How do I remember if a German noun is der, die, or das?

While there are some rules based on endings (e.g., -ung is always 'die', -ismus is always 'der'), the best way is to learn the article as part of the word itself. Treat 'der Tisch' as one single unit of information rather than 'Tisch' meaning table and 'der' being an optional extra. Color-coding your notes—blue for masculine, red for feminine, and green for neuter—can also help visual learners.

What is the difference between 'wissen' and 'kennen'?

Both mean 'to know', but they are used differently. Use 'wissen' for facts or pieces of information (e.g., 'Ich weiß, wo er wohnt'). Use 'kennen' for being familiar with a person, a place, or a book (e.g., 'Ich kenne diesen Film'). A good rule of thumb: if you know *about* something, it's 'wissen'; if you are *acquainted* with it, it's 'kennen'.

How can I improve my German vocabulary quickly for the Higher Tier?

Focus on 'Tier 2' vocabulary—words that are more sophisticated than basic descriptions. Instead of 'gut', use 'vorteilhaft' (advantageous) or 'beeindruckend' (impressive). Also, master your 'logical connectors' like 'jedoch' (however) and 'trotzdem' (nevertheless). These words act as signposts for examiners that you are operating at a higher linguistic level.

What are the most common German verbs I need for GCSE?

Beyond 'sein' (to be) and 'haben' (to have), you must master the modal verbs: 'können' (can), 'müssen' (must), 'sollen' (should), 'wollen' (want), and 'dürfen' (to be allowed to). Other essentials include 'werden' (will/become), 'machen' (to do/make), and 'gehen' (to go). These verbs appear in almost every exam paper and are used across all three AQA themes.

How do I use 'weil' correctly in a sentence?

In German, 'weil' is a subordinating conjunction, which means it kicks the conjugated verb to the end of the clause. For example, in the sentence 'I am staying at home because it is raining', the German is 'Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil es regnet'. Note how 'regnet' moves from the second position to the very end. Always remember the comma before 'weil'!

Why does the word order change after words like 'heute' or 'manchmal'?

This is due to the 'Verb Second' (V2) rule. In a standard German statement, the conjugated verb must be the second element. If you start a sentence with a time word like 'Heute' (the first element), the verb must come immediately after it as the second element, followed by the subject. For example: 'Heute gehe ich ins Kino' (Today go I to the cinema).

Vocabulary: General vocabulary

AQA

GCSE

General vocabulary covers essential linguistic building blocks that are not restricted to specific themes and are transferable across all topics in the specification, including comparisons, conjunctions, connectives, prepositions, negatives, numbers, time expressions, and common question words.

Objectives

Exam Tips

Pitfalls

Key Terms

Mark Points

Topic Overview

General vocabulary in AQA GCSE German forms the essential 'glue' that connects the three main themes: Identity and Culture, Local and Global Areas of Interest, and Current and Future Study and Employment. While thematic words like 'die Umwelt' (the environment) are specific, general vocabulary includes the high-frequency verbs, adverbs of time, connectives, and intensifiers that allow you to construct complex sentences and express nuances in meaning. Mastering this area is the difference between simply listing facts and actually communicating effectively in a foreign language.

For the AQA specification, examiners look for a 'range of vocabulary' to award top marks in the Writing and Speaking components. This means moving beyond basic words like 'gut' or 'interessant' and using more sophisticated alternatives such as 'ausgezeichnet' or 'faszinierend'. Understanding general vocabulary is also crucial for the Reading and Listening exams, where the board often uses synonyms or 'distractors' to test whether you truly understand the context of a passage rather than just recognizing a single keyword.

Key Concepts

Core ideas you must understand for this topic

→High-frequency 'Function' words: These include conjunctions (weil, obwohl, dass), prepositions (mit, nach, vor), and pronouns that dictate the structure of your sentences.
→The 'V2' Rule and Word Order: Understanding how general adverbs like 'manchmal' or 'heute' affect the position of the verb is fundamental to German syntax.
→Opinion and Justification: Moving beyond 'ich mag' to use varied phrases like 'meiner Meinung nach' or 'ich finde das...', followed by a subordinating conjunction to provide a reason.
→Frequency and Time Markers: Using a range of time expressions (neulich, seit kurzem, in der Zukunft) to clearly signal which tense you are using and how often actions occur.
→Intensifiers and Qualifiers: Using words like 'besonders', 'extrem', or 'gar nicht' to add precision to your descriptions and show a higher level of linguistic control.

What You Need to Demonstrate

Key skills and knowledge for this topic

Use of appropriate vocabulary to convey meaning accurately
Ability to use and understand general vocabulary in various contexts
Correct application of comparative and superlative forms
Effective use of conjunctions and connectives to link ideas
Correct use of prepositions and negative structures
Accurate use of numbers, dates, and time expressions
Understanding and use of question words to initiate or respond to inquiries

Marking Points

Key points examiners look for in your answers

Use of appropriate vocabulary to convey meaning accurately
Ability to use and understand general vocabulary in various contexts
Correct application of comparative and superlative forms
Effective use of conjunctions and connectives to link ideas
Correct use of prepositions and negative structures
Accurate use of numbers, dates, and time expressions
Understanding and use of question words to initiate or respond to inquiries

Examiner Tips

Expert advice for maximising your marks

💡Use communication strategies like inferring meaning from context if you encounter unknown words
💡Learn the common patterns between German and English to help identify cognates
💡Practice using connectives to improve the flow and coherence of your writing and speaking
💡Ensure you are familiar with the rubrics and instructions provided in the specification to understand exam requirements
💡Use a variety of vocabulary to demonstrate a higher level of proficiency
💡Pay attention to the case requirements of prepositions
💡Learn vocabulary in 'chunks' rather than isolated words. Instead of just learning 'Interesse', learn 'Interesse haben an' (+ dative) so you can use it correctly in a sentence immediately.
💡Focus on 'synonym awareness' for the Reading exam. If the text says 'preiswert', the multiple-choice question might use the word 'billig'. If you only know one, you might miss the answer.
💡Always check your verb position after using a connective. Remember that 'weil', 'obwohl', and 'dass' send the conjugated verb to the very end of the clause.

Common Mistakes

Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

Confusing 'false friends' (e.g., 'also', 'Gymnasium')
Incorrect word order when using specific connectives
Misuse of prepositions regarding case requirements
Over-reliance on simple vocabulary when more precise terms are required
Inaccurate use of comparative and superlative forms
Confusing question words like 'wo', 'woher', and 'wohin'
Using 'gern' as a verb: Many students say 'Ich gern Fußball', but 'gern' is an adverb. You must say 'Ich spiele gern Fußball' (I like to play football).
Confusing 'wenn', 'wann', and 'als': Students often use 'wann' for all 'when' scenarios. In reality, 'wann' is for questions, 'wenn' is for 'whenever/if', and 'als' is for a single event in the past.
The 'man' pronoun: Students often treat 'man' (one/you in general) as plural because it refers to many people, but it always takes the third-person singular verb form (e.g., 'man kann', not 'man können').

Revision Plan

How to revise this topic in 1–2 weeks

1Week 1, Days 1-3: Audit the AQA General Vocabulary list and highlight words you don't recognize. Focus specifically on 'little words' like prepositions and conjunctions.
2Week 1, Days 4-7: Create flashcards (using Anki or Quizlet) for 20 high-frequency adjectives and their opposites (e.g., teuer/billig, sauber/schmutzig).
3Week 2, Days 1-3: Practice 'Active Recall' by writing five sentences a day using a different subordinating conjunction (weil, da, obwohl, wenn, dass) to ensure the word order becomes second nature.
4Week 2, Days 4-7: Complete a past Reading paper and circle every word you don't know that isn't a noun. These are usually the 'general vocab' words that determine the meaning of the sentence.

Exam Question Types

How this topic typically appears in the exam

📋Reading/Listening Gap-fill: You will be given a summary of a text with gaps to fill. These gaps often require general adverbs or qualifiers that change the meaning of the sentence.
📋Writing (90 or 150 words): You are required to express opinions and justify them. Using a variety of general vocabulary here is essential for the 'Range of Language' mark.
📋Speaking (General Conversation): The examiner will ask follow-up questions like 'Warum?' or 'Wie findest du das?'. Having a bank of general intensifiers and connectives allows you to expand your answers spontaneously.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions students ask about this topic

Before You Start

Prior knowledge that will help with this topic

•Basic present tense verb conjugations (ich, du, er/sie/es forms).
•Understanding of the three genders (der, die, das) and how they change in the nominative and accusative cases.
•Knowledge of basic sentence structure (Subject-Verb-Object).

Key Terminology

Essential terms to know

Transactional language for daily life, including idiomatic expressions for seeking assistance and clarification (e.g., 'Könnten Sie mir helfen?')
Qualitative and quantitative descriptors used to provide nuanced evaluations and comparisons within descriptive and evaluative tasks
Temporal and causal linkers (e.g., 'außerdem', 'jedoch', 'deshalb') required to construct logical arguments and sequence events in narrative accounts

Likely Command Words

How questions on this topic are typically asked

Beschreib

Schreib

Vergleich

Ergänze

Beantworte

Wähle

Nenne

Ready to test yourself?

Practice questions tailored to this topic

Vocabulary: General vocabulary

Topic Overview

Key Concepts

What You Need to Demonstrate

Marking Points

Examiner Tips

Common Mistakes

Revision Plan

Exam Question Types

Frequently Asked Questions

Before You Start

Key Terminology

Likely Command Words

Ready to test yourself?

Related Topics in AQA GCSE German

Communication strategies

Communication strategies: Strategies for production

Communication strategies: Strategies for understanding

General vocabulary: Access

How to Revise Vocabulary: General vocabulary — AQA GCSE German

Examiner Tips for Vocabulary: General vocabulary

Common Mistakes in Vocabulary: General vocabulary

Key Marking Points

Vocabulary: General vocabulary

Topic Overview

Key Concepts

What You Need to Demonstrate

Marking Points

Examiner Tips

Common Mistakes

Revision Plan

Exam Question Types

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I remember if a German noun is der, die, or das?

What is the difference between 'wissen' and 'kennen'?

How can I improve my German vocabulary quickly for the Higher Tier?

What are the most common German verbs I need for GCSE?

How do I use 'weil' correctly in a sentence?

Why does the word order change after words like 'heute' or 'manchmal'?

Before You Start

Key Terminology

Likely Command Words

Ready to test yourself?

Related Topics in AQA GCSE German

Communication strategies

Communication strategies: Strategies for production

Communication strategies: Strategies for understanding

General vocabulary: Access