How many words do I need to know for AQA GCSE German Foundation Tier?

The AQA specification provides a vocabulary list of about 1,200 words for Foundation Tier. However, you don't need to know every single one perfectly; focus on the most common words from each theme. Aim to recognise at least 80% of the words in reading and listening, and be able to actively use around 500-600 words in speaking and writing.

What's the best way to learn German vocabulary for GCSE?

Use spaced repetition apps like Anki or Quizlet to review words regularly. Group words by theme (e.g., all food words together) and practise them in sentences. Also, listen to German music or watch short videos with subtitles to hear words in context. Writing out words by hand can also help memory.

Do I need to learn the gender of every noun?

Yes, absolutely. In German, the gender affects articles, adjectives, and pronouns. For example, 'der Tisch' (table) changes to 'den Tisch' in the accusative case. Learning the gender with the noun (e.g., 'der Tisch') is essential for correct grammar. Use colour-coding or mnemonics to help remember.

How can I improve my listening comprehension for vocabulary?

Listen to German audio materials designed for learners, such as the AQA GCSE podcasts or BBC Bitesize. Start with slower audio and repeat listening while reading a transcript. Focus on key words you know and try to guess unknown words from context. Practise with past paper listening exercises under timed conditions.

What are false friends and how do I avoid them?

False friends are words that look similar to English but have different meanings. For example, 'das Gift' means poison, not gift; 'der Chef' means boss, not chef. To avoid mistakes, learn these specific words as exceptions. Keep a list of common false friends and review them regularly.

Is it important to learn vocabulary for all three themes?

Yes, because exam questions can come from any theme. The three themes are Identity and Culture, Local/National/Global Areas, and Current/Future Study. Even if you prefer one theme, you must be prepared for all. Focus on the vocabulary lists provided by AQA and practise mixed-topic tasks.

Vocabulary: Theme-based vocabulary (Foundation Tier)

AQA

GCSE

This topic covers the core theme-based vocabulary required for the Foundation Tier, organized by the three main themes: Identity and culture; Local, national, international and global areas of interest; and Current and future study and employment.

Objectives

Exam Tips

Pitfalls

Key Terms

Mark Points

Topic Overview

Theme-based vocabulary for Foundation Tier German (AQA GCSE) covers essential words and phrases organised around common topics such as family and friends, home and local area, school, food and drink, hobbies, and holidays. This vocabulary forms the building blocks for understanding and communicating in everyday situations. Mastering these words is crucial because they appear frequently in listening, reading, speaking, and writing exams, and they provide the foundation for more complex language use at Higher Tier.

In the AQA GCSE German specification, Foundation Tier students are expected to recognise and use a core set of vocabulary across three main themes: Identity and Culture, Local, National, International and Global Areas of Interest, and Current and Future Study and Employment. Each theme is subdivided into topics like technology, customs, and environmental issues. By learning vocabulary in context, students can better understand spoken and written texts, and express themselves more accurately in speaking and writing tasks.

This topic is not just about memorising word lists; it's about building confidence to handle real-life situations in German. For example, knowing vocabulary for ordering food, describing your family, or talking about your school day enables you to complete exam tasks like role-plays, picture descriptions, and short essays. Moreover, this vocabulary is transferable to other contexts and helps you develop strategies for deducing meaning from context, which is a key skill for language learning.

Key Concepts

Core ideas you must understand for this topic

→Vocabulary is organised by theme (e.g., family, school, free time) – learn words in groups to see connections and improve recall.
→Cognates are words that look similar to English (e.g., 'das Restaurant', 'die Musik') – use them as a shortcut, but beware of false friends (e.g., 'bekommen' means 'to get', not 'to become').
→Gender and plurals matter – every noun has a gender (der, die, das) and a plural form; learn them together with the noun (e.g., der Tisch, die Tische).
→High-frequency verbs (e.g., haben, sein, machen, gehen) are essential – know their present tense forms and common uses.
→Word order in German sentences can differ from English – for example, the verb is often the second idea in a main clause (e.g., 'Ich gehe heute ins Kino').

What You Need to Demonstrate

Key skills and knowledge for this topic

Understanding and responding to common or familiar words
Ability to use vocabulary across different themes
Recognition of feminine forms of nouns/adjectives
Understanding of general vocabulary (comparisons, conjunctions, connectives, prepositions, negatives, numbers, time, location, weather, materials)
Understanding of theme-specific vocabulary provided in the specification lists

Marking Points

Key points examiners look for in your answers

Understanding and responding to common or familiar words
Ability to use vocabulary across different themes
Recognition of feminine forms of nouns/adjectives
Understanding of general vocabulary (comparisons, conjunctions, connectives, prepositions, negatives, numbers, time, location, weather, materials)
Understanding of theme-specific vocabulary provided in the specification lists

Examiner Tips

Expert advice for maximising your marks

💡Use visual and verbal context to infer meaning of unknown words
💡Utilize knowledge of cognates and near-cognates
💡Apply knowledge of word formation patterns (prefixes/suffixes)
💡Focus on the overall message rather than every individual word
💡Use grammatical markers (e.g., plural forms, verb endings) to categorize unknown words
💡In the reading and listening exams, look for clues in the context – even if you don't know every word, you can often deduce meaning from surrounding words or pictures.
💡For speaking and writing, use a range of vocabulary from different themes to show breadth. Avoid repeating the same words; instead, use synonyms (e.g., 'groß' and 'riesig' for 'big').
💡Practise vocabulary in sentences, not in isolation. This helps with grammar and makes your answers more natural. For example, instead of just learning 'der Hund', learn 'Ich habe einen Hund'.

Common Mistakes

Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

Confusing 'false friends' (e.g., also, Gymnasium)
Over-reliance on word coinage based on English
Ignoring context when deducing meaning of unfamiliar words
Failure to recognize feminine forms of nouns/adjectives
Misinterpreting common abbreviations
Mistake: Thinking that word-for-word translation always works. Correction: German sentence structure and idioms often differ; e.g., 'I like swimming' is 'Ich schwimme gern' (literally 'I swim gladly'), not 'Ich mag schwimmen'.
Mistake: Ignoring noun genders and plurals. Correction: Using the wrong gender or plural can change meaning or sound unnatural; always learn der/die/das and plural forms from the start.
Mistake: Assuming all words with similar spelling have the same meaning (false friends). Correction: For example, 'das Gift' means poison, not gift; 'der Chef' means boss, not chef.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions students ask about this topic

Before You Start

Prior knowledge that will help with this topic

•Basic German phonics and pronunciation – knowing how to read German words aloud helps with spelling and listening.
•The German alphabet and common letter combinations (e.g., 'ch', 'sch', 'ei', 'ie').
•Simple present tense of regular verbs and the verbs 'haben' and 'sein' – these are used in many basic sentences.

Key Terminology

Essential terms to know

Identity and Lifestyle: Describing personal characteristics, family structures, and daily routines using high-frequency descriptors and common verbs.
Popular Culture and Leisure: Discussing media consumption, sporting interests, and social activities, incorporating idiomatic expressions of preference.
Communication and the Global Environment: Navigating travel, technology, and environmental issues, focusing on the use of compound terminology and thematic nouns.

Likely Command Words

How questions on this topic are typically asked

Beschreib

Schreib

Vergleich

Beantworte

Ergänze

Erwähne

Wähle

Ready to test yourself?

Practice questions tailored to this topic

Vocabulary: Theme-based vocabulary (Foundation Tier)

Topic Overview

Key Concepts

What You Need to Demonstrate

Marking Points

Examiner Tips

Common Mistakes

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: Theme-based vocabulary (Foundation Tier) — AQA GCSE German

Examiner Tips for Vocabulary: Theme-based vocabulary (Foundation Tier)

Common Mistakes in Vocabulary: Theme-based vocabulary (Foundation Tier)

Key Marking Points

Vocabulary: Theme-based vocabulary (Foundation Tier)

Topic Overview

Key Concepts

What You Need to Demonstrate

Marking Points

Examiner Tips

Common Mistakes

Frequently Asked Questions

How many words do I need to know for AQA GCSE German Foundation Tier?

What's the best way to learn German vocabulary for GCSE?

Do I need to learn the gender of every noun?

How can I improve my listening comprehension for vocabulary?

What are false friends and how do I avoid them?

Is it important to learn vocabulary for all three themes?

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