Mein Alltag: telling the time, prepositions ‘um’, ‘seit’ and ‘vor’
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can use a range of prepositions and times to talk about past and present events and routines with precision.
Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons
Key learning points
- Use the 12 hour or the 24 hour clock to tell the time in German. Use 'um' to say ‘at’ with clock times.
- 'Um' can also mean ‘around’ or ‘approximately’ when used with numbers, and is normally followed by the definite article.
- When referring to a place, 'um' means ‘around’ and is always followed by the accusative case.
- 'Seit' is used with present tense to express an unfinished action started in the past. It can mean ‘since’ or ‘for’.
- 'Vor' + length of time is used with past tense to say how long ago something happened. Use the dative case.
Keywords
Um - preposition meaning ‘at’ with clock times and ‘around’ with places, used with the accusative case
Seit - preposition meaning ‘since’ or ‘for’, followed by the dative case
Vor - preposition meaning ‘ago’, followed by the dative case
Accusative - case used for the direct object in a sentence, after most verbs and some prepositions
Dative - case used for the indirect object in a sentence and after a dative verb or preposition
Common misconception
'Um' always means 'at' and is used with clock times.
Whilst 'um' is used commonly with clock times to mean 'at', it can also mean 'around' when referring to places, e.g., 'around the corner', or 'about, approximately' with numbers, e.g., 'about 10km'. It also follows some verbs, e.g., 'es geht um'.
Teacher tip
Learning Cycle 3, which covers the use of 'seit' versus 'vor', is Higher-only grammar. However, Task C2 also practises the use of 'um' with times and places.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the German and English.
quarter to
quarter past
half (to)
ten past
twenty-five to
five to
Q2.What is the German word for 'o'clock'?
Q3.Match the German and English.
to work, go smoothly
to separate, separating
to hide, hiding
to consider, think about, think of
to move, moving
to treat, treating
Q4.Match the German and English.
individual, individually
as soon as
as long as
since then
personal
after
Q5.Which prepositions always take the accusative case?
Q6.Choose the correct translation of the following sentence: 'seit dem siebzehnten Jahrhundert'
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the German and English.
to be about, being about
to exercise, exercising
Sorry! Excuse me!
courtyard, farm
appointment, date
to surprise, surprising
Q2.Translate the following sentence into German using the 12-hour clock: 'At half past nine.'
Q3.'Er fährt heute um die 6km.' Choose the correct translations.
Q4.Which case follows 'um' when it refers to a place and means 'around'?
Q5.'__________ drei Jahren habe ich mir das Bein gebrochen.' Choose the correct preposition.
Q6.Translate the following sentence into German: 'I have been waiting for an hour.'
To help you plan your 10 German lesson on: Mein Alltag: telling the time, prepositions ‘um’, ‘seit’ and ‘vor’, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 German lesson on: Mein Alltag: telling the time, prepositions ‘um’, ‘seit’ and ‘vor’, 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 My personal world: Der Alltag unit, dive into the full secondary German curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.