JC German key terms

The skill of understanding spoken German, whether in a conversation, a radio report, or an announcement. Candidates identify main ideas and specific details such as times, prices, or names without needing every word.

Listening or reading for the overall message rather than every detail. You ask what the text is mainly about and choose the answer that captures its general sense.

Listening or reading to catch precise information such as a departure platform, a price, or a date. The answer is usually stated once and is not repeated.

Listening with a specific question in mind and ignoring everything irrelevant to it. Useful when a recording is long and you only need one fact from it.

A short spoken or written report of an event, often on radio or in a message. Typical questions ask who did what, when, and where.

A public announcement, typically at a station, airport, or supermarket. They contain times, platform numbers, delays, and requests, and are read only once.

The skill of understanding written German texts such as emails, notices, articles, and advertisements. Candidates answer questions about content, purpose, and tone.

The type of text, for example a formal letter, a blog post, a brochure, or a notice. Recognising it helps you predict structure, register, and likely content.

A word in a question or text that carries the essential information. Finding it quickly lets you locate the relevant passage instead of reading everything closely.

The title or heading of a text or section. Matching headings to paragraphs tests whether you grasp the main idea of each part.

The skill of writing German yourself, for example an email, a short message, or an opinion piece. It is assessed on task fulfilment, organisation, range, and accuracy.

The opening greeting of a letter or email, such as Liebe Frau Meier or Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren. It sets the level of formality for the whole message.

The closing formula of a letter or email, for example Mit freundlichen Grüßen or Liebe Grüße. The choice must match the formality of the opening.

The clear line of argument or narrative that holds a text together. A written answer without one jumps between ideas and loses marks for coherence.

A linking word such as deshalb, trotzdem, außerdem, or allerdings that shows how sentences relate. Good connectors make writing flow and demonstrate grammatical control.

Stating and justifying your own view in speech or writing, for example Ich finde, dass... weil.... Examiners look for a clear position supported by at least one reason or example.

Ready-made phrases for particular functions, such as giving an opinion, agreeing, or asking for clarification. They make spoken answers sound fluent and appropriately polite.

Asking the examiner or partner to repeat or explain something, for example Wie bitte? or Könnten Sie das noch einmal sagen?. It is a normal strategy, not a sign of failure.

How clearly words are pronounced. In German pay attention to long and short vowels, the ich and ach sounds, and final devoicing, since these affect intelligibility.

The stress placed on a syllable or word in speech. Correct stress, including separable verb prefixes, helps listeners understand you and shows control of word rhythm.

The grammatical case of a noun phrase: nominative, accusative, dative, or genitive. Case is shown by articles, pronouns, and adjective endings, and is central to German accuracy.

The pattern of endings on definite, indefinite, and possessive articles according to case, gender, and number, for example der, den, dem, des.

The endings added to adjectives before a noun, which depend on the article type and case, for example ein guter Plan versus der gute Plan.

A verb whose prefix separates in main clauses and moves to the end, such as aufstehen giving Ich stehe früh auf. In subordinate clauses it stays together.

A subordinate clause in which the conjugated verb goes to the end, for example weil ich keine Zeit habe. Connectors like weil, dass, obwohl, and wenn introduce it.

A small word such as in, auf, mit, or wegen that links a noun phrase to the rest of the sentence. Each governs a particular case, which must be learned with it.

A preposition such as in, an, or auf that takes the accusative for movement and the dative for position, for example ins Kino gehen versus im Kino sein.

The past tense used mainly in speech, formed with haben or sein plus the past participle, for example Ich habe gearbeitet or Ich bin gefahren.

The past participle used in perfect tenses and passive voice, for example gemacht, gefahren, or besucht. Its form depends on whether the verb is weak, strong, or mixed.

The simple past tense, common in written narrative and with modal verbs and sein, for example Er war müde or Sie konnte nicht kommen.

A construction that shifts focus to the action rather than the doer, formed with werden plus the past participle, for example Das Haus wird gebaut.

The level of formality in language, ranging from du with first names to Sie with titles. Choosing correctly matters in emails, interviews, and service encounters.

Short, polite conversation about neutral topics such as weather, travel, or the weekend. It opens and closes interactions and is expected in many German everyday situations.

Making, confirming, or changing an appointment, often by phone or email. Typical language includes dates, times, availability, and phrases like Passt es Ihnen am Montag?

A public holiday, which varies by Bundesland in Germany. Knowing common ones such as Weihnachten, Ostern, and Tag der Deutschen Einheit helps with cultural questions and planning.

One of the sixteen federal states of Germany, each with its own government and some separate rules. Regional differences affect holidays, school systems, and local customs.

The choice between informal du and formal Sie. Adults generally use Sie with strangers and in formal contexts, while du is normal among friends, students, and family.

The strong cultural expectation of being on time for appointments, classes, and meetings. Arriving late without notice is often read as disrespectful in professional settings.