Berlin: 'wissen' vs 'kennen'
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can use 'wissen' and 'kennen' in the present and past tense to talk about knowledge, and can use a range of strategies for reading tasks.
Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons
Key learning points
- 'Wissen' means to 'to know' facts. 'Kennen' means 'to know' someone or to be familiar with something.
- The imperfect verb stem of 'wissen' is 'wuss-'; 'kennen' is 'kann-'. Use weak imperfect endings with both verbs.
- The past participle of 'wissen' is 'gewusst'; 'kennen' is 'gekannt'. Both form the perfect tense with 'haben'.
- When reading an extended text, notice tenses and vocabulary. Focus on questions carefully to identify required details.
Keywords
Wissen - verb meaning 'to know', used with facts
Kennen - verb meaning 'to know' someone or to be familiar with something
Imperfect tense - synonymous with the simple past; German single-word past tense used mainly to narrate past events in writing; e.g., 'war', 'hatte', 'gab'
Perfect tense - German two-word past tense using either 'haben' or 'sein' with a past participle
Common misconception
'Wissen' and 'kennen' are interchangeable.
Use 'wissen' with facts (e.g., 'Ich weiß nicht!') and 'kennen' with people or things you are familiar with ('Ich kenne deinen Freund.').
Teacher tip
Using 'wissen' and 'kennen' in the past tense is Higher-tier grammar.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of these nouns are feminine?
Q2.Match the German and English.
beginning, start
bathroom
field
performance, achievement
moment
stone, rock
Q3.Match the German and English.
to deliver, delivering
to chat, chatting
to seem, appear, shine
to text, texting
to sell, selling
to wait, waiting
Q4.Order the words to say: 'We are therefore very stressed and tired.'
Q5.Write in English: 'Da war eine alte Dame.'
Q6.Write in German: 'Where are the museums?'
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.'Ich deine Freundin.'. Write the correct present tense verb form of 'to know'.
Q2.'Wir , dass es kalt ist.'. Write the correct present tense verb form of 'to know'.
Q3.Match the German and English.
I knew [a fact] (imperfect tense)
I knew [a person] (imperfect tense)
I knew [a fact] (perfect tense)
I knew [a person] (perfect tense)
Q4.'Dieses Wochenende bietet die Museumsinsel Berlin ein tolles Programm mit kostenlosen Führungen und Workshops für die ganze Familie, um sein Jubiläumsjahr zu feiern.' Choose the correct statement.
To help you plan your 10 German lesson on: Berlin: 'wissen' vs 'kennen', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 German lesson on: Berlin: 'wissen' vs 'kennen', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 German lessons from the Communication and the world around us: Reiseziele unit, dive into the full secondary German curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.