Eine neue Sprache lernen: plural rules 4 - 6
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can use plural rules to form plural nouns.
Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons
Key learning points
- Some masculine and neuter nouns add '-er' with an umlaut, where possible, to form the plural.
- Nouns borrowed from other langauges usually add '-s' to form the plural.
- Female person nouns add '-nen' to form the plural.
- The German short [a] sounds like the 'a' in 'Blatt'. The short [ä] is as in the plural 'Blätter'.
- The German short [u] sounds like the 'u' in 'Unterschied'; the long [u] is as in 'Uhr'.
Keywords
Plural rule 4 - add ‘-er’ to some masculine and neuter nouns, with an umlaut where possible; for example, 'Blätter'.
Plural rule 5 - add -s to nouns borrowed from other languages; for example, 'Interviews'.
Plural rule 6 - add -nen to all female person nouns; for example, 'Lehrerinnen'.
Common misconception
All German nouns form their plural by adding 's'.
Plural rules in German are complex and need to be learnt. Pronunciation is also important, as umlauts [ä], [ö] and [ü] can change meaning; for example, Vater, Väter. Accurate pronounciation can help with vocabulary, reading aloud and transcription.
Teacher tip
Encourage students to learn each plural rule with an example, which they can then apply to new words as they encounter them. Arrange plentiful pronunciation practice at word, sentence and paragraph level to develop student confidence.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the German words below to their English equivalents.
to answer, answering
to sound, sounding
to teach, teaching
different, differently
different, diverse
mistake
Q2.Which words below are plural?
Q3.Match the groups of words below to the correct word class categories.
nouns
verbs
adjectives
Q4.Verbs like 'reden' and 'finden' require an extra in the 'du' er/sie/es' and 'ihr' form to make them easier to pronounce.
Q5.Which verb conjugations are correct?
Q6.Order the words as needed: German vowels are __________ before a double consonant and __________ before a single consonant. A 'h' after a vowel __________ the vowel. __________ vowels count as long.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the German words below to the correct English meanings.
term, expression
to repeat, repeating
wall
foreign, strange
task, job
to notice, noticing
Q2.Which of these words are pronounced with a long [a] or [ä]?
Q3.Match the words below to the correct plural rule.
plural rule 4
plural rule 5
plural rule 6
Q4.Put the words below in the correct order to complete the following sentence: 'Plötzlich' has a __________, but 'hören' has a __________. 'Üben' has a __________, but 'er übt' has a __________.
Q5.Which of these plurals are correct?
Q6.Distinguishing between long and short vowels is important because ...
To help you plan your 10 German lesson on: Eine neue Sprache lernen: plural rules 4 - 6, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 German lesson on: Eine neue Sprache lernen: plural rules 4 - 6, 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 Studying and my future: Sprichst du Deutsch? unit, dive into the full secondary German curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.