New
New
Year 9

The environment: verbs with prepositions, da-compounds

Learning outcomes

I can use verbs with prepositions and da-compounds in the context of environmental issues.

I can recognise, write and pronounce [r].

New
New
Year 9

The environment: verbs with prepositions, da-compounds

Learning outcomes

I can use verbs with prepositions and da-compounds in the context of environmental issues.

I can recognise, write and pronounce [r].

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Lesson details

Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons

Key learning points

  1. [r] is a 'rolling', gentle vibration sound when at the start of a syllable, after a consonant or between two vowels.
  2. [r] is a gentle 'ah' sound after a long vowel and in '-er'. It sounds barely there.
  3. Some verbs are used with prepositions which affect the case of the noun that follows.
  4. Da-compounds are used to replace and refer back to inanimate (non-living) nouns which have already been mentioned.
  5. For animate things (people and animals), use an object pronoun instead of a da-compound to replace the noun.

Keywords

  • Preposition - a word that is used before a noun, a noun phrase, or a pronoun, connecting it to another word

  • Da-, dar- - prefix added to prepositions to avoid repetition of the noun

Common misconception

We can use a da-compound to refer back to any object noun already mentioned.

We can only use a da-compound to replace inanimate (non-living) nouns. For animate objects (people and animals), we use direct or indirect object pronouns to replace the noun.


To help you plan your year 9 German lesson on: The environment: verbs with prepositions, da-compounds, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

For Task C3, where necessary for extra support, give students time to prepare questions before speaking with their partner, and/or provide the vocabulary for the sentence endings.
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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.
What does a preposition do?

replaces a noun to avoid repetition
joins two independent clauses
Correct answer: goes before a noun, a noun phrase, or a pronoun, connecting it to another word
shows when something happens in time

Q2.
Which sentence uses the verb 'sich freuen' correctly?

Ich freue mich vor den Sommer.
Correct answer: Ich freue mich auf den Sommer.
Ich freue mich mit dem Sommer.
Ich freue mich für den Sommer.
Ich freue mich den Sommer.

Q3.
Which sentence shows the correct use of the dative case with a preposition?

Ich interessiere mich für den Autor.
Correct answer: Meine Freunde warnen mich vor dem heißen Sommer.
Ich freue mich auf das Wetter.
Ich hoffe auf dem Erfolg.

Q4.
Match each verb to the correct preposition.

Correct Answer:sich interessieren,für

für

Correct Answer:hoffen,auf

auf

Correct Answer:warnen,vor

vor

Q5.
Match the German and the English.

Correct Answer:Angst vor etwas haben,to be afraid of something

to be afraid of something

Correct Answer:sich vor etwas schützen,to protect oneself from something

to protect oneself from something

Correct Answer:an etwas teilnehmen,to take part in something

to take part in something

Correct Answer:auf etwas warten,to wait for something

to wait for something

Correct Answer:sich für etwas interessieren,to be interested in something

to be interested in something

Correct Answer:sich über etwas informieren,to find out about something

to find out about something

Q6.
Put the words in the correct order to form a sentence.

1 - ich bin froh,
2 - dass
3 - sie sich
4 - auf
5 - das
6 - Interview
7 - freut

Assessment exit quiz

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4 Questions

Q1.
In which words is the [r] pronounced as a gentle 'ah' sound?

Rede
Druck
Correct answer: Meter
Correct answer: Interview

Q2.
What can a da-compound (e.g. 'dafür', 'darauf') replace in a sentence?

any noun, including people and animals
only nouns that are in the dative case
Correct answer: inanimate (non-living) nouns that have already been mentioned
any object noun, as long as it comes after a preposition

Q3.
Which sentences are correct?

Ich interessiere mich dafür. (referring to 'der Autor')
Correct answer: Ich interessiere mich für ihn. (referring to 'der Autor')
Correct answer: Ich interessiere mich dafür. (referring to 'die Natur')
Ich interessiere mich für sie. (referring to 'die Natur')

Q4.
Put the words below in the correct order to say: 'I hope that she is looking forward to the flowers.'

1 - ich
2 - hoffe,
3 - dass
4 - sie sich
5 - auf
6 - die Blumen
7 - freut

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