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One common feature of the German language is that it often has several words with the same translation in English. A case in point is the words "weil", "da", and "denn" all of which translate as "because". However, that is not to say that they are used in exactly the same way- they aren't. On the difference between weil, da and denn in German While both "weil" and "da" are subordinating conjunctions that send the conjugated verb to the end in a dependent clause, "denn" is a coordinating conjunction that doesn't affect word order in German . The second difference is that "weil" is the most common word that is used at the start of subordinate clauses in which reasons for certain actions or statements are being provided like the English word "because", "da" and "denn" are stylistic alternatives which are used in texts to mix things up, similar to the English "as", "since" and "for". Let's look at examples to clarify both points. Ich lerne Deutsch, weil mein Partner aus Deutschland kommt (I'm studying German because my partner is from Germany) Ich lerne Deutsch, denn mein Partner kommt aus Deutschland (same translation, but notice the difference in word order. Whereas the conjugated verb "kommt" is at the end of the subordinate clause after "weil", it is second in the "denn" clause that links two main clauses). Er ist nach Berlin umgezogen, weil seine Freundin dort wohnt. Da er die Stadt auch liebt, war es für ihn keine schwierige Entscheidung (He moved to Berlin because his girlfriend lives there. Since he also loves the city, it wasn't a difficult decision for him). As the above example shows, "da" can be used as a stylistic alternative to "weil" when reiterating the latter would be too repetitive. "Denn" could also have been used in the second sentence, but not at the start because coordinating conjunctions are not used at the beginning of sentences. This is just a convention, though, just like English native speakers don't start sentences with "but". So here is the sentence with "denn": "Es war keine schwierige Entscheidung für ihn, denn er liebt auch die Stadt". Finally, many German students confuse denn with dan n sometimes, so read my blog post on the difference between them to avoid confusion. On our German language blog "Auf Deutsch, bitte!" , you will find helpful posts about other topics, such as German cases , prepositions , and German word order . But we also review the most popular language learning apps .

A lot has been written and speculated since the referendum about what Brexit actually means, the effects it might have on the UK and on Europe. Yet, one thing is certain: in a globalised world, no country can survive alone. So interacting with other nations and people remains as important as it's been before for the UK. Perhaps it becomes even more important post-Brexit as agreements will need be renegotiated and new deals be made. It is in this context that foreign languages do play a vital role, and German in particular. Why? In this phase of uncertainty and beyond, being able to communicate with business partners and companies in Germany, Austria and Switzerland in German will make your message even more effective because your German-speaking counterpart will interpret the fact that you made the effort to learn German as a clear sign that you and your company value the German-speaking market and believe in its continued importance. As good as their English might be, you won't be able to communicate that message as effectively in English as you will in German. https://www.olesentuition.co.uk/german-language-training-london https://www.olesentuition.co.uk/single-post/2016/07/19/german-language-lessons-for-companies-in-london https://www.olesentuition.co.uk/single-post/learn-german-during-lockdown

Translating from the English “near”, English native speakers often confuse the difference between “neben” and “in der Nähe von” in German- and it’s easy to see why. In this blog post, I will explain the difference and give some advice on how to avoid the confusion moving forward. “Neben” is a so-called two way or dual preposition that either goes with the accusative or the dative case, depending on whether the verb implies a change of location (accusative) or not (dative). It’s translation into English is “next to”. “In der Nähe von”, on the other hand, is a phrase that combines the two-way preposition in with the dative preposition “von” . "In" itself is followed by the dative of the noun "die Nähe" (the vicinity) because there is no change of location. So the phrases uses the dative case twice but for different reasons. It translates as “near” or "in the vicinity" into English. Let’s look at some examples. Mein Büro liegt neben der U-Bahn-Station. (My office is next to the underground station) Mein Büro liegt in der Nähe von der U-Bahn-Station. Sie ist 5 Minuten zu Fuß entfernt. (My office is near the underground station. It’s 5 minutes on foot). Die U-Bahn-Station liegt neben dem Einkaufszentrum. (The underground station is next to the shopping centre) Das Einkaufszentrum ist in der Nähe von dem Fluss. (The shopping centre is near the river) "Neben" should be taken literally as location A is right next to B, whereas "in der Nähe von" is a description of the surrounding area. I hope this makes a difference between them a bit clearer. On our German language blog "Auf Deutsch, bitte!", you'll find explanations of all prepositions and other German grammar topics, such as the four cases in German , adjective declensions , the difference between "sein" and "ihr" , "nach", nachdem" and "danach" , " denn" vs. "dann" , "brauchen" vs. "müssen" , but you will also learn phrases such as how to say "Merry Christmas" in German , so check out our posts.

One of my former students once told me what her ingenious strategy is for using “zu” in German. “I just stick it at the end to make the sentence sound German”. Unsurprisingly, as always in the German language, there is a rule for when we use zu- intuition won’t do the trick. In this blog post, I'll explain when to use zu and when not do. Speicherstadt in Hamburg Many students first learn about zu as a dative only preposition. I have covered dative prepositions in German elsewhere, in this blog post I focus on the word zu in combination with verbs. First, let’s clarify where zu is never used- after modal verbs and auxiliary verbs like werden und würden. So können, wollen, sollen, dürfen, möchten, mögen, müssen, and the aforementioned verbs only go with the infinitive of the verb without zu before it. Ich muss meinen Unterricht vorbereiten. (I need to prepare my lesson) Er wird im Sommer in Urlaub fliegen. (He will fly on holiday in the summer) Sie würde lieber zu Hause bleiben. (She would rather stay at home) Let’s now look at two situations in which zu is used in subordinate clause. The first situation is in combination with the conjunctions “um...zu”, “ohne...zu”, “statt...zu”. Um mein Griechisch zu verbessern, muss ich mehr Vokabeln lernen. (In order to improve my Greek, I have to study more vocabulary) Ich gehe selten aus dem Haus, ohne vorher meinen Schlüssel zu suchen. (I rarely go out of the house, without looking for my key prior before I leave) Sie geht zu Fuß, statt den Bus zu benutzen. (She goes by foot instead of taking the bus) The trickier situation in which zu is being used in a subordinate clause is after verbs that trigger a so-called infinitive construction. The most common verbs and phrases are: Anfangen- to start to do something Aufhören - to stop doing something Anbieten - to offer to do something Beginnen - to begin to do something Beabsichtigen - to intend to do something Die Absicht haben - to have the intention to do something Beschließen - to decide to do something Entscheiden - as above Sich entschließen - as above Versprechen - to promise to do something Versuchen - to try to do something Bereit sein zu -to be ready to do something Ich fange an, eine E-Mail zu schreiben. (I start writing my email) Wir beabsichtigen/haben die Absicht, einen Urlaub zu planen. (Wie intend to plan a holiday) Sie beschließen/entscheiden sich/entschließen sich, ihr Auto zu verkaufen. (They decide to sell their car) Ich versuche, mehr Zeit zum Joggen zu finden. (I try to find more time for jogging) The good news is that the zu often translates into English and reminds you that there is a zu in the infinitive clause. So I hope you see that the German use of zu is not as random as my student assumed. One final remark on commas in German . Rules have changed in the last 25 years. Nowadays, it's optional to use a comma before the infinitive clause. But I'm old school, so I use commas there to distinguish the main from the subordinate clause. Learn more about how to structure German sentences and subordinate clauses in the language on my blog. There, you will also find posts about the difference between nachdem and danach, bevor and vorher , when to use zu in German sentence , an explanation of how to use um...zu and damit , and a post about the use of als and wenn in German . Of course, we also have articles on other grammar topics, such as reflexive verbs and how to use them in German , direct and indirect questions in the German language , as well as many others.

Navigating the intricacies of German grammar is a rewarding journey, and one crucial aspect is understanding accusative prepositions. In this blog post, we'll unravel the mysteries of accusative prepositions, explore their usage, and equip you with the knowledge to wield them confidently in your German language endeavours. Accusative prepositions in German explained by an experienced German tutor German students usually get introduced to the dual prepositions in German first before they learn about prepositions that only take the accusative case. When to Use Accusative Prepositions Accusative prepositions are employed when there is direct action towards an object or when indicating a specific direction. Direction of Motion: Use accusative prepositions to denote movement or direction, especially when the action is toward a specific destination. Time Duration: Indicate the duration of an action or event using accusative prepositions, such as "durch" (through) or "für" (for). Specific Destinations: When referring to a specific location or destination, accusative prepositions clarify the target of the action. The five main prepositions in this category, which my German students remember by the acronym "DOGFU", are: durch (through, by virtue of) Ich gehe durch die Kölner Innenstadt. (I walk through Cologne's city centre) Durch den Kölner Dom kommen viele Touristen in die Stadt. (Many tourists come into the city through the Cologne Cathedral) ohne (without) Ohne mein Handy gehe ich nicht aus dem Haus. (I don't leave the house without my mobile phone) gegen (against, around in the temporal sense) Sie ist gegen die Idee. (She is against the idea) Sollen wir uns gegen 12 Uhr treffen? (Should we meet around 12?) für (for) Ich habe eine Überraschung für dich. (I have a surprise for you) um (at in the temporal and around in the spatial sense) Ich beginne um 8 Uhr mit der Arbeit. (I start work at 8 o' clock) Er joggt täglich um den See (herum). (He is jogging around the lake every day) Confusingly for English native speakers, the German preposition "gegen" is also used to combat illnesses, e.g. Sie nimmt Antibiotika gegen Husten (She is taking antibiotics for cough). So, even though some of the accusative prepositions might puzzle you initially, the good news is that, unlike the two-way prepositions , there is no rule to remember here. You just need to learn that these prepositions only take the accusative case. However, "ohne" and "um" can also be used as subordinate clause conjunctions so be careful not to confuse the two different ways of using them. Other prepositions in the category of accusative prepositions are bis (until, to) which never takes an article, and hence I don't ask my students to learn it as an accusative preposition e.g. Ich arbeite oft bis 21 Uhr. Er fuhr bis Frankfurt mit seinem Auto, dann nahm er den Zug. entlang (along) which is a very confusing preposition as it can be put before or after the noun, and can take the accusative (for specific routes), dative (for fenced-off areas), and even the genitive case (and is then synonymous with "längs") e.g. Das Schiff fährt den Rhein entlang. An der Mauer entlang wachsen viele Pflanzen. Entlang des Flusses befinden sich viele Hausboote. wider (synonymous with "gegen") in some fixed expressions: e.g. Sie hat wider Willen ihre Hausaufgaben gemacht. Wider Erwarten hat er die Stelle bekommen. Common Pitfalls and Tips Mastering accusative prepositions can be challenging, but awareness of common pitfalls can smooth the learning curve: Accusative Pronouns: When using pronouns, remember that accusative pronouns replace the direct object in a sentence. Memorization and Practice: Regularly practice using accusative prepositions in context. Create sentences or engage in conversations to reinforce your understanding. Context Matters: Pay attention to the context of a sentence. Accusative prepositions are often determined by the nature of the action being described. Congratulations! You've taken a significant step in mastering German grammar by delving into accusative prepositions. Embrace the learning process, practice regularly, and soon you'll wield these linguistic tools with confidence. Whether you're navigating a bustling city or discussing future plans, accusative prepositions will guide you through the German language. You might also want to check out our posts on dative prepositions in German and genitive prepositions in German to progress further on your language-learning journey! Viel Erfolg (Good luck)!

Are you ready to elevate your German language skills and add a touch of finesse to your expressions? In this guide, we'll explore several essential genitive prepositions and provide examples to help you wield them with confidence. Genitive prepositions in German After the dual prepositions in German and the German prepositions with the accusative and the prepositions with dative in German , the last set of prepositions that German students typically learn are the ones that go with the genitive case. Below, you'll find the most common genitive prepositions with examples. außerhalb (outside of) Außerhalb der deutschen Hauptstadt Berlin gibt es viele Seen. (Outside of the German capital Berlin there are many lakes) innerhalb (inside of, within) Innerhalb der Stadtgrenzen Berlins gibt es viele Sehenswürdigkeiten. (Inside the borders of Berlin there are sights) oberhalb (above) Das Bild hängt oberhalb des Sofas. (The picture hangs above the sofa) unterhalb (below, underneath) Der Schlüssel liegt unterhalb der Zeitung. (The key lies underneath the newspaper) statt/anstatt* (instead) Statt der Zeitung liest der Mann ein Buch. (Instead of reading the newspaper the man reads a book) trotz (in spite of, despite) Sie gehen trotz der Kälte spazieren. (They go for a walk in spite of the cold) während (during) Während des Unterrichts sind die Schüler:innen konzentriert. (During the lesson, the pupils are concentrated) wegen (because of, due to) Wegen meines Partners lerne ich Deutsch. (I'm learning German because of my partner) *statt and anstatt are usually used interchangeably. Confusingly, they can be used as genitive prepositions and conjunctions that trigger infinitive constructions in German . Mastering Genitive Prepositions- Tips for Learners: Contextual Learning:  Absorb these prepositions in various contexts to grasp their nuances. Practice with Examples:  Create your sentences using these prepositions to reinforce understanding. Explore German Literature:  Read German texts to see these prepositions in action. Understanding and incorporating genitive prepositions into your German repertoire adds a layer of sophistication to your language proficiency. Embrace the challenge, practice consistently, and watch as your linguistic precision flourishes. Explore More German Language Insights on Our Blog And if you want to learn about the genitive case in German beyond prepositions, read our blog post on this case. Feel free to share your thoughts or ask questions about genitive prepositions in the comments below!

Verbs that only use the dative case in German are a major source of confusion for many German students, particularly those who are trying to understand  the four German cases . In this post, I will give examples for each of the dative-only verbs and explain how they fit in with the overall logic of the cases. How are you in German- on gut gehen and other dative only verbs In terms of the normal logic of the cases, the easiest way to figure out the difference between dative and accusative is to start with the verb. When verbs imply a giving to/doing for (so when the action of the verb can be done for a person or pet), you can expect there to be a dative and an accusative in your sentence, where the dative represents the recipient of the accusative case, e.g. Ich schenke meiner Mutter Blumen. Whenever the verb doesn't imply a giving to/doing for, you can normally expect that there is just an accusative in your sentence, e.g. Ich kenne den Mann. There are two exceptions to this giving to/doing for rule, though- prepositions which follow their own rules, and dative only verbs which need to be treated as special verbs that just need to be memorised. In what follows, I have listed the verbs that only go with the dative case in German according to language levels at which they're typically learned. So just concentrate on your level of German and ignore the remaining verbs for the time being, paying particular attention to the most common ones in bold. A2 level antworten (to answer, respond to) Ich antworte der Frau auf ihre E-Mail. danken (to thank) Sie dankt ihrem Lehrer für seinen Unterricht. gefallen (to like, to appeal to) Tennis gefällt mir. gehören (to belong to) Gehört dir die Tasche? gratulieren (to congratulate) Wir gratulieren den Schüler:innen zu ihren fantastischen Noten. gut gehen (to go well) Wie geht es dir? Mir geht es gut, danke. Und dir? helfen (to help) Können Sie mir bitte bei meinen Hausaufgaben helfen? passen (to fit) Diese Jeans passt mir leider nicht mehr. schmecken (to taste) Das Essen hat ihnen sehr gut geschmeckt. stehen (to suit) Diese Jacke steht dir hevorragend. B1 level ähneln (to resemble) Viele Leute sagen, dass ich meiner Mutter ähnele. begegnen (to encounter) Als ich neulich in der Stadt war, bin ich zufällig einem alten Freund begegnet. fehlen (to miss, to lack) Meine Eltern fehlen mir. folgen (to follow) Viele Menschen folgen ihrer Intuition. glauben (to believe) Warum glaubst du mir nicht, was ich gesagt habe? vertrauen (to trust) Sie vertraut ihrem Freund. zustimmen (to agree) Ich stimme dir zu. B2 and beyond befehlen (to command) Der Polizist befiehlt dem Verdächtigen seine Waffe abzulegen. beistehen (to assist s.o.) Seine Geschwister stehen ihm in dieser schwierigen Situation bei. einfallen (to come to mind) Der Name fällt mir leider gerade nicht ein. entgegnen (to counter) Der Premierminister entgegnete den Journalist:innen, dass.. erwidern (to retort) Sie erwiderte dem Richter, dass.. gehorchen (to obey) Ihr Hund gehorcht ihr fast immer. gelingen (to manage, to succeed) Der Aufsatz ist ihm sehr gut gelungen. genügen (to suffice) Ein Wochenendurlaub genügt mir nicht. missfallen (to dislike) Das Konzert hat den Kritiker:innen missfallen. misslingen (to be unsuccessful) Immer wenn ich backe, misslingt mir der Kuchen. sich nähern (to approach) Sie nähern sich ihrem Ziel. nützen (to be of use) Ihr Rat hat ihm nicht genützt. raten (to advise) Ich rate dir, deine Entscheidung zu überdenken. schaden (to damage) Die Gerüchte schaden ihrem Ruf. verzeihen (to forgive) Bitte verzeiht uns. ausweichen (to escape) Wir weichen dem Müll auf der Straße aus. widersprechen (to object) Ich muss Ihnen leider widersprechen. zuhören (to listen to) Bitte hör mir zu! zureden (encourage) Wir haben ihr gut zugeredet, den Studienplatz anzunehmen. zuwenden (to turn to) Der Chef wendet sich seinen Mitarbeitern zu. I have also designed an infographic that shows the most common German verbs accusative, dative verbs and those that go with both cases . On our blog , you will find posts on adjective endings in German , pronouns to German s yntax . We give you an estimate of how long it takes to learn German , and we compare the most popular online dictionaries Linguee, dict.cc, dict.leo and Collins . So check out our blog and let us know what you think. Find out more about our German lessons , small German classes , and new online German courses here.

English native speakers often get confused when they try to translate a word like “after” into German, and it’s easy to see why. “After” can be rendered into German in three ways: “nach”, “danach” and “nachdem”. So what is the difference? In this blog post, I will explain. The difference between "nach", "nachdem", "danach" The difference between the three words is that they belong to different categories within German grammar , which also means that they need to be used differently. “Nach” is a preposition that always goes with the dative case, whereas “danach” and “nachdem” are connectors that affect the word order in different ways. While “danach” is a main clause connector that is followed by the conjugated verb and then the subject, “nachdem” is a subordinate clause conjunction that sends the conjugated verb to the end of the sentence. Let’s rephrase the same idea with the three words and consider the difference in grammar. Nach dem Unterricht esse ich zu Abend (After the lesson I eat dinner). Nachdem der Unterricht beendet ist, esse ich zu Abend. (After the lesson is finished, I eat dinner) Der Unterricht ist bald beendet. Danach esse ich zu Abend. (The lesson is over soon. Afterwards I’ll eat dinner) “Nach” doesn’t impact the word order in a sentence, unless it is placed at the start of the sentence where it then acts as emphasis on time and, like in any main clause, must be followed by the conjugated verb. However, we could easily put the time phrase after the verb and then it wouldn’t have any effect on the syntax. Ich esse nach dem Unterricht zu Abend. As a main clause connector or joining adverb (“Verbindungsadverb”), “danach” is usually placed at the start of the sentence, which in turn means that it must be followed by the conjugated verb. Confusingly, it could also be treated as a time phrase though and also be placed after the conjugated verb, just like “nach”. Ich esse danach zu Abend. As a subordinate clause conjunction, “nachdem” must be at the start of the subordinate clause. Even though subordinate clauses usually come after the main clause, they can also be used as an emphasis and be put first, as in my example above. The syntax within the subordinate clause won’t change, though. Ich esse zu Abend, nachdem der Unterricht beendet ist. So, what follows from all this? Literal translations from English to German are misleading as they would suggest that the three words could be used in much the same way. I hope the above has shown that this is not the case. I would also suggest a difference in translation. “Nach” should be translated as “after (something)” where that something represents a noun. “Nachdem” should be thought of as “after doing something, something else happened”. Finally, “danach” should be treated as “afterwards”. Considering the three words in this way makes their grammatical differences and differences in their use clearer. On our German language blog "Auf Deutsch, bitte!", you'll find posts about many other topics in German grammar, ranging from adjective endings , the difference between "in der Nähe von" and neben , sein vs. ihr , mögen vs. gern vs. gefallen , " denn" vs. "dann" , "brauchen" vs. "müssen" , so check out our posts. This article was first published on medium.com

One confusing element in German syntax is the difference between subordinate clause conjunctions and main clause connectors. While the former send the conjugated verb to the end of a sentence, the latter are followed by the conjugated verb and the subject and thus cause an inversion of the two. So which category do nachdem/danach, bevor/vorher belong to? Sunset in Frankfurt Nachdem is a subordinate clause conjunction. Its translation "after doing something.." already indicates that there must be a difference in tense between the action of the subordinate clause that precedes the action of the main clause. Here are two examples showing you the tenses we normally use: Nachdem ich mein Frühstück gegessen habe, lese ich meine E-Mails (Perfekt-present tense) (After eating my breakfast, I read my emails) Nachdem ich mein Frühstück gegessen hatte, las ich meine E-Mails or habe ich meine E-Mails gelesen (Plusquamperfekt-Präteritum or Perfekt) (After I had eaten my breakfast, I read my emails Danach does not subordinate but rather connects two main clauses stylistically. The difference in tense is not necessary here. Ich habe (zuerst) mein Frühstück gegessen. Danach habe ich meine E-Mails gelesen. (At first) I ate my breakfast. Afterwards, I read my emails) Ich aß (zuerst) mein Frühstück. Danach las ich meine E-Mails. (I hate my breakfast. Afterwards, I read my emails) The same applies to the difference between bevor and vorher. Whereas bevor is a subordinate clause conjunction, vorher is a main clause connector. Bevor ich meine E-Mails lese, habe ich gefrühstückt. (Before I read my emails, I hate breakfast) Bevor ich meine E-Mails gelesen habe, hatte ich gefrühstückt. (Before I ate breakfast, I had eaten my breakfast) Often, native speakers do not use different tenses with "bevor" though, so sentences like "Bevor ich meine E-Mails lese, frühstücke ich" have become acceptable, too. Ich lese (gerade/jetzt) meine E-Mails. Vorher habe ich gefrühstückt. (I'm currently reading my emails. Prior to that, I ate breakfast) Ich las meine E-Mails. Vorher frühstückte ich. (I read my emails. Prior to that, I ate my breakfast) Watch out, though: if you only want to say ”before” or “after” followed by a noun, you have to use the two-way preposition vor or the dative preposition nach . For other examples of subordinate clause conjunctions and main clause connectors, check out my post on word order in the German language . On my language learning blog, you will also find articles on the Konjunktiv 2 in German , the difference between "um...zu" and "damit" , on when to use "als" and "wenn" , infinitive clauses with zu in German , adjective endings in German , and other topics like.

When grappling with the infamous German grammar, my students sometimes ask me whether some of the rules are so difficult that even native speakers get them wrong occasionally. My short answer is, "Yes, unfortunately!" My longer answer is that various factors are at play here- regional dialects, an increasing tendency to speak and, to some extent. also write more informally, and finally, there is a lack of understanding of some of the rules. Some fellow German teachers suggest that speaking of 'mistakes' is technically wrong here as the language is constantly changing with how people are using it. The latter is true, of course, but if it were simply okay for German native speakers to use their language as they see fit, irrespective of its rules, then why wouldn't the same liberty apply to students of the language? Why would they make mistakes, and native speakers could say whatever they want? I believe certain rules in the language must be followed if clarity of expression is our common goal, and this applies to native speakers and students alike. In this blog post, I'm looking at the most common mistakes by native speakers in the hope that students of the German language won't repeat them. Typical mistakes of native speakers in German 1) " Der Dative ist dem Genitiv sein Tod" - When Germans don't know how to use the cases This title of a quite popular book in Germany (which would translate as "the dative is the genitive's death") hits the nail on the head because many German native speakers use the dative case in situations when "Hochdeutsch" (standardised German) would have them use the genitive. This isn't just a matter of regional dialect, as some suggest. Rather, it is a sign of the increasing colloquialisation of the language, in the course of which informal ways of speaking creep into writing and the rules on how the cases are supposed to be used are being eroded. Let's look at some examples. Das ist das Buch von meiner Schwester FALSE -> Das ist das Buch deiner Schwester CORRECT Das ist das Buch von Maria FALSE -> Das ist Marias Buch CORRECT The dative preposition "von" is often used to indicate ownership and sidestep the genitive altogether, even though the very point of the genitive is to express ownership and possession. The correct use of "von" would is mainly for directions (e.g. travelling from one place to another) and periods of time (from one moment until another), calendar dates, as an instigator in passive sentences ("by") among other situations. According to cases rules , the genitive case immediately follows after the noun that is being owned, unless it's a named owner. Then the genitive comes before the noun with the genitive "s". However, the genitive isn't the only cases that suffers, in the above at the hand of the dative. The dative is also under attack by the accusative case. Where the dative case normally indicates recipients of the accusative case (usually, people benefiting from the action of the verb), many natives use the accusative preposition "für " instead. Ich kaufe einen Blumenstrauß für meine Mutter FALSE -> Ich kaufe meiner Mutter einen Blumenstrauß CORRECT Rather than representing people or pets that receive the accusative object (here, the mother receiving the bouquet), "für" should be used in sentences where there is no recipient, the dative isn't possible (for instance, after verbs such as "sein"), to help or address someone or in the sense of the English "in the interest of". Ich kaufe Getränke für die Party . (The party isn't benefitting, isn't a person/pet, so the dative cannot be used here) Der Blumenstrauß ist für meine Mutter. ("Sein" as a verb can't be used with the dative case) Sie erhielt eine Spende für ihre Wohltätigkeitsorganisation. (as above) 2) Using articles where they shouldn't One ubiquitous habit among German native speakers is to incorrectly use articles for so-called proper nouns, especially named people, in order to express the different cases in which the person is being used in a sentence. Der Markus ist am Telefon. (Nominative) Ich kenne den Markus schon seit Jahren. (Accusative) Ich habe dem Markus ein Geburtstagsgeschenk gekauft. (Dative) According to German grammar rules, articles shouldn't and don't need to be used for so-called proper nouns. The mere position of the named person in the sentence is indicative enough of the case, so the articles are superfluous. 3) Misusing prepositions The inflationary use of certain prepositions such as "auf" and using the wrong case after the genitive preposition "wegen" are two of many examples here. Ich gehe auf (die) Arbeit FALSE -> Ich gehe zu der (zur) Arbeit CORRECT Sie ist auf der Post FALSE -> Sie geht zu der (zur) Post (when is making her way towards it) OR Sie geht in die Post (when she is outside entering the post office) CORRECT Er arbeitet auf der Post FALSE -> Er arbeitet bei der Post CORRECT Wegen dem schlechten Wetter konnten wir nicht kommen FALSE -> Wegen des schlechten Wetters CORRECT Ich habe das wegen dir gemacht FALSE -> Ich habe das deinetwegen gemacht CORRECT 4) Using the continuous present that the language doesn't have Many German native speakers are eager so eager to express that they are performing an action in this very moment that they use what in English would be called the "continuous present". The problem is- this tense doesn't exist in the German language. Ich bin am arbeiten FALSE -> Ich arbeite gerade CORRECT Sie ist am Telefonieren FALSE -> telefoniert gerade OR sie ist am Telefon CORRECT 5) Butchering comparatives and superlatives The worst error regarding comparatives in German is, without a doubt, the incorrect use of "als" and "wie" or the combination of the two. While "wie" is used to compare two equals, "als" is used to compare unequal things. Susi ist größer wie Marc FALSE -> Susi ist größer als Marc CORRECT Ihr Haus ist so groß wie unser Haus CORRECT 6) Confusing das with dass The confusion of das with one s and dass with two rests on a misunderstanding of two different types of subordinate clauses- relative clauses that use das and subordinate clauses after dass . While relative clauses provide further information about a noun in a main clause and use the German articles to refer back to that noun, dass clauses follow verbs that express opinions, perceptions, feelings, knowledge, and intentions. Der Mann fährt ein Auto, dass gelb ist FALSE -> Der Mann fährt ein Auto, das gelb ist CORRECT Ich glaube, das du recht hast FALSE -> Ich glaube, dass du recht hast CORRECT 7) Believing that the ß is dead Many German native speakers believe that the ß (eszett or "scharfes s") fell victim to several reforms in the language that happened at the end of the 1990's and no longer exists. It is very much alive, though. It should be used after two consecutive vowels and long vowels. Sie giesst Tee in die Kanne FALSE - > gießt Tee in die Kanne CORRECT Die Strasse liegt am Bahnhof FALSE -> Straße liegt am Bahnhof CORRECT 8) Imperative gone wrong When using the imperative , some German native speakers tend to confuse regular and irregular verbs. Geb ihr bitte den Schlüssel zurück! FALSE > Gib ihr bitte den Schlüssel zurück! CORRECT Treff dich doch morgen mit ihm! FALSE > Triff dich doch morgen mit ihm! CORRECT 9) Präteritum- all verbs are regular The same confusion of regular and irregular verbs also happens in the Präteritum tense where they frequently make irregular verbs regular. Sie ladete ihre Schwester ins Kino ein FALSE > Sie lud ihre Schwester ins Kino ein CORRECT Er rufte seinen Bruder an FALSE > Er rief seinen Bruder an CORRECT 10) Subjunctive- hypothetical situations don't happen As far as the subjunctive is concerned, some German native speakers struggle with both, the so-called Konjunktiv 1 which is used for reported speech (indirekte Rede) and the Konjunktiv 2 that is used for hypothetical situations. Instead, they use "würden" for everything. Ich würde gern älter sein FALSE -> Ich wäre gern älter CORRECT Sie sagt, sie würde am liebsten in die USA umziehen FALSE -> sagt, sie ziehe am liebsten in die USA um CORRECT As these 10 examples show, the German language isn't just a challenge for foreigners, German native speakers are struggling with it as well. Grammar-loving German teachers like me are therefore not surrounded by perfect German when they visit back home. Ganz im Gegenteil (on the contrary)... #german #germanlanguage #learngerman #germangrammarmistakes #germans On our German language blog "Auf Deutsch, bitte!" you will find explanations of all main grammar topics in the language- from the German articles to word order in the language . Work with us to learn German properly.

Read the following A2-level text and try to complete the assignments first before you look up any vocabulary. It's best to try to understand words from context before checking a dictionary. A2 Leseverstehen Deutsch - A2 Reading Comprehension Exercise in German Simone und ihr Mann Dieter beschließen an einem Sonntagabend, dass sie essen gehen sollten. Denn Simone, die normalerweise kocht, möchte sich heute Abend verwöhnen lassen und Dieter hat dafür Verständnis. Beide wohnen in Hamburg, wo die Auswahl an Restaurants natürlich sehr groß ist. Doch Dieter findet, dass es heute ein besonders gutes Restaurant sein sollte, denn die beiden gehen nicht oft essen.Simone ist begeistert. Nachdem sie kurz überlegt haben, sagen beide gleichzeitig „Wie wärs denn mit dem Restaurant Krone?” Beide lachen. Dann sagt Simone zu Dieter: „Schatz, findest Du nicht, dass wir uns ein Taxi nehmen sollten? Denn ansonsten könntest Du ja kein Alkohol trinken. Und es wäre doch schön, wenn wir zum Essen ein bisschen Wein trinken könnten, oder etwa nicht?” Dieter findet diese Idee von Simone sehr gut. Er sucht im Telefonbuch nach der Nummer eines Taxi-Unternehmens und ruft an: „Schönen Guten Abend, Sie sprechen mit Taxi Reimann, was darf ich für Sie tun?”, hört Dieter eine freundliche Frauenstimme sagen. „Guten Abend! Hier spricht Dieter Montabauer. Ich hätte gern ein Taxi in die Heiligendamm-Str. 44, hier in Hamburg”, sagt Dieter. „Ja, gern. Wohin soll es denn gehen?”, fragt die Mitarbeiterin der Taxi-Zentrale. „Zum Restaurant Krone, bitte”, antwortet Dieter. Daraufhin sagt die Frau: „Das Taxi wird in 10 Minuten bei Ihnen sein.” Beide verabschieden sich. 10 Minuten später ist das Taxi tatsächlich vor dem Haus von Dieter und Simone. Beide steigen ins Taxi ein und lassen sich zum Restaurant fahren. Sie plaudern ein bisschen und freuen sich auf ein leckeres Abendessen. Kurze Zeit später sitzen sie dann schließlich im Restaurant Krone und denken darüber nach, was sie bestellen sollten. Die Auswahl an Gerichten ist groß und deshalb fällt beiden die Entscheidung schwer. „Also irgendwie hätte ich heute Hunger auf Fisch”, flüstert Simone Dieter zu. Der nickt bloß. Dieter mag keinen Fisch, deshalb bestellt er Wiener Schnitzel. Simone hat sich dagegen für Rotbarschfilet entschieden. Nach ca. 1 Stunde - beide warten schon äußerst ungeduldig auf ihr Essen - kommt der Ober schließlich mit der Bestellung der beiden an deren Tisch. Sie schlemmen und genießen das gute Essen. Beide haben einen schönen Abend, fahren gegen 23:30 Uhr nach Hause und gehen zufrieden ins Bett. AUFGABEN 1. Beschreibe in fünf Sätzen, worum es in dem Text geht. Was ist das Thema und was passiert? 2. Der Text sagt nicht, worüber sich Simone und Dieter während des Essens unterhalten. Denk dir ein Gespräch aus und schreibe einen kurzen Dialog. LESEVERSTÄNDNIS 1. Warum gehen Sabine und Dieter in ein Restaurant? 2. Gehen Sabine und Dieter zu Fuß zum Restaurant? 3. Welches Problem gibt es im Restaurant? 4. Schmeckt ihnen das Essen? 5. Was unternehmen Sabine und ihr Mann nach dem Restaurantbesuch? Leave your answers in the comments section to find out if they are correct and we will get back to you with suggestions on how you can improve your German. And if you want to test your skills further, read our A2 German reading comprehension text: Einkaufen im Supermarkt . In a related post, you'll also learn essential German words and phrases for restaurant visits . On our German language blog , you will find posts on many topics in German grammar- from adjective endings in German , the four German cases , pronouns , prepositions to German word order . We also review the language apps Duolingo, Memrise, Babbel, and Busuu , and compare the most popular online dictionaries Linguee, dict.cc, dict.leo and Collins . So check out our blog and let us know what you think. Find out more about our German lessons , small German classes , and new online German courses here.

Are there grammar topics that you simply cannot wrap your head around? Then check out our German Language Blog "Auf Deutsch, bitte!" with many posts explaining everything from the German cases , pronouns , and adjective endings in German , to prepositions and German word order - you name it. Any questions? Just comment on our posts and we'll get back to you to make your German grammar phobia a thing of the past! German grammar phobia cured On our blog , you will find posts on many topics in German grammar that will help you to progress more quickly in German - from adjective endings in German , the four German cases , pronouns , prepositions to German s yntax . We also teach you helpful German words and phrases for your next trip to Germany, list the ten most useful German verbs to get your German off the ground , give you tips on how to avoid the 5 most common grammatical mistakes in German , tell you how to translate English word busy into German , review of the language apps Duolingo, Memrise, Babbel, and Busuu , explain the difference between language levels A1, A2, B1, B2 etc. , and we compare the most popular online dictionaries Linguee, dict.cc, dict.leo and Collins . So check out our blog and let us know what you think. Find out more about our German lessons , small German classes , and new online German courses here.