New
New
Year 9

Language and identity: separable verbs, cardinal and ordinal numbers

I can use ordinal numbers when talking about past events, and use separable verbs in the perfect tense.

New
New
Year 9

Language and identity: separable verbs, cardinal and ordinal numbers

I can use ordinal numbers when talking about past events, and use separable verbs in the perfect tense.

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Lesson details

Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons

Key learning points

  1. Add -te to form ordinal numbers 1-19 and -ste for 20+. Exceptions are 'erste', 'dritte', 'siebte'.
  2. Use 'am' with dates to say 'on the' and add -n to the ordinal number, e.g., 'am zehnten Juli'.
  3. In word order three clauses, separable prefixes rejoin the verb.
  4. Form past participles of separable verbs by adding the prefix before ge-, e.g., 'eingeladen', 'aufgemacht'.
  5. Understanding separable prefixes and the base verb meanings allows you to predict most meanings of separable verbs.

Keywords

  • Ordinal number - a number defining the position of something in a series, such as ‘first’, ‘second’, or ‘third’

  • Am - 'on the'

  • Separable verb - a verb with a separable prefix, such as 'aufmachen', 'einladen'

  • Word order three - after certain conjunctions, the verb is sent to the end of the sentence or clause

Common misconception

Separable prefixes always move to the end of a clause.

Separable verbs have a prefix that goes to the end of the clause in word order one clauses (standard word order), but in word order three (verb to end) the prefix and the verb reunite. Separable prefixes are always joined to the past participle.


To help you plan your year 9 German lesson on: Language and identity: separable verbs, cardinal and ordinal numbers, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Learners who need additional support could complete Task B1 as a 'listen and read along' task using the transcript to support the gap fill activity.
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Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which word means 'at, to the front'?

aus
gegen
mehr
neben
Correct answer: vorne

Q2.
Match the German and English.

Correct Answer:alt,old

old

Correct Answer:kulturell,cultural

cultural

Correct Answer:schwarz,black

black

Correct Answer:stark,strong

strong

Correct Answer:typisch,typical

typical

Correct Answer:wichtig,important

important

Q3.
Match the German and English.

Correct Answer:Buch (nt),book

book

Correct Answer:Verb (nt),verb

verb

Correct Answer:Jahr (nt),year

year

Correct Answer:Sprache (f),language

language

Correct Answer:Trend (m),trend

trend

Correct Answer:Wort (nt),word

word

Q4.
Order the words to say: 'They invite us to the coast.'

1 - sie
2 - laden
3 - uns
4 - an
5 - die
6 - Küste
7 - ein

Q5.
Order the words to say: 'The music entertains the children at the festival.'

1 - die Musik
2 - unterhält
3 - die
4 - Kinder
5 - auf
6 - dem
7 - Fest

Q6.
Write in German: 'German is my favourite subject'.

Correct Answer: Deutsch ist mein Leiblingsfach

Assessment exit quiz

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4 Questions

Q1.
What does the separable verb 'wegnehmen' mean?

to bring with
to go away
to go with
Correct answer: to take away
to take with

Q2.
Order the words to say: 'I grew up in Germany.'

1 - ich
2 - bin
3 - in
4 - Deutschland
5 - auf
6 - ge
7 - wachsen

Q3.
'Zumachen' means 'to close'. How do you say 'closed'?

Correct Answer: zugemacht

Q4.
Write in German: 'on the third of May'. Write the number as a full word.

Correct Answer: am dritten Mai

Additional material

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