Eszett
Learn German · A1
German at A1: Beginner
You understand and use everyday expressions and very simple sentences: introduce yourself, ask where someone lives and what they do, order in a café, buy a ticket, fill in a form - if the other person speaks slowly and is willing to help.
How long: about 80-200 lessons of 45 minutes (Goethe-Institut guidance). The course below is 10 weeks at this level; a week is about an hour a day.
The 10 weeks
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Week 1: Hello! My name is … Hallo! Ich heiße …
Greet people and say goodbye, introduce yourself, say where you are from and which languages you speak, and ask others the same.
Words and reading greetings and introductionsDrills numbersSpeaking meeting a new colleague on your first day and introducing yourselfAsk the tutor- How do I introduce myself in German, formally and informally? Wie stelle ich mich auf Deutsch vor, formell und informell?
- How do I spell my name in German? Please go through the alphabet with me. Wie buchstabiere ich meinen Namen auf Deutsch? Geh bitte das Alphabet mit mir durch.
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Week 2: My family and me Meine Familie und ich
Talk about your family and friends, say how old people are and what they do, and ask about someone's family.
Words and reading the family, workDrills articlesSpeaking showing a friend photos of your familyAsk the tutor- How do I talk about my family: names, ages and jobs? Wie spreche ich über meine Familie: Namen, Alter und Berufe?
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Week 3: Enjoy your meal! Guten Appetit!
Order food and drink in a café or restaurant, say what you like, ask what something costs and pay.
Words and reading food and drinkDrills prices -
Week 4: Shopping Einkaufen
Buy food and clothes, ask for sizes, colours and quantities, understand prices and say what you do not need.
Words and reading clothesDrills pluralsAsk the tutor- How do I use welcher, welche, welches and dieser, diese, dieses when I shop? Wie benutze ich welcher, welche, welches und dieser, diese, dieses beim Einkaufen?
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Week 5: My day Mein Tag
Tell the time, describe your daily routine and your week, and make or change appointments.
Words and reading the daily routineDrills the clockAsk the tutor- How do I describe my daily routine, from getting up to going to bed? Wie beschreibe ich meinen Tagesablauf, vom Aufstehen bis zum Schlafengehen?
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Week 6: At home Wohnen
Describe your flat and your furniture, say where things are and what you like about where you live, and understand a flat advertisement.
Words and reading the flatDrills meaningsSpeaking asking a landlord questions about a flat you want to rentAsk the tutor- How do I describe my flat and where the furniture is? Wie beschreibe ich meine Wohnung und wo die Möbel stehen?
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Week 7: Out and about in town In der Stadt unterwegs
Ask for and give directions, use buses, trains and taxis, and name the places in a town.
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Week 8: Free time and meeting up Freizeit und Verabredungen
Talk about your hobbies, say what you can and want to do, invite someone and agree on a day and a time.
Grammar Modal verbsWords and reading hobbies and sportDrills datesSpeaking buying cinema ticketsAsk the tutor- How do I invite a friend and suggest a time and a place? Wie lade ich einen Freund ein und schlage Zeit und Ort vor?
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Week 9: Health Gesundheit
Name the parts of the body, say what hurts, make a doctor's appointment and understand simple advice.
Words and reading the body and healthDrills articlesSpeaking booking a doctor's appointment by phone · buying something for a cough at the pharmacy · making an appointment at the doctor's receptionAsk the tutor- How do I say ‘I was’ and ‘I had’ in German, for example when I was ill: war and hatte? Wie sage ich „ich war“ und „ich hatte“ auf Deutsch, zum Beispiel wenn ich krank war: war und hatte?
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Week 10: Travel and weather Reisen und Wetter
Buy a ticket, check in at a hotel, talk about the weather and say what you did on a trip, in the Perfekt.
Grammar Perfekt with haben or sein?Words and reading transport and travel, the weatherDrills verbs
Grammar at A1
- Vowel change in the present tense: er wirft, er sieht, er fährt Vokalwechsel im Präsens: er wirft, er sieht, er fährt
- kein or nicht? kein oder nicht?
- Modal verbs Modalverben
- The imperative: du, ihr, Sie Imperativ: du, ihr, Sie
- Main clauses: the verb takes position 2 Hauptsatz: das Verb steht auf Position 2
- sein, haben and the present-tense endings sein, haben und die Präsens-Endungen
- W-questions and yes/no questions W-Fragen und Ja/Nein-Fragen
- der, die, das: nominative and accusative der, die, das: Nominativ und Akkusativ
- Possessive articles: mein, dein, sein, ihr … Possessivartikel: mein, dein, sein, ihr …
- Plural forms: -e, -(e)n, -er, -s or nothing Pluralformen: -e, -(e)n, -er, -s oder nichts
- Time and place phrases: um, am, im, von … bis; in, nach, zu, bei Zeit- und Ortsangaben: um, am, im, von … bis; in, nach, zu, bei
Conversations at A1
- Buying rolls at the bakery Brötchen kaufen in der Bäckerei
- Ordering at a café Etwas bestellen im Café
- Booking a doctor's appointment by phone Einen Arzttermin am Telefon vereinbaren
- Buying a train ticket at the station Eine Fahrkarte am Bahnhof kaufen
- Paying at the supermarket checkout An der Supermarktkasse bezahlen
- Checking in at a hotel Im Hotel einchecken
- Buying something for a cough at the pharmacy In der Apotheke etwas gegen Husten kaufen
- Reserving a table at a restaurant Einen Tisch im Restaurant reservieren
- Asking the way to the town hall Nach dem Weg zum Rathaus fragen
- Apologising to a friend for being late Sich bei einer Freundin für die Verspätung entschuldigen
- Taking a taxi Mit dem Taxi fahren
- Buying cinema tickets Kinokarten kaufen
- Making an appointment at the doctor's reception Einen Termin in der Arztpraxis vereinbaren
Exams at A1
Goethe-Zertifikat A1: Start Deutsch 1, telc Deutsch A1 and ÖSD Zertifikat A1 are the exams at this level; the A1 certificate is what the German family-reunification visa asks for.