Top 10 German Grammar Hurdles (A1–B2) and How to Overcome Them

Learning German is rewarding, but it’s no secret that the grammar can be challenging. Many beginners and intermediate learners find themselves tripped up by the same tricky rules and patterns. Don’t worry – you’re not alone, and every hurdle can be overcome with the right explanation and practice. In our experience at Olesen Tuition (with over 25 years of teaching German), we’ve identified the top 10 German grammar hurdles that learners at A1–A2 and B1–B2 levels commonly face. Below, we break down each challenge, explain why it’s difficult, and give practical strategies (plus examples) to conquer it. Along the way we’ll also point you to helpful resources – including our own grammar blog posts and exercises – and show how our weekly classes and intensive courses can support you in mastering these points. Los geht’s! (Let’s go!)

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1. Der, Die, Das – Mastering German Genders and Articles

One of the very first obstacles in German is grammatical gender – every noun is classified as masculine (der), feminine (die), or neuter (das). Unlike English, which uses “the” for everything, German makes you learn three different definite articles, and there’s often little or no logic to a noun’s gender. For example, Mädchen (girl) is grammatically neuter, not feminine! I explain why this is so in my post on German gender rules. Beginners quickly discover that guessing by meaning doesn’t work – you simply have to memorise the gender of each noun. This is tricky and can feel unfair, but it’s a hurdle every German learner faces. Using the wrong article can lead to confusion or mark you as a novice speaker, so it’s important to tackle this early.

How to overcome it: Treat the article as part of the noun when learning new vocabulary. Instead of memorising Haus alone, memorise “das Haus”. Many students find it helpful to use colour-coding or visual cues (e.g. blue for der, red for die, green for das) to reinforce the gender. There are a few patterns and endings that can give clues to gender – for instance, nouns ending in -ung, -heit, -keit are always feminine (e.g. die Übung – the exercise), and diminutives in -chen/-lein are neuter (e.g. das Mädchen). We’ve compiled many of these patterns in our beginner’s guide to German genders. Make yourself a cheat sheet of common noun endings and their likely gender, but remember the exceptions. Above all, practice consistently: quiz yourself with flashcards, label objects around your house with der/die/das, and use new nouns in sentences. Over time, the genders will start to “sound right.” And if you need extra help, our tutors at Olesen Tuition will drill noun genders with you in our weekly German classes until using der, die, das correctly becomes second nature.

2. The Four Cases – Nominative, Accusative, Dative, Genitive

Perhaps the most notorious feature of German grammar is its case system. German has four cases that change the form of articles (and pronouns, and even noun endings) depending on a noun’s function in the sentence. This means the dog could be der Hund, den Hund, dem Hund, or des Hundes – all correct in different contexts. For English speakers who rely mostly on word order rather than case endings, this is a big adjustment. Beginners often mix up cases or default to the nominative forms. A common mistake is forgetting to change the masculine article to “den” in the accusative case (for direct objects) – for example, saying “der Ball” instead of “den Ball” as the object. It’s also tricky that certain verbs and prepositions force a particular case (more on that later). The case system affects every part of a sentence, so getting it wrong can muddle your meaning. No wonder new learners find the cases intimidating.

How to overcome it: First, learn what each case does. In simple terms: Nominative is for the subject (the doer), Accusative for the direct object (receiver of the action), Dative for the indirect object (usually a recipient or beneficiary), and Genitive indicates possession. Connecting cases to their questions can help: Wer? (who?) for nominative, Wen? (whom?) for accusative, Wem? (to whom?) for dative, Wessen? (whose?) for genitive. You'll find a more detailed explanation of the four cases in German on my blog. Next, focus on the two most common cases first. The vast majority of German sentences use nominative and accusative German. Now, master those article forms (e.g. der→den) and when to use them. Dative is a bit less frequent but still very important (think geben – “to give” – which involves a dative receiver). Genitive is rarer in spoken German (often replaced by von + dative in conversation), so you can deprioritise strict genitive usage at first. Create a chart of the definite and indefinite articles in all four cases (many textbooks provide this, or see our blog post on German cases). Memorise the patterns – for instance, feminine articles die, and eine look the same in nom/acc, and the plural die becomes den (+n) in dative. Now. A handy tip: only masculine singular articles have distinct accusative (den, einen), so if you can spot a masculine noun, you know to watch for case changes. Finally, practice, practice, practice: do exercises where you fill in the correct article, and try making your own example sentences focusing on one case at a time. Over time, your brain will link certain prepositions or verbs with certain cases, and it will feel right. (For instance, you’ll automatically say “mit dem Auto” because you’ve heard mit (with) so often with dative.) If cases still have you stumped, consider getting guidance from a teacher – in our experience, a few focused lessons on cases (with plenty of example sentences and feedback) can rapidly clear up confusion. In our weekly German classes, we devote lots of time to practising the cases in context, helping you reinforce those patterns until they stick.

3. Word Order – Where Does the Verb Go?

German word order can feel like a jigsaw puzzle. If you translate directly from English, you’ll often get it wrong. The basic rule in German main clauses is that the verb must come second (the famous Verb-zweite or V2 rule). This holds even if the sentence doesn’t start with the subject. For example, in English you might say “Yesterday I ate pizza,” and “yesterday” is at the beginning. German can do that too – Gestern habe ich Pizza gegessen. – but notice the verb habe still sits in the second position. A common beginner mistake is to place time words at the end as in English (“Ich habe gegessen gestern ❌”), but in German that sounds wrong. You need to say “Ich habe gestern gegessen”. Similarly, in yes/no questions the verb jumps to position one: “Hast du Hunger?” (“Are you hungry?”).

Subordinate clauses introduce another twist. Whenever you have a dependent clause – for example, after dass (that), weil (because), wenn (when/if) – the conjugated verb moves to the end of that clause. Compare: Ich weiß, dass du müde bist (literally “I know that you tired are”). In the subordinate clause “dass du müde bist,” the verb bist comes last. This is a new concept for English speakers and takes getting used to. On top of that, German has preferred orders for time, manner, and place elements (often taught with the mnemonic TeKaMoLo: Temporal – Kausal – Modal – Lokal). For example, “I am driving to Berlin tomorrow for work by train” would be ordered as Ich fahre morgen (time) wegen der Arbeit (cause) mit dem Zug (manner) nach Berlin (place). It’s a lot to juggle!

How to overcome it: Start with the core rule: ensure your main verb is the second element in every main clause. It can help to identify the verb first when constructing a sentence, then decide what will come in front of it (a subject or some other element). If you put something other than the subject first, remember to invert the subject and verb (e.g. Heute gehe ich zur Schule. – Today I go to school). Drill this by taking simple sentences and practicing different word orders: Ich gehe heute zur Schule → Heute gehe ich zur Schule → Zur Schule gehe ich heute. All are correct, and the verb stays second. Next, get comfortable with subordinate clauses gradually. A good exercise is to write paired sentences and then join them with a conjunction like weil: Ich bin müde. Ich habe nicht gut geschlafen. → Ich bin müde, weil ich nicht gut geschlafen habe. Notice habe jumped to the end. Practice common conjunctions one at a time (dass, weil, wenn, obwohl, etc.), and soon you’ll form these clauses automatically. For the finer points like TeKaMoLo, try to be aware of example sentences when you read or listen to German. You’ll start to notice, for instance, that time words often come earlier in the sentence. Don’t get discouraged – mastering word order takes time, but once it clicks, your sentences will sound much more natural. Many of our students have an “aha!” moment after enough exposure and practice. In our classes, we often do jumbled-sentence exercises (both written and spoken) to build this skill. By regularly reordering sentences and checking yourself (our blog’s word order exercises can help here), you’ll develop an instinct for what “sounds right” in German word order.

4. Separable Verbs – Splitting Prefixes

Welcome to the world of trennbare Verben (separable verbs), a distinctly German challenge. These are verbs that come with a prefix that detaches and “wanders” to the end of the sentence in certain situations. For example, aufstehen means “to get up,” but in a normal sentence, you split it: Ich stehe um 7 Uhr auf. Here, auf- moved to the end, and stehe (the core verb) is in second position and conjugated. Learners often forget to send the prefix to the end, especially in speaking – it’s an easy mistake to say “Ich aufstehe um 7 Uhr” ❌. On the flip side, sometimes beginners over-separate verbs that shouldn’t be split, or are confused when a separable verb doesn’t split. The rule is a bit nuanced: in main clauses, if the separable verb is the only verb (i.e. it’s the finite verb), it will split. But if there’s another verb in the mix – say a modal or an auxiliary in the present perfect – then the separable verb stays intact because it’s sitting at the end in infinitive or participle form. Compare: Wir gehen heute Abend aus. (We’re going out this evening.) versus Wir wollen heute Abend ausgehen. (We want to go out this evening.). In the second sentence, ausgehen doesn’t split because the modal verb wollen is conjugated instead. Similarly, in a subordinate clause, the separable verb usually remains joined at the end. All these moving parts can feel like a shell game – no wonder separable verbs puzzle learners!

How to overcome it: First, memorise which verbs are separable. Common separable prefixes include an-, auf-, ein-, aus-, zu-, zurück-, mit-, nach-, vor- and a few others. Whenever you learn a new verb, check if it’s separable (many dictionaries will mark them, or your textbook might list them). Our blog post on separable verbs in German provides a list of common ones. Make a set of flashcards: one side “an⋅fangen – to start,” other side “fängt … an (separable).” The more you can identify them, the less they’ll catch you off guard in sentences. Next, drill the basic word-order rule: if a separable verb is the main verb of a simple sentence, split it and put the prefix last. It helps to practice out loud. Take an example like anrufen (to call up): Ich rufe dich morgen an. Then make a question: Rufst du mich morgen an? The prefix an sounds almost like a little afterthought – get used to hearing it there. Then practice sentences where a modal or helping verb is added: Ich möchte dich morgen anrufen. You’ll see that anrufen stays together at the end (because möchte took the second position). A great strategy is to write two versions of sentences, one with and one without a modal, to visualise the difference (as we did above with ausgehen). Also, be aware of inseparable verbs (prefixes like be-, ver-, er- never split). If you know verstehen (to understand) doesn’t separate, you won’t mistakenly chop ver- off in a sentence. Finally, use real context to reinforce the rules: listen to German songs or dialogues – many use separable verbs (e.g. “Steh auf, wenn du am Boden bist” in one popular song – “Get up when you’re on the ground”). Hearing natives do it will make it feel more natural. We also recommend practising with exercises: try our A2 separable verb exercise for everyday scenarios. Consistent practice is key; soon, splitting verbs like anrufen or aufstehen will feel as routine as separable prefixes in English phrasal verbs (think “stand up,” “call back”) – except in German, the “back” literally jumps to the end! And remember, if you need a quick refresher or personal guidance, our intensive courses often include a module on separable vs. inseparable verbs to solidify these rules.

5. Modal Verbs – Two Verbs, One at the End

Modal verbs (Modalverben) like können (can), müssen (must), wollen (want), sollen (should), dürfen (may), and mögen (like) are incredibly useful for everyday German – you can’t get far without them. But they come with a couple of grammar hurdles. First, their conjugation is irregular and unique. Modals are among the few verbs where the ich- and er/sie/es- forms are the same (e.g. ich kann, du kannst, er kann), and several have vowel changes (a → ä or ö, etc.). Learners often mix up these forms or try to apply regular verb endings (saying er kannt ❌ instead of er kann). The second hurdle is sentence structure – modals are always used with another verb, and that other verb kicks to the end in its infinitive form. So in English we say “I can swim,” but German literally says “I can swim to” (with schwimmen sitting at the end): Ich kann schwimmen. This word order (modal second, main verb at the very end) takes practice. Additionally, beginners sometimes mistakenly insert zu (to) before the second verb (thinking of English “to do”), but in German you do not use “zu” with modals – it’s Ich muss lernen (I must study), never Ich muss zu lernen.

How to overcome it: Drill the modal conjugation patterns early on. Because these six verbs are so common, it’s worth memorising their present tense forms outright. You’ll notice patterns: ich and er/sie/es share the form (no ending), and du adds -st, wir/Sie/sie use the infinitive, etc. Make a little chart or use mnemonic devices (for example, mögen → ich mag, du magst, er mag – think “the modal feels ‘too cool’ to add an ending in first/third person”). Next, practice modals in short sentences until the word order becomes reflexive. Start with simple constructions: Ich kann Deutsch sprechen. (I can speak German.) Wir müssen heute arbeiten. (We have to work today.) Always double-check that you put the second verb at the end without zu. If you catch yourself saying two verbs together in the middle, stop and rephrase. A useful technique is to write out model sentences and underline the second verb at the end to visually reinforce its position. You can also mix and match subjects and modals to build fluency: Kann ich…? (Can I…?), Du solltest… (You should…), Wir dürfen… (We may…). Early on, keep it to one modal per sentence – stacking modals (e.g. Ich muss gehen können – “I must be able to go”) is grammatically possible in German, but it leads to complicated sentences that even some natives avoid. There’s no rush to use two modals at once; express complex ideas in separate clauses instead. Lastly, be aware of modal usage nuances: möchte (would like) is technically a subjunctive form of mögen and is used for polite requests, sollen is often used for reported commands or expectations, etc. As you advance, our blog has detailed guides on each modal (e.g. the difference between müssen and sollen, or using dürfen vs. “must not”). But at A1–B1, the priority is form and basic function. With regular practice, you’ll find modals become your friends – they add so much meaning (ability, obligation, permission) with just a single word. In fact, we emphasise them in our beginner courses as a fast track to saying more in German. So practice those Kann ich…? and Ich muss… structures often. Soon, you’ll be using modal verbs confidently, and your only challenge will be deciding what you want to do with all your new German skills!

6. Adjective Endings – The Never-Ending Endings

If there’s one topic that has frustrated generations of German learners, it’s adjective declensions – the letter endings on adjectives like klein (small) or schön (beautiful) that change to reflect the gender, number, and case of the noun. Many students dread this, and for good reason: German adjective endings are notoriously complex. You have tables of endings for adjectives after der-words, after ein-words, and with no article at all. For example, in nominative: der große Hund, ein großer Hund, großer Hund (no article) – three different endings meaning “big”. By contrast, English adjectives never change (big dog, big dogs, etc.), so this is a whole new concept to learn. What makes it challenging is not just memorising the endings, but understanding why they change. Essentially, the adjective ending often indicates the same information that an article would – if the article doesn’t already show the case/gender clearly, the adjective must do it. Beginners might think, “Why do I need two markers (article + adjective)?” Yet that’s how German works for most modifiers. Common pitfalls include using the wrong ending, or giving up and not adding any ending (which will sound incorrect to German ears). It’s a hurdle that usually appears around late A2 or B1, and yes, even intermediate learners sweat over it. But take heart: with pattern recognition and practice, you can master adjective declensions.

How to overcome it: Build on what you know. Adjective endings only make sense if you have a solid grasp of the gender and case system. If you’re still shaky on those, review articles and cases first. Once you know, for instance, that der Mann (masc. nom.) versus dem Mann (masc. dat.), you’re better prepared to apply the right adjective ending in those contexts. Next, tackle the endings in groups, not all at once. There are essentially three scenarios: after a definite article (der, die, das etc.), after an indefinite article (ein, eine, etc.), or no article. The endings in each scenario follow a pattern. For example, after definite articles, most adjectives take a weak ending – often -e or -en. “Der gute Wein”, “die alte Stadt”, “das neue Auto” (notice the -e endings in nominative). But in other cases it’s -en: ich sehe den guten Wein, mit der alten Stadt, für das neue Auto (accusative neuter still -e here, but you get the idea). It might seem random, but one general rule: in the weak (definite article) pattern, -en appears in all forms except nominative and accusative of feminine and neuter. That’s one reason many learners use the mnemonic “rese nese mrmn” for the article patterns and derive adjective endings from that. After indefinite articles (ein, eine, kein, mein, etc.), the adjective sometimes has to carry an ending that indicates gender or case since ein and eine don’t fully do so. E.g. ein kleiner Hund – here -er on kleiner shows masculine nominative, because ein alone doesn’t tell us gender (it lacks the -r that der has). But eine kleine Katze – eine already signals feminine nominative, so the adjective takes a simpler -e. This is the mixed pattern. Finally, with no article, adjectives take strong endings, essentially mimicking the definite article endings: großer Hund (like der ending -r), großes Kind (like das ending -s), große Frau (like die ending -e), etc. It’s a lot to remember, but break it down and use charts as a reference initially. We have a comprehensive guide with full declension tables on our blog – it can be a handy bookmark.

Then, practice in context. Instead of just drilling charts, write simple descriptions where you force yourself to use adjective+noun pairs in various cases: Ich habe einen kleinen Hund (accusative), Das ist eine schöne Stadt (nom.), Wir fahren mit dem neuen Auto (dative) – then check if your endings match the rules. You’ll likely make mistakes, but that’s part of the process. Pay attention to common phrases which you can memorise as chunks: im Deutschen (in German, dat. – no article, so strong ending -en), Guten Tag (accusative masculine after no article, hence -en on gut-), mit freundlichen Grüßen (with friendly greetings – plural dative -en). These recurring forms will reinforce the patterns. Some learners use mnemonic sentences or even songs to memorise the adjective endings; find what works for you. Most importantly, don’t get overwhelmed – even Germans find this part logical rather than intuitive. With time, you will get it. If you’d like a structured walk-through, our intensive German courses often include a dedicated session on adjective declension, where we use visual charts and lots of examples to demystify the logic. Sometimes just having it explained clearly (and seeing the system behind the madness) can lead to a big “aha!” moment. And remember, adjective endings, while important, don’t usually impede basic understanding – so communicate even if you’re unsure, and keep polishing this skill as you go. It will click with practice!

7. Prepositions and Their Cases – The Right Partner

Prepositions are small words with big impacts. In German, not only do they link words like in English (“to the store”, “on Monday”), but they also impose a case on the noun or pronoun that follows. This is a new concept for English speakers and a frequent source of errors for English speakers. Some prepositions are always accusative – for example, für (for), durch (through), ohne (without), gegen (against), um (around). Some are always dative – mit (with), bei (at/with), nach (after/to), von (from/of), zu (to) etc.. A few are genitive (mostly in formal contexts, e.g. trotz – despite, während – during, but these are less common in everyday use). And then there’s the infamous group of two-way (dual) prepositions – in, an, auf, über, unter, vor, hinter, neben, zwischen – which take accusative if they indicate movement toward a destination, or dative if they indicate location/no movement. For instance: Ich lege das Buch auf den Tisch. (I lay the book onto the table – motion towards, so accusative den), but Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch. (The book lies on the table – location, so dative dem).

It’s a lot to remember, and beginners often use the wrong case after prepositions by accident. You might say “mit der Auto” instead of “mit dem Auto”, or “für meinem Freund” instead of “für meinen Freund”. These small errors can change the meaning or just sound off – e.g. “Ich fahre nach der Schweiz” actually means “after Switzerland” (dative nach = after) rather than “to Switzerland” (which is what you’d intend, but nach used for countries doesn’t take an article at all in that case – tricky!). Clearly, mastering prepositions is about memorisation and practice.

How to overcome it: Categorise and conquer. Make four lists: Accusative Prepositions, Dative Prepositions, Two-Way Prepositions, and (less urgent) Genitive Prepositions. Under “Always Accusative,” list durch, für, ohne, gegen, um – you might recall a common mnemonic “FUDGEBOW” (make of that what you will) or simply drill them. Under “Always Dative,” list mit, nach, bei, seit, von, zu, aus, außer, gegenüber. Learn these like vocabulary – there’s no way around it. Then memorise at least one example phrase for each so you have context. For instance, für: Das Geschenk ist für meinen Vater (accusative – meinen Vater). mit: Ich gehe mit meiner Freundin ins Kino (with my girlfriend – dative meiner Freundin). Having a concrete example helps cement the case in your mind. Our German grammar blog offers quick-reference tables and tips for prepositions if you need a refresher.

For two-way prepositions, focus on the concept of motion vs. location. A handy trick is to ask the question “Wohin?” (Where to?) – if the prepositional phrase is answering that, use accusative. If it’s answering “Wo?” (Where at/where?), use dative. Practice pairs of sentences: Wohin gehst du? Ich gehe in die Schule (to school – accusative) versus Wo bist du? Ich bin in der Schule (at school – dative). Sometimes the context makes it clear: legen/stellen (to lay/put) inherently involve a destination, while liegen/stehen (to lie/be located) involve a static location. We have a dedicated article explaining these Wechselpräpositionen with lots of examples. It can be very enlightening to read through those examples (e.g. why it’s ins Kino gehen but im Kino sein). Additionally, learn which verbs always pair with a certain preposition + case, as fixed expressions. For example, warten auf (accusative) – Ich warte auf den Bus – oder helfen bei (dative) – Er hilft mir bei der Arbeit. Such verb-preposition collocations are usually listed in textbooks, or you can find them in our post on German verbs with prepositional objects.

Finally, practice by grouping: drill sentences with all-dative prepositions one day, accusative another. Mix them up and have a friend or tutor check. Consider using fill-in-the-blank exercises (we have some in our Exercises section) to reinforce the case each preposition demands. For example, try our exercise on two-way prepositions and movement vs. location to test your understanding. And don’t forget – repetition is key. Over time, you won’t even think “für = accusative,” you’ll just say “für mich” instinctively, because you’ve heard and used it so often. It might seem like a lot now, but stick with it – Übung macht den Meister (practice makes perfect). Before long, picking the correct case after a preposition will be second nature.

8. Past Tenses – Perfekt vs. Präteritum (and Choosing Haben or Sein)

Talking about the past in German presents a double challenge: there are two primary past tenses (Perfekt and Präteritum), and you have to choose the right helping verb (haben or sein) when forming the Perfekt. Beginners at A1 learn the Perfekt (also called present perfect or conversational past) early on, but may not understand why sometimes a simple past (Präteritum) is used instead. Here’s the key: spoken German overwhelmingly uses the Perfekt to describe past events. The Präteritum (simple past) is used mostly in written narratives, reports, or formal speeches – and for a handful of very common verbs in everyday speech (like war for sein, hatte for haben). For example, a German would rarely say in conversation, “Gestern ging ich ins Kino.” (Yesterday I went to the cinema) – that sounds like a written story or an old-fashioned tale. Instead, they’d say “Gestern bin ich ins Kino gegangen.” (Literally: Yesterday have I to the cinema gone). If you use Präteritum in the wrong context, you might be understood, but it will sound overly formal or odd. On the other hand, if you never learn Präteritum at all, you’ll struggle with reading books or news, which often use it. So learners need to grapple with when to use Perfekt vs. Präteritum.

The other hurdle is forming the Perfekt tense correctly. This involves picking haben or sein as the auxiliary and putting the past participle of the main verb at the end of the sentence. The word order itself is a challenge (e.g. Ich habe ein Buch gelesen – I have a book read – with habe second and gelesen last). And choosing between haben and sein trips people up – why is it ich bin gefahren (I drove) but ich habe gephone (I phoned)? The rule of thumb: sein is used with verbs that indicate motion from A to B or a change of state, as well as the verbs sein, bleiben, and werden. Haben is used for pretty much everything else. Yet many learners initially default to haben for all, which can result in mistakes like ❌ich habe gegangen. Mastering the participles themselves (many are irregular) is another task, but that’s more brute memorisation.

How to overcome it: Learn the usage difference early: Perfekt = conversational past, Präteritum = narrative past. A useful guideline is: use Perfekt for speaking about past events in everyday life, and use Präteritum for writing or for sein, haben, and modal verbs in speech.* In fact, Germans almost always say “Ich war…” (I was) and “Ich hatte…” (I had) in speech, not “Ich bin gewesen” or “Ich habe gehabt”. Likewise, “Ich konnte nicht kommen” (I couldn’t come) is more common in speaking than “Ich habe nicht kommen können”, because the Perfekt of modals gets cumbersome. So, when speaking or informal writing (emails to friends, etc.), lean heavily on Perfekt. Save Präteritum for reading and for certain phrases you’ll pick up (like storytelling or formal contexts, e.g. Es war einmal… – once upon a time, or Ich wollte gerade fragen… – I wanted to ask…). As you progress to B1/B2, you’ll naturally get more comfortable with Präteritum through reading and can start to use it in writing. But don’t force it in conversation – if in doubt, Perfekt is your friend.

For forming the Perfekt, memorise the basic formula: haben/sein + [past participle at end]. Practice with simple sentences until they feel mechanical. Ich habe gegessen, du hast geschlafen, er ist nach Hause gegangen, wir sind dort geblieben. Pay special attention to the common verbs that use sein: usually those indicating movement (gehen, kommen, fahren, fliegen, laufen, schwimmen, springen, etc. – you physically go somewhere) or a change of state (aufstehen, einschlafen, sterben, wachsen – e.g. “fall asleep,” “die,” “grow”). Also sein, bleiben, passieren (to happen) take sein. We have a handy quick rule in our German Perfekt tense guide outlining this. Make yourself a two-column list of sein verbs vs. haben verbs, and drill the oddballs. For instance, fahren uses sein when you go/travel (Ich bin nach Berlin gefahren – I drove to Berlin) but takes haben when you’re just driving a car for the sake of it (Ich habe ein Auto gefahren – I drove a car). Don’t worry about those nuances at A2, though – focus on the core list. Additionally, memorise past participles as you learn new verbs. Group irregular ones: gesehen (sehen), gegessen (essen), gefunden (finden), gegeben (geben), etc. and note any patterns (many that begin with be- or ver- are regular in the participle, no ge- prefix needed, etc.).

A great way to practice is writing a short diary in German. Describe your day in Perfekt: “Heute bin ich um 7 Uhr aufgestanden. Dann habe ich gefrühstückt. Zur Arbeit bin ich mit dem Bus gefahren…” and so on. This will force you to use Perfekt forms in context. Check your sentences against a reference (or ask a tutor) to ensure you chose haben/sein correctly and formed the participles right. Also, try our Perfekt tense exercises for A2 learners on the blog to reinforce these patterns. They provide jumble sentences that you need to put in correct Perfekt word order, which is excellent practice for the auxiliary-at-second, participle-at-end structure. By consistently practicing, you’ll gain confidence. Soon enough, saying Gestern habe ich… will roll off your tongue naturally, and reading gestern ging ich in a novel won’t throw you. It’s all about exposure and repetition. And remember: even if you slip up and use the wrong past tense or auxiliary, you’ll usually still be understood. Your German interlocutors will often gently correct you (“Ah, du bist nach Paris geflogen?”) and you’ll learn from it. Step by step, you’ll master talking about the past in German – and that’s when you can really start telling stories and connecting with people about shared experiences!

9. Konjunktiv II – The Subjunctive for Polite & Hypothetical Expressions

As you move into intermediate German (around A2/B1), you’ll encounter Konjunktiv II, also known as the subjunctive mood or conditional. This is the grammatical structure that allows you to talk about hypothetical or unreal situations, wishes, and polite requests. In English, we often use “would” or “could” for this (e.g. I would help if I had time). In German, you have a special set of verb forms or structures for it: e.g. hätte (I would have), wäre (I would be), würde gehen (would go), könnte (could), sollte (should), etc.. Many learners find Konjunktiv II confusing or intimidating at first. Why? For one, it introduces new conjugations (the subjunctive forms often have -e, -est, -e, -en, -et, -en endings and sometimes altered vowels: haben → hätte, können → könnte). Also, English speakers might not be used to explicitly using a subjunctive mood – in English, it’s subtle (apart from “were” in sentences like “if I were you…”). In German, however, it’s very clear when you’re using Konjunktiv II. If you say “Ich habe Zeit” vs “Ich hätte Zeit”, the latter is clearly hypothetical (I would have time). Beginners often default to indicative because they don’t know or aren’t comfortable with the subjunctive forms, resulting in sentences that might sound a bit blunt or are simply incorrect for the intended meaning. For example, to politely ask “Could you help me?”, a learner might literally say “Kannst du mir helfen?” (which is a direct “Can you help me?”). It’s not terribly rude, but the expected polite phrasing would be “Könntest du mir helfen?” with Konjunktiv II. Thus, mastering this mood is essential for sounding polite and expressing unreal conditions.

How to overcome it: Understand the scenarios where Konjunktiv II is used. The big ones are: 1) Hypothetical “if” clauses (Wenn-Sätze) for unreal conditions – e.g. Wenn ich reich wäre, würde ich um die Welt reisen. (“If I were rich, I would travel the world.”); 2) Wishes and regrets – e.g. Ich wünschte, ich hätte mehr Zeit. (“I wish I had more time.”); 3) Polite requests or statements – e.g. Könnten Sie mir bitte sagen,… (“Could you please tell me,…”) or Ich würde gerne… (“I would like to…”). Once you realise how useful these are – even at A2 you can start using “ich hätte gern…” (I would like) for ordering in restaurants, for instance – you’ll see it’s worth the effort.

Next, learn the key forms. The good news is you don’t need to learn Konjunktiv II forms for every verb – many less common ones you’ll just use the würde + infinitive construction. Focus on the crucial ones: sein → wäre, haben → hätte, werden → würde, können → könnte, müssen → müsste, dürfen → dürfte, sollen → sollte, wollen → wollte. Notice many look like their simple-past forms with an umlaut added (konnte → könnte, musste → müsste, wollte → wollte [no umlaut for wollen], etc.). Würde deserves special mention: würde + infinitive is the general way to form “would ...” for any verb that doesn’t have a common special form. For example, there isn’t a unique subjunctive form of gehen (aside from the archaic ginge which you won’t use in speech), so Germans say ich würde gehen for “I would go.” In fact, würde is your safety net – whenever you’re unsure of a specific Konjunktiv form, you can usually use würde + verb and be correct. We cover this in our blog post on Konjunktiv II strategies. So, memorize wäre, hätte, würde, könnte, müsste, sollte, dürfte – these will cover 90% of your needs. Practice them in context: Wenn ich Zeit hätte… (If I had time…), Wenn ich du wäre… (If I were you…), Ich würde gern Deutsch lernen (I would like to learn German), Könntest du mir helfen? (Could you help me?), Man sollte mehr lesen (One should read more). Start using them in simple sentences and questions. Even at the A2 level, you can incorporate phrases like Ich hätte gern… (I would like…) when ordering, which is Konjunktiv II and great for politeness.

Don’t neglect the second part of conditional sentences: the würde clause. Typical structure: Wenn + Konjunktiv II…, (dann) würde…. For example, Wenn heute Sonntag wäre, würde ich lange schlafen. (“If today were Sunday, I would sleep in.”). Try writing a few “If…, would…” sentences about unreal situations – it’s excellent practice. Also, note that for hätte and wäre, you often don’t use würde in the second part because hätte and wäre themselves convey “would have/would be.” For instance, Wenn ich mehr Zeit hätte, hätte ich dich besucht (If I had more time, I would have visited you) – though you could also do …würde ich dich besuchen in present conditional.

Lastly, practice politeness formulas: Könnten Sie mir sagen…? (Could you tell me…?), Ich würde gern… (I would like to…), Würdest du bitte…? (Would you please…?). Your speech will instantly sound more courteous. At first it might feel awkward or overly fancy, but it’s how Germans soften requests. By B1, examiners will expect you to handle this, and in real life it definitely earns you smiles. Our intermediate B1/B2 courses put a strong emphasis on this – we role-play scenarios like making polite requests or discussing hypothetical plans, so students become comfortable with Konjunktiv II. As a fun extra, when you’re ready, learn a bit about Konjunktiv I (used for indirect speech) so you don’t mix them up – but that’s a B2 topic and beyond. For now, focus on Konjunktiv II for hypotheticals and politeness, because it will greatly expand what you can express. Remember, every time you use würde or hätte correctly, you’re one step closer to sounding like an advanced German speaker. Übung macht den Meister – practice makes perfect – and indeed we conclude our Konjunktiv II guide on that note. So don’t shy away from it; with practice, you’ll find yourself naturally saying things like Wenn ich nur mehr Zeit hätte… and impressing your German friends with your grammatical finesse.

10. Relative Clauses – “Der Hund, der ...”

Relative clauses (Relativsätze) are a feature of German that intermediate learners need to master to create more sophisticated sentences. A relative clause is essentially a descriptive clause that adds extra information about a noun, and it’s introduced by a relative pronoun (who, which, that in English; der, die, das, welcher in German). For example: “Das ist der Mann, der mir geholfen hat.” – “That is the man who helped me.”. Here der Mann is the person we’re talking about, and der mir geholfen hat is a relative clause describing him. German relative clauses come with their own challenges. Challenge 1: The relative pronoun must agree in gender and number with the noun it refers to, and take the case of its role in the sub-clause. In “der Mann, der mir geholfen hat,” der is masculine singular (agreeing with der Mann) and it’s nominative in the clause (because der … hat geholfen – he helped). If the man were the object in the clause, we’d use den. So figuring out der vs. dem vs. den vs. deren… can be tricky. Challenge 2: The word order in the relative clause – it’s a subordinate clause, which means the conjugated verb goes to the end of the sentence. In our example, geholfen hat – hat is at the end of that clause. This inversion can trip you up, especially in longer sentences. Challenge 3: Punctuation – German requires you to set off relative clauses with commas before and after. English only does this for non-essential (non-restrictive) clauses, but German does it for all relative clauses. Many learners forget the commas, but they are important for sentence structure.

Early on, learners avoid relative clauses by just making multiple short sentences: “Das ist ein Hund. Der Hund ist groß. Er heißt Bello.” Instead of: “Das ist der Hund, der groß ist und der Bello heißt.” It’s understandable – relative clauses add complexity. But to sound natural at B1/B2, you need to start using them. Otherwise, your speech or writing will remain choppy and overly simple, and you can’t easily specify which person or thing you’re talking about. German, much like English, uses relative clauses constantly in more advanced sentences.

How to overcome it: Begin by learning the relative pronoun chart, which fortunately looks a lot like the der/die/das (definite article) chart. In fact, for masculine and neuter, the relative pronouns are identical to the definite articles in all cases (der, den, dem, dessen for masculine; das, das, dem, dessen for neuter). Feminine is identical in nom/acc (die) and takes deren in genitive (rare), and plural is die, die, denen, deren. If you know your “der-word” endings, you’re 80% there. We cover this in our German grammar resources – essentially, der/die/das double as relative pronouns meaning who/which/that. One twist: sometimes welcher (which) is used as a relative pronoun, but it’s interchangeable with der/die/das forms and often avoided in speech for being a bit formal. So, focus on the der, die, das set.

Next, practice by combining simple sentences. Write two sentences that share a noun, and then join them: e.g. “Ich habe einen Freund. Der Freund wohnt in Berlin.” Combine to: “Ich habe einen Freund, der in Berlin wohnt.”. In the combined sentence, der refers to der Freund. It’s masculine singular, and in the sub-clause “der in Berlin wohnt,” der is the subject (he lives in Berlin), hence nominative der. Try another: “Ich sehe die Frau. Du hast die Frau gestern getroffen.” → “Ich sehe die Frau, die du gestern getroffen hast.” Now die refers to die Frau (feminine), and in the clause “die du gestern getroffen hast,” die is the object (you met her), so it remains die (since feminine accusative is also die). One more for variety: “Das ist das Haus. Wir haben in dem Haus gewohnt.” → “Das ist das Haus, in dem wir gewohnt haben.” Here dem is used because in the clause it’s “in the house” – the preposition in forces the dative; the neuter dative of das Haus is dem. These exercises build your understanding step by step. Check your results with answer keys or a teacher, as determining the case of the relative pronoun is the hardest part. Over time, patterns sink in: e.g. after a preposition, the relative pronoun will take the case that the preposition governs (like mit dem, für den, ohne den, etc., depending on gender/number). We have a comprehensive guide on relative clauses on our blog with lots of examples ranging from simple to complex – reading through those can be very instructive.

When you feel more confident, use relative clauses in your spoken practice. Start with common ones about yourself: “Ich habe eine Schwester, die in München lebt.” (I have a sister who lives in Munich), “Deutsch ist eine Sprache, die viele Fälle hat.” (German is a language that has many cases 😅). It might feel like a mouthful at first, but keep at it. Pay attention to word order – remember the verb in the relative clause goes to the end of the sentence. If your sentence becomes long, you might momentarily lose track; that’s normal. Germans sometimes do too, which is why you’ll hear sentences like “Die Frau, die gestern angekommen ist, die hat ihre Meinung geändert.” – here a speaker restarted the clause for clarity. With practice, though, you’ll manage complex sentences in one go.

Finally, don’t forget the commas. In written German, you must put a comma before the relative clause and at its end (if it’s not the end of the sentence already). This is non-negotiable. It actually helps the reader parse the sentence. So make it a habit in writing. In summary, start small, build up, and maybe use some of our online exercises to test your relative clause skills (we have some in our exercise section and in our intermediate grammar materials). This is a hurdle that, once overcome, really propels you into more advanced expression. You’ll find your German sentences becoming richer and more precise because you can elegantly add information without breaking into multiple sentences. And when you reach that point – wow, that’s a satisfying feeling! If you need extra help, our tutors frequently work on relative clauses with B1 students through targeted drills and speaking prompts, so consider joining one of our intermediate classes or workshops if you’d like guided practice. You’ll soon be confidently saying sentences like “Der Kurs, den ich bei Olesen Tuition gemacht habe, hat mir sehr geholfen,” and impressing others with your well-structured German. 😉

Fazit: Conquer Your Grammar Hurdles with Practice and Support

German grammar may seem daunting, but as we’ve seen, each “infamous” rule – from noun genders to verb positions – can be understood and mastered with a bit of effort. Every learner encounters these hurdles, and overcoming them is part of the journey to fluency. The key strategies are clear: break complex concepts into smaller rules, practice them regularly in realistic contexts, and don’t shy away from making mistakes. Remember, Fehler sind erlaubt! – mistakes are allowed (they’re often the best teachers).

At Olesen Tuition, we’ve helped thousands of students navigate exactly these challenges. Our weekly German classes are designed to reinforce tricky grammar points through conversation, exercises, and personalised feedback. For example, if cases or adjective endings are giving you trouble, our experienced tutors will provide targeted practice and explain the patterns until you have that “Aha, I get it now!” moment. Similarly, our intensive German courses can rapidly boost your grammar skills – perfect if you need to progress quickly or prepare for an exam. Many learners find that a short intensive focus on grammar (even just a week or two) does wonders to solidify concepts like the Perfekt tense or Konjunktiv II that seemed impossible before.

We also encourage you to explore our German grammar blog and free exercise resources. We regularly post detailed guides (with charts, examples, and common mistakes) on topics like those above – so if one of these ten points is still puzzling you, chances are we have a full article dedicated to it that you can consult for extra clarity. Practice exercises are available for various levels, allowing you to apply what you’ve learned and check your answers.

Ready to take the next step? If you’re motivated to conquer German grammar, consider booking a course or trial lesson with us. Under the guidance of a skilled tutor, grammar stops being an obstacle and becomes a tool – a way to express yourself more precisely and confidently in German. Whether it’s through our engaging group classes or one-on-one sessions, we’ll help you turn these hurdles into new skills. 📚💪 And as you continue learning, keep this in mind: every rule you master is one more win on your path to fluency. Viel Erfolg! (Much success!) – With patience, practice, and possibly a bit of expert help, you’ll soon find yourself using German grammar confidently, and looking back on these hurdles as milestones you’ve passed on the road to mastering the language. Los geht’s – you’ve got this! 🎉