, sein and haben are used as helping verbs for the past tense (Perfekt)
  • Mastering these two verbs early makes everything else easier
Saying 'Ich habe 20 Jahre alt' instead of 'Ich bin 20 Jahre alt' — German uses sein for age, unlike Spanish/French.
Conjugating sein like a regular verb: 'er seint' or 'er ist' confusion — the correct form is simply er ist.
Mixing up du bist (sein) and du hast (haben) — they look similar but come from different verbs.
Saying 'Ich bin Hunger' instead of 'Ich habe Hunger' — hunger/thirst/fear use haben, not sein.

The Verb-Second (V2) Rule

In a German main-clause statement, the conjugated verb is always the second grammatical element, no matter what comes first.
  • Ich gehe heute ins Kino. – I go to the cinema today.
  • Heute gehe ich ins Kino. – Today I go to the cinema. (verb still 2nd)
  • The subject moves after the verb when something else is fronted
  • Only ONE element can come before the verb, even if it's a whole phrase
  • This is called 'inversion' and is required, not optional

Time-Manner-Place (TMP)

When a sentence has multiple adverbials, German orders them Time, then Manner, then Place.
  • Ich fahre morgen mit dem Bus nach Berlin. – I travel tomorrow by bus to Berlin.
  • morgen (time) → mit dem Bus (manner) → nach Berlin (place)
  • English often reverses this order, which trips up learners
  • TMP only applies when several adverbials appear together
  • Not every sentence needs all three

Yes/No Questions

Questions expecting yes or no are formed by putting the verb first.
  • Bist du müde? – Are you tired?
  • Spielst du Fußball? – Do you play soccer?
  • Haben Sie Zeit? – Do you have time?
  • No helper word like English 'do' is needed
  • The subject follows immediately after the verb

W-Questions

Questions using a question word follow the pattern: W-word + verb + subject.
  • Wer bist du? – Who are you?
  • Was machst du? – What are you doing?
  • Wo wohnst du? – Where do you live?
  • Wann kommst du? – When are you coming?
  • Warum lernst du Deutsch? – Why are you learning German?

Coordinating Conjunctions

Und, oder, aber, and denn connect two main clauses without changing word order in either clause.
  • Ich lerne Deutsch, und du lernst Englisch. – both clauses keep normal V2 order
  • aber (but): Ich bin müde, aber ich arbeite weiter.
  • oder (or): Kommst du, oder bleibst du hier?
  • denn (because/for): Ich bleibe zu Hause, denn ich bin krank.
  • These are called 'coordinating' because they don't push the verb anywhere

Subordinating Conjunctions

Weil, dass, and wenn introduce a subordinate clause and send the conjugated verb to the very end.
  • weil (because): Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil ich krank bin.
  • dass (that): Ich weiß, dass du müde bist.
  • wenn (if/when): Wenn du Zeit hast, ruf mich an.
  • The verb-last rule applies only inside the subordinate clause
  • This is one of the biggest word-order differences from English
Saying 'Heute ich gehe' instead of 'Heute gehe ich' — fronting an element requires the verb to stay second, so the subject moves after it.
Keeping normal word order after weil: 'weil ich bin krank' is wrong — it must be 'weil ich krank bin' (verb last).
Forgetting verb-first order in yes/no questions: 'Du bist müde?' is casual/incorrect in writing — the standard question is 'Bist du müde?'.
Placing the place before the time: 'Ich fahre nach Berlin morgen' should follow TMP order as 'Ich fahre morgen nach Berlin'.

Immediate Family Vocabulary

Core words for describing your family, each with its grammatical gender.
  • der Vater – father / die Mutter – mother
  • der Bruder – brother / die Schwester – sister
  • der Sohn – son / die Tochter – daughter
  • die Eltern – parents (always plural)
  • die Geschwister – siblings (always plural)

Extended Family Vocabulary

Words for grandparents and other relatives.
  • der Großvater (Opa) – grandfather
  • die Großmutter (Oma) – grandmother
  • der Onkel – uncle / die Tante – aunt
  • der Cousin / die Cousine – male/female cousin
  • die Familie – family (die Familien in plural)

Possessive Pronouns

Possessives like mein/dein/sein/ihr work like ein-words and agree with the noun that follows.
  • mein Vater (my father) / meine Mutter (my mother) / mein Kind (my child)
  • dein Bruder (your brother, informal)
  • sein Auto (his car) / ihr Auto (her car)
  • unser Haus (our house) / euer Hund (your-all dog)
  • The ending changes with gender/case, just like ein/eine/ein

Predicate Adjectives

Adjectives placed after sein/werden describe the subject and never take an ending.
  • Er ist groß. – He is tall.
  • Sie ist freundlich. – She is friendly.
  • Das Kind ist klein. – The child is small.
  • Wir sind glücklich. – We are happy.
  • No agreement needed here — the adjective stays in its base form

Attributive Adjectives

Adjectives placed directly before a noun DO take an ending that matches gender/case.
  • der große Vater – the tall father
  • die freundliche Mutter – the friendly mother
  • das kleine Kind – the small child
  • Compare: 'Er ist groß' (no ending) vs. 'der große Mann' (ending -e)
  • This ending system is learned gradually, but recognizing the pattern now helps later

Describing People

Combine sein + adjective, or use haben, to describe appearance and personality.
  • Er ist nett und freundlich. – He is nice and friendly.
  • Sie hat braune Augen. – She has brown eyes.
  • Mein Bruder ist jung. – My brother is young.
  • Meine Oma ist alt, aber aktiv. – My grandma is old but active.
  • Wie ist deine Familie? – What is your family like?
Writing 'meine Vater' instead of 'mein Vater' — der Vater is masculine, so the possessive stays mein, not meine.
Adding an ending to a predicate adjective, e.g. 'Er ist grosser' (which actually means 'taller') when you mean plain 'big/tall' — use 'Er ist groß'.
Confusing sein (the verb 'to be') with sein (the possessive 'his') — only context and capitalization patterns tell them apart.
Treating Eltern or Geschwister as singular — you cannot say 'ein Eltern'; these words have no singular counterpart with that meaning.

Basic Food Vocabulary

Everyday food words, each with its article to memorize.
  • das Brot – bread / die Milch – milk
  • der Käse – cheese / das Wasser – water
  • der Apfel – apple / die Wurst – sausage
  • das Gemüse – vegetables (collective, singular in German)
  • der Zucker – sugar

Shopping Phrases

Polite, practical phrases used at a shop or market.
  • Ich möchte... – I would like... (polite)
  • Was kostet das? – How much does that cost? (singular item)
  • Was kosten die Äpfel? – How much do the apples cost? (plural)
  • Haben Sie...? – Do you have...? (formal)
  • Das ist alles, danke. – That's all, thank you.

The Verb möchten

möchten is the polite way to say 'would like', more courteous than wollen (to want).
  • ich möchte – I would like
  • du möchtest – you would like (informal)
  • er/sie/es möchte – he/she/it would like
  • wir möchten – we would like
  • Ich möchte ein Brot, bitte. – I would like a loaf of bread, please.

Forming Plurals

German plurals follow several patterns that must be learned with each noun.
  • Add -e: der Tisch → die Tische
  • Add -er (+ umlaut sometimes): das Buch → die Bücher
  • Add -n/-en: die Wurst → die Würste (umlaut), die Frau → die Frauen
  • Add -s (often loanwords): das Auto → die Autos
  • No change: der Apfel → die Äpfel (umlaut only)

Quantities and Containers

Expressions used to specify how much of something you want.
  • eine Flasche Wasser – a bottle of water
  • ein Kilo Äpfel – a kilo of apples
  • eine Tüte Milch – a carton/bag of milk
  • ein Stück Käse – a piece of cheese
  • German drops 'of': 'eine Flasche Wasser', not 'eine Flasche von Wasser'

Prices and Money

Vocabulary for talking about cost and paying.
  • das Geld – money / bezahlen – to pay
  • teuer – expensive / billig – cheap
  • die Kasse – checkout, cash register
  • der Supermarkt – supermarket
  • Das kostet drei Euro. – That costs three euros.
Saying 'Ich will ein Brot' in a shop — this sounds blunt/demanding; the polite form 'Ich möchte ein Brot, bitte' is preferred.
Inserting 'von' into quantities: 'eine Flasche von Wasser' is wrong — German simply says 'eine Flasche Wasser'.
Guessing the wrong plural ending, e.g. 'Autoen' instead of the correct 'Autos'.
Using 'kostet' with a plural subject: 'Was kostet die Äpfel?' should be 'Was kosten die Äpfel?'.

Separable-Prefix Verbs

Many daily-routine verbs have a prefix that detaches and moves to the end of the clause when conjugated.
  • aufstehen (to get up) → Ich stehe um 7 Uhr auf.
  • anziehen (to put on/dress) → Sie zieht die Jacke an.
  • aufwachen (to wake up) → Er wacht früh auf.
  • fernsehen (to watch TV) → Wir sehen abends fern.
  • The prefix carries key meaning, so don't drop it — it just moves to the end

Telling Time Formally

The straightforward, digital way to tell time using 'Es ist... Uhr'.
  • Es ist ein Uhr. – It is one o'clock.
  • Es ist drei Uhr. – It is three o'clock.
  • Es ist neun Uhr fünfzehn. – It is 9:15.
  • Wie spät ist es? – What time is it?
  • Um wie viel Uhr...? – At what time...?

Telling Time Conversationally

Everyday spoken German uses halb, Viertel nach, and Viertel vor — these trip up English speakers.
  • Viertel nach zwei – quarter past two (2:15)
  • Viertel vor drei – quarter to three (2:45)
  • halb drei – half past two (2:30) — NOT half past three!
  • halb zwei – half past one (1:30)
  • German 'halb X' looks ahead to the NEXT hour, unlike English 'half past'

Daily Routine Vocabulary

Verbs and phrases for describing a typical day.
  • aufstehen – to get up / frühstücken – to eat breakfast
  • sich anziehen – to get dressed / duschen – to shower
  • zur Arbeit gehen – to go to work / arbeiten – to work
  • zu Abend essen – to eat dinner / schlafen gehen – to go to sleep
  • Ich stehe auf, dusche, und frühstücke. – I get up, shower, and eat breakfast.

Days and Time Prepositions

Different prepositions are used for clock times, days, and months.
  • um for clock time: um 8 Uhr (at 8 o'clock)
  • am for days: am Montag (on Monday)
  • im for months: im April (in April)
  • Days: Montag, Dienstag, Mittwoch, Donnerstag, Freitag, Samstag, Sonntag
  • am Wochenende – on the weekend

Sequencing Daily Events

Words that link the steps of a routine in order.
  • zuerst – first (of all)
  • dann – then
  • danach – after that
  • zum Schluss / zuletzt – finally / last
  • Zuerst stehe ich auf, dann dusche ich, danach frühstücke ich.
Saying 'Ich aufstehe um 7' — the prefix must split off: correct is 'Ich stehe um 7 Uhr auf'.
Assuming 'halb zwei' means 2:30 — it actually means 1:30, since German counts toward the next hour.
Using 'in Montag' instead of 'am Montag' — days of the week take the preposition am, not in.
Forgetting the prefix entirely in a subordinate clause where it should stay attached: 'weil ich aufstehe früh' should be 'weil ich früh aufstehe' with 'aufstehe' as one word at the end.
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Unit 1: Greetings & Pronunciation

Hallo
hello (informal)
Guten Morgen
good morning
Guten Tag
good day / hello
Guten Abend
good evening
Gute Nacht
good night
Auf Wiedersehen
goodbye (formal)
Tschüss
bye (informal)
Wie geht es Ihnen?
How are you? (formal)
Danke
thank you
Bitte
please / you're welcome

Unit 2: Articles & Cases Intro

der Mann
the man
die Frau
the woman
das Kind
the child
der Tisch
the table
die Tür
the door
das Buch
the book
der Hund
the dog
die Katze
the cat
das Auto
the car
der Stuhl
the chair

Unit 3: Regular Verbs

machen
to do / make
spielen
to play
lernen
to learn
wohnen
to live (reside)
arbeiten
to work
sagen
to say
fragen
to ask
kaufen
to buy
kochen
to cook
hören
to hear / listen

Unit 4: Sein & Haben

sein
to be
haben
to have
ich bin
I am
du bist
you are (informal)
er ist
he is
ich habe
I have
du hast
you have (informal)
sie hat
she has
Hunger haben
to be hungry (lit. to have hunger)
Angst haben
to be afraid (lit. to have fear)

Unit 5: Word Order Basics

wer
who
was
what
wo
where
wann
when
warum
why
wie
how
weil
because
dass
that
aber
but
oder
or

Unit 6: Family & Descriptions

die Familie
the family
der Vater
the father
die Mutter
the mother
der Bruder
the brother
die Schwester
the sister
die Eltern
the parents
der Großvater
the grandfather
die Großmutter
the grandmother
groß
tall / big
freundlich
friendly

Unit 7: Food & Shopping

das Brot
the bread
die Milch
the milk
der Käse
the cheese
das Wasser
the water
der Apfel
the apple
das Gemüse
the vegetables
der Supermarkt
the supermarket
die Kasse
the checkout / register
teuer
expensive
billig
cheap

Unit 8: Daily Routine & Time

aufstehen
to get up
frühstücken
to eat breakfast
sich anziehen
to get dressed
schlafen gehen
to go to sleep
die Uhr
the clock / o'clock
Wie spät ist es?
What time is it?
der Montag
Monday
der Freitag
Friday
das Wochenende
the weekend
zuerst
first (of all)
Press 1–4 to answer · Enter for next

Unit 1: Greetings & Pronunciation

Formal vs. Informal Greetings
German has two ways to say 'you': the formal Sie and the informal du. This choice shapes which greetings you use.
Greetings by Time of Day
German greetings often change with the time of day.
Saying Goodbye
Farewells also split along the formal/informal line.
Politeness Words
Three small words carry a lot of social weight.
Vowels and Umlauts
German vowel sounds differ from English and must be learned by sound, not by English spelling instinct.
Key Consonant Sounds
A handful of consonants are pronounced very differently from English.
Key fact
All German nouns are capitalized, no matter where they appear in a sentence.
Key fact
Sie (capital S) is the formal 'you' for one person or many; du is informal singular.
Key fact
ß stands for a sharp 's' sound after long vowels or diphthongs; it never appears after short vowels.
Key fact
Word stress in native German words usually falls on the first syllable (HAL-lo, GU-ten Tag).

Unit 2: Articles & Cases Intro

The Three Genders
Every German noun has a grammatical gender — masculine, feminine, or neuter — shown by its article.
Definite vs. Indefinite Articles
Definite articles (der/die/das) mean 'the'; indefinite articles (ein/eine/ein) mean 'a/an'.
The Nominative Case
The nominative case marks the subject of the sentence — the one doing the action.
The Accusative Case
The accusative case marks the direct object — the thing or person receiving the action.
Plural Articles
No matter the original gender, all plural nouns use the same definite article.
Personal Pronouns
Pronouns replace nouns and must match the noun's gender and number.
Key fact
Only the masculine definite article changes in the accusative: der → den (die, das, and plural die stay the same).
Key fact
Every noun's gender must be memorized individually — it is not predictable from meaning.
Key fact
ein/eine/ein has no plural form; kein is its negative and does have a plural (keine).
Key fact
Pronouns (er/sie/es) match the grammatical gender of the noun they replace, not real-world gender.

Unit 3: Regular Verbs

Building the Verb Stem
Regular (weak) verbs are conjugated by removing -en from the infinitive to find the stem, then adding endings.
Present Tense Endings
The same six endings attach to the stem of every regular verb.
Stems Ending in -t or -d
Verbs like arbeiten (to work) insert an extra -e- before -st and -t endings for easier pronunciation.
Common Regular Verbs
A core set of everyday regular verbs to memorize.
Basic Sentence Building
A simple German sentence needs a subject and a conjugated verb, in that order for statements.
Negation with nicht
nicht (not) negates verbs and most sentence elements.
Key fact
Find the stem of a regular verb by dropping -en from the infinitive, then add the ending for each person.
Key fact
The six present-tense endings are: -e, -st, -t, -en, -t, -en for ich/du/er-sie-es/wir/ihr/sie-Sie.
Key fact
Verbs whose stem ends in -t or -d insert an extra -e- before -st/-t (du arbeitest, not du arbeitst).
Key fact
The conjugated verb occupies the second position in a simple German statement.

Unit 4: Sein & Haben

Conjugating sein (to be)
sein is one of the most important and most irregular German verbs.
Conjugating haben (to have)
haben is the other essential irregular verb, used for possession and idioms.
Uses of sein
sein links a subject to descriptions, identities, locations, and professions.
Uses of haben
haben expresses possession and appears in many fixed idiomatic expressions.
Negating sein and haben
Both verbs are negated with nicht (or kein before a noun).
Why These Verbs Matter
sein and haben form the backbone of countless expressions and later grammar (like the perfect tense).
Key fact
sein and haben are irregular and must be memorized form by form; they do not follow the regular -e/-st/-t pattern.
Key fact
German expresses age with sein, not haben: Ich bin 20 Jahre alt (not 'Ich habe 20 Jahre').
Key fact
Many physical/emotional states use haben + noun: Hunger haben, Durst haben, Angst haben.
Key fact
sein and haben later double as helping verbs for the Perfekt (past) tense.

Unit 5: Word Order Basics

The Verb-Second (V2) Rule
In a German main-clause statement, the conjugated verb is always the second grammatical element, no matter what comes first.
Time-Manner-Place (TMP)
When a sentence has multiple adverbials, German orders them Time, then Manner, then Place.
Yes/No Questions
Questions expecting yes or no are formed by putting the verb first.
W-Questions
Questions using a question word follow the pattern: W-word + verb + subject.
Coordinating Conjunctions
Und, oder, aber, and denn connect two main clauses without changing word order in either clause.
Subordinating Conjunctions
Weil, dass, and wenn introduce a subordinate clause and send the conjugated verb to the very end.
Key fact
The conjugated verb is always the second element in a German statement — this is the Verb-Second (V2) rule.
Key fact
When time, manner, and place all appear, German orders them Time → Manner → Place.
Key fact
Coordinating conjunctions (und, oder, aber, denn) do not change word order in the clauses they join.
Key fact
Subordinating conjunctions (weil, dass, wenn) push the conjugated verb to the end of their clause.

Unit 6: Family & Descriptions

Immediate Family Vocabulary
Core words for describing your family, each with its grammatical gender.
Extended Family Vocabulary
Words for grandparents and other relatives.
Possessive Pronouns
Possessives like mein/dein/sein/ihr work like ein-words and agree with the noun that follows.
Predicate Adjectives
Adjectives placed after sein/werden describe the subject and never take an ending.
Attributive Adjectives
Adjectives placed directly before a noun DO take an ending that matches gender/case.
Describing People
Combine sein + adjective, or use haben, to describe appearance and personality.
Key fact
Possessive pronouns (mein, dein, sein, ihr, unser, euer) take the same endings as ein and must agree with the noun they modify.
Key fact
Predicate adjectives (after sein) never take an ending: Er ist groß, not 'Er ist großer'.
Key fact
Attributive adjectives (before a noun) do take an ending: der große Vater.
Key fact
Eltern (parents) and Geschwister (siblings) are grammatically always plural in German.

Unit 7: Food & Shopping

Basic Food Vocabulary
Everyday food words, each with its article to memorize.
Shopping Phrases
Polite, practical phrases used at a shop or market.
The Verb möchten
möchten is the polite way to say 'would like', more courteous than wollen (to want).
Forming Plurals
German plurals follow several patterns that must be learned with each noun.
Quantities and Containers
Expressions used to specify how much of something you want.
Prices and Money
Vocabulary for talking about cost and paying.
Key fact
möchten (would like) is more polite than wollen (want) and is the standard verb for ordering or shopping.
Key fact
German drops 'of' in quantity expressions: eine Flasche Wasser (a bottle of water), not 'eine Flasche von Wasser'.
Key fact
Was kostet...? is used with singular items; Was kosten...? is used with plural items.
Key fact
Plural formation has five main patterns (-e, -er, -n/-en, -s, or umlaut only) and must be memorized per noun.

Unit 8: Daily Routine & Time

Separable-Prefix Verbs
Many daily-routine verbs have a prefix that detaches and moves to the end of the clause when conjugated.
Telling Time Formally
The straightforward, digital way to tell time using 'Es ist... Uhr'.
Telling Time Conversationally
Everyday spoken German uses halb, Viertel nach, and Viertel vor — these trip up English speakers.
Daily Routine Vocabulary
Verbs and phrases for describing a typical day.
Days and Time Prepositions
Different prepositions are used for clock times, days, and months.
Sequencing Daily Events
Words that link the steps of a routine in order.
Key fact
In a separable-prefix verb, the prefix detaches and moves to the very end of a main clause: Ich stehe um 7 Uhr auf.
Key fact
German 'halb zwei' means 1:30 (half BEFORE two), not 2:30 — it looks forward to the next hour.
Key fact
Clock times use um (um 8 Uhr), days use am (am Montag), and months use im (im April).
Key fact
Sequencing words like zuerst, dann, danach, and zuletzt organize a daily routine into a clear order.
Common mistakes for each unit — read the mistake, then make sure you know why it's wrong.

Unit 1: Greetings & Pronunciation

Watch out
Saying 'Wie heißen du?' instead of 'Wie heißt du?' — du takes the -t ending, not -en.
Watch out
Pronouncing w like English w — it should sound like English v, so Wasser is 'VAH-ser', not 'WAH-ser'.
Watch out
Using du with strangers, older people, or in formal settings — this can sound rude; use Sie until invited to use du.
Watch out
Confusing bitte (please/you're welcome) with danke (thank you) — they are opposites in function, not synonyms.

Unit 2: Articles & Cases Intro

Watch out
Saying 'Ich habe ein Hund' instead of 'Ich habe einen Hund' — masculine accusative needs einen, not ein.
Watch out
Assuming das Mädchen (girl) is feminine because of its meaning — it is neuter because it ends in -chen.
Watch out
Using der for every noun by default — die and das nouns are just as common and must be learned separately.
Watch out
Forgetting that die is used for ALL plural nouns, regardless of the noun's singular gender.

Unit 3: Regular Verbs

Watch out
Leaving the verb unconjugated: 'Ich spielen' is wrong — it must be 'Ich spiele'.
Watch out
Using -st for er/sie/es: 'er spielst' is wrong — it must be 'er spielt'.
Watch out
Dropping the extra -e- with -t/-d stems: 'du arbeitst' is wrong — it must be 'du arbeitest'.
Watch out
Confusing nicht (negates verbs/adjectives) with kein (negates nouns with an article): 'Ich habe nicht Buch' is wrong — it must be 'Ich habe kein Buch'.

Unit 4: Sein & Haben

Watch out
Saying 'Ich habe 20 Jahre alt' instead of 'Ich bin 20 Jahre alt' — German uses sein for age, unlike Spanish/French.
Watch out
Conjugating sein like a regular verb: 'er seint' or 'er ist' confusion — the correct form is simply er ist.
Watch out
Mixing up du bist (sein) and du hast (haben) — they look similar but come from different verbs.
Watch out
Saying 'Ich bin Hunger' instead of 'Ich habe Hunger' — hunger/thirst/fear use haben, not sein.

Unit 5: Word Order Basics

Watch out
Saying 'Heute ich gehe' instead of 'Heute gehe ich' — fronting an element requires the verb to stay second, so the subject moves after it.
Watch out
Keeping normal word order after weil: 'weil ich bin krank' is wrong — it must be 'weil ich krank bin' (verb last).
Watch out
Forgetting verb-first order in yes/no questions: 'Du bist müde?' is casual/incorrect in writing — the standard question is 'Bist du müde?'.
Watch out
Placing the place before the time: 'Ich fahre nach Berlin morgen' should follow TMP order as 'Ich fahre morgen nach Berlin'.

Unit 6: Family & Descriptions

Watch out
Writing 'meine Vater' instead of 'mein Vater' — der Vater is masculine, so the possessive stays mein, not meine.
Watch out
Adding an ending to a predicate adjective, e.g. 'Er ist grosser' (which actually means 'taller') when you mean plain 'big/tall' — use 'Er ist groß'.
Watch out
Confusing sein (the verb 'to be') with sein (the possessive 'his') — only context and capitalization patterns tell them apart.
Watch out
Treating Eltern or Geschwister as singular — you cannot say 'ein Eltern'; these words have no singular counterpart with that meaning.

Unit 7: Food & Shopping

Watch out
Saying 'Ich will ein Brot' in a shop — this sounds blunt/demanding; the polite form 'Ich möchte ein Brot, bitte' is preferred.
Watch out
Inserting 'von' into quantities: 'eine Flasche von Wasser' is wrong — German simply says 'eine Flasche Wasser'.
Watch out
Guessing the wrong plural ending, e.g. 'Autoen' instead of the correct 'Autos'.
Watch out
Using 'kostet' with a plural subject: 'Was kostet die Äpfel?' should be 'Was kosten die Äpfel?'.

Unit 8: Daily Routine & Time

Watch out
Saying 'Ich aufstehe um 7' — the prefix must split off: correct is 'Ich stehe um 7 Uhr auf'.
Watch out
Assuming 'halb zwei' means 2:30 — it actually means 1:30, since German counts toward the next hour.
Watch out
Using 'in Montag' instead of 'am Montag' — days of the week take the preposition am, not in.
Watch out
Forgetting the prefix entirely in a subordinate clause where it should stay attached: 'weil ich aufstehe früh' should be 'weil ich früh aufstehe' with 'aufstehe' as one word at the end.