1.
Verb Forms and Usage
Konjunktiv I and II (Subjunctive I and II)
• Konjunktiv I: Used for indirect speech.
Example: Er sagt, er habe keine Zeit. (He says he has no time.)
• Konjunktiv II: Used for hypothetical, unreal, or wished-for situations.
Example: Wenn ich reich wäre, würde ich die Welt bereisen. (If I were rich, I would
travel the world.)
Passive Voice
• The passive voice is used to focus on the action or the recipient of the action
rather than the person performing it.
Example: Der Brief wird geschrieben. (The letter is being written.)
• Mastering all tenses of the passive (present, past, future, etc.).
Example: Der Brief wurde gestern geschrieben. (The letter was written yesterday.)
Tense Usage
• Present: Used for current actions.
Example: Ich lerne Deutsch. (I am learning German.)
• Perfect: Describes actions completed in the past.
Example: Ich habe Deutsch gelernt. (I have learned German.)
• Plusquamperfekt (Past Perfect): Used for actions completed before another past
action.
Example: Ich hatte Deutsch gelernt, bevor ich nach Deutschland ging. (I had learned
German before I went to Germany.)
• Futur I: Expresses future actions.
Example: Ich werde morgen arbeiten. (I will work tomorrow.)
• Futur II: Expresses future actions that will be completed before another future
action.
Example: Ich werde das Buch bis morgen gelesen haben. (I will have read the book by
tomorrow.)
Modal Verbs
• Examples: können (can), dürfen (may), müssen (must), sollen (should), wollen
(want).
Example: Ich möchte einen Kaffee trinken. (I want to drink coffee.)
Example: Du musst deine Hausaufgaben machen. (You must do your homework.)
2. Sentence Structure
Subordinate Clauses
• Conjunctions that introduce subordinate clauses: weil, obwohl, dass, wenn, bevor,
nachdem, etc.
Example: Ich lerne Deutsch, weil ich in Deutschland studieren möchte. (I learn German
because I want to study in Germany.)
Conditional Sentences
• Real Conditions: If… then situations.
Example: Wenn es regnet, nehme ich einen Regenschirm. (If it rains, I will take an
umbrella.)
• Unreal Conditions: Hypothetical situations that are not true or unlikely.
Example: Wenn ich mehr Zeit hätte, würde ich öfter reisen. (If I had more time, I would
travel more.)
Indirect Questions
• Used for asking questions in a polite form.
Example: Kannst du mir sagen, wo der Bahnhof ist? (Can you tell me where the train
station is?)
Infinitive Clauses
• With zu + infinitive (to do something).
Example: Es ist wichtig, Deutsch zu lernen. (It is important to learn German.)
3. Nouns and Articles
Declension of Nouns
• Weak, Strong, and Mixed Declensions: Proper understanding of noun cases and
articles (der, die, das, ein, eine).
Example: Der Hund (nominative), den Hund (accusative), dem Hund (dative), des
Hundes (genitive).
Genitive Case
• Used to show possession.
Example: Das ist das Auto meines Bruders. (That is my brother’s car.)
• Also used in some set phrases.
Example: Trotz des Regens (Despite the rain).
4. Adjectives and Adverbs
Adjective Declension
• In Nominative, Accusative, Dative, and Genitive Cases:
Example: Der schnelle Hund (nominative), den schnellen Hund (accusative), dem
schnellen Hund (dative).
• Understanding when to use the weak, strong, or mixed declension based on the
article.
Comparative and Superlative Forms
• Comparative: Used to compare two things.
Example: Er ist schneller als ich. (He is faster than I am.)
• Superlative: Used to express the highest degree of a quality.
Example: Sie ist die schnellste Läuferin. (She is the fastest runner.)
Adverbs
• Modifying verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.
Example: Sie spricht schnell. (She speaks quickly.)
5. Prepositions
Prepositions with Specific Cases
• Accusative Prepositions: durch, für, gegen, ohne, um.
Example: Ich gehe durch den Park. (I am walking through the park.)
• Dative Prepositions: aus, bei, mit, nach, seit, von, zu.
Example: Ich gehe mit meinem Freund. (I am going with my friend.)
• Genitive Prepositions: während, wegen, trotz.
Example: Wegen des Sturms bleibt der Flug aus. (Due to the storm, the flight is
canceled.)
Two-Way Prepositions
• Can be used with either the accusative or dative case, depending on whether the
action is motion (accusative) or location (dative).
Example:
• Ich gehe in das Haus. (I am going into the house - accusative).
• Ich bin in dem Haus. (I am in the house - dative).
6. Pronouns
Personal Pronouns
• Ich, du, er/sie/es, wir, ihr, sie/Sie (I, you, he/she/it, we, you, they).
Example: Er hilft mir. (He helps me.)
Reflexive Pronouns
• Used for actions done to oneself.
Example: Ich wasche mich. (I wash myself.)
Relative Pronouns
• Introduces relative clauses that give more information about a noun.
Example: Das ist der Mann, der mir geholfen hat. (That is the man who helped me.)
7. Word Order in Sentences
• Basic Word Order: Subject - Verb - Object (SVO).
Example: Ich lese ein Buch. (I am reading a book.)
• In Subordinate Clauses: The verb often comes at the end.
Example: Ich weiß, dass er kommt. (I know that he is coming.)
