New
New
Year 8

Everyday experiences: present tense separable verbs, questions

Learning outcomes

I can use separable verbs to ask questions and to say what others do in everyday situations.

I can recognise and pronounce [z] and [s-].

New
New
Year 8

Everyday experiences: present tense separable verbs, questions

Learning outcomes

I can use separable verbs to ask questions and to say what others do in everyday situations.

I can recognise and pronounce [z] and [s-].

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Lesson details

Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons

Key learning points

  1. [z] is pronounced as in 'Zug' and [s-] is pronounced as in 'sollen'.
  2. Separable verbs have a prefix and a base verb, which uses the same endings as other verbs in the present tense.
  3. In questions as well as statements with separable verbs, the prefix moves to the end of the sentence.
  4. Listening carefully to questions, including question words, helps with understanding and forming suitable responses.

Keywords

  • Separable verb - two-part verb with a prefix and a main verb, e.g. 'aussehen'

Common misconception

A word for 'do', 'does', 'is' or 'are' is needed when forming yes/no questions in German.

In German, yes/no questions can be formed simply by inverting the subject and the verb. There is no need for a word like 'do' or 'are' at the start, e.g. 'Läufst du schnell?' - 'Do you run fast?'.


To help you plan your year 8 German lesson on: Everyday experiences: present tense separable verbs, questions, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Teachers may wish to model how students should complete the speaking task C2, using a volunteer to support if required.
Teacher tip

Equipment

A mini whiteboard and pen, together with pen and paper for taking 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 word means 'in former times'?
abends
Correct answer: früher
nach
voll
wieder
Q2.
Match the German and English.
Correct Answer:was?,what?

what?

Correct Answer:wo?,where?

where?

Correct Answer:wann?,when?

when?

Correct Answer:wie?,how?

how?

Correct Answer:wer, wen, wem?,who?

who?

Correct Answer:welcher, welche, welches?,which?

which?

Q3.
Match the German and English.
Correct Answer:anfangen,to start, begin

to start, begin

Correct Answer:ankommen,to arrive, arriving

to arrive, arriving

Correct Answer:anrufen,to phone, phoning

to phone, phoning

Correct Answer:mitbringen,to bring along

to bring along

Correct Answer:stattfinden,to take place, taking place

to take place, taking place

Correct Answer:vorbereiten,to prepare, preparing

to prepare, preparing

Q4.
Order the words to say: 'they are travelling north by ship'.
1 - sie
2 - fahren
3 - mit
4 - dem
5 - Schiff
6 - nach
7 - Norden
Q5.
Write in English: 'Warum liest du die Geschichte?'.
Correct Answer: why are you reading the story, why do you read the story
Q6.
Write in German: 'my aunt lives in Poland'.
Correct Answer: meine Tante wohnt in Polen

Assessment exit quiz

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4 Questions

Q1.
Which words are missing the sound [z]?
E[_]el
Correct answer: Pil[_]
[_]ahne
[_]uppe
Correct answer: [_]ahn
Q2.
Order the words to say: 'I get up at 7am'.
1 - ich
2 - stehe
3 - um
4 - sieben
5 - Uhr
6 - auf
Q3.
Order the words to say: 'Why do you look so tired?'.
1 - warum
2 - siehst
3 - du
4 - so
5 - müde
6 - aus
Q4.
Write in German: 'Do you accept the prize?'.
Correct Answer: nimmst du den Preis an

Additional material

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