New
New
Year 9

Places you like and prefer: verbs + indirect object, 'gefallen', 'mögen'

Learning outcomes

I can express likes and preferences using 'mögen' with a subject and 'gefallen' with an indirect object.

I can recognise and pronounce [th] with confidence.

New
New
Year 9

Places you like and prefer: verbs + indirect object, 'gefallen', 'mögen'

Learning outcomes

I can express likes and preferences using 'mögen' with a subject and 'gefallen' with an indirect object.

I can recognise and pronounce [th] with confidence.

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Lesson details

Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons

Key learning points

  1. German [th] sounds like 't' in English.
  2. If 't' and 'h' are in different syllables, you say both sounds separately, like in 'Rathaus'.
  3. The verbs 'mögen' and 'gefallen' both express 'liking', but they work in different ways.
  4. 'Mögen' works like a standard verb where the subject likes something, e.g., 'ich mag Fußball'.
  5. 'Gefallen' is 'to please'; use it with an indirect object pronoun, e.g., 'Fußball gefällt mir' - 'football pleases me'.

Keywords

  • Indirect object pronoun - replaces the person, people or thing(s) that the verb action is done to, when the action is to me, for you, to them

  • Adverb - word that describes a verb or an adjective

Common misconception

'Gefallen' means ‘to like’ and works like a normal verb where I am the subject that does the action of ‘liking’.

'Gefallen' means ‘to please’, so works differently. You are not doing the ‘liking’, the thing you like is ‘pleasing’ you. E.g., 'das Kleid gefällt mir' - literally, 'the dress pleases me'. More naturally translated - 'I like the dress'.


To help you plan your year 9 German lesson on: Places you like and prefer: verbs + indirect object, 'gefallen', 'mögen', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Now that pupils have revisited 'gefallen' and 'mögen', build in regular short interactions to express likes and dislikes - especially using 'gefallen', which is trickier due to its word order and dative structure. Frequent use helps build confidence and accuracy.
Teacher tip

Equipment

A mini whiteboard and pen, together with a pen and paper for making notes, would be useful, if available.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of these words is a definite article?

in
Correct answer: die
Boden
geben

Q2.
Which sentence means 'We travel to France and Poland.'?

Correct answer: Wir reisen nach Frankreich und Polen.
Wir trinken nach Frankreich und Polen.
Wir gehen nach Frankreich und Polen.
Wir sitzen nach Frankreich und Polen.

Q3.
Match the German and English.

Correct Answer:bequem,comfortable

comfortable

Correct Answer:benutzen,to use, using

to use, using

Correct Answer:trinken,to drink, drinking

to drink, drinking

Correct Answer:alt,old

old

Correct Answer:modern,modern

modern

Correct Answer:gleich,same

same

Q4.
Match up the years.

Correct Answer:tausend neunundneunzig,1099

1099

Correct Answer:elfhundertfünf,1105

1105

Correct Answer:neunzehnhundert neunundneunzig,1999

1999

Correct Answer:zweitausendfünf,2005

2005

Q5.
Write another way of saying 'das Museum gefällt mir' in German.

Correct Answer: Ich mag das Museum

Q6.
Translate into German: 'I am a teacher (male).'

Correct Answer: ich bin Lehrer

Assessment exit quiz

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4 Questions

Q1.
Match the German words to how you pronounce [th].

Correct Answer:Theater,sounds like English 't'

sounds like English 't'

Correct Answer:Rathaus,'t' and 'h' said separately

't' and 'h' said separately

Correct Answer:Boot,no [th] sound

no [th] sound

Q2.
Which sentences mean 'I like the water.'?

Correct answer: Mir gefällt das Wasser.
Das Wasser mag ich nicht.
Das Wasser ist gut.
Correct answer: Ich mag das Wasser.

Q3.
Which sentence meaning 'I like the modern library.' uses 'gefallen' correctly?

Ich mag die moderne Bibliothek.
Correct answer: Mir gefällt die moderne Bibliothek.
Ich gefällt die moderne Bibliothek.
Mir mag die moderne Bibliothek.
Ich gefälle die moderne Bibliothek.

Q4.
Translate into natural English: 'Das Boot gefällt mir.'

Correct Answer: I like the boat.

Additional material

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