MATSEC IM German flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Listening played twice

In the MATSEC IM German listening paper, recordings are played twice. The first pass targets gist and topic; the second confirms specific details such as numbers, names, and times.

Kreuzen Sie an

German rubric instruction meaning 'tick the box'. It signals a multiple-choice or true/false item where only the selected option is marked, not written out.

Ergänzen Sie

Rubric verb meaning 'complete'. Answers must fill a gap, table, or form; spelling and grammatical form of the inserted word are usually marked.

Ordnen Sie zu

Rubric instruction meaning 'match'. Options are assigned to speakers, situations, or headings; each option is normally used once, and one may be a distractor.

Distractor correction pattern

In listening texts a speaker often states a detail then corrects it ('um zwei … nein, um drei'). The final corrected figure is the intended answer, not the first mention.

German decimal comma

German uses a comma for decimals and a point for thousands: 3,50 € means three euros fifty, and 1.000 means one thousand. Misreading these changes prices and statistics.

Modal particles doch, ja

Particles such as 'doch', 'ja', and 'eigentlich' modify tone rather than content. They can signal contradiction or shared knowledge and often reverse a literal yes/no reading.

24-hour time

Authentic German announcements frequently use 24-hour time: 14:30 is half past two in the afternoon. Converting to 12-hour time helps match answer options.

Oral exam structure

The MATSEC IM German oral typically includes a self-presentation, a prompt or picture description, and an examiner discussion, each contributing separately to the speaking mark.

Sie versus du

Use 'Sie' with the examiner and in formal role-plays; use 'du' only with peers or when the scenario is clearly informal. Wrong register costs interaction marks.

Meiner Meinung nach

Fixed expression meaning 'in my opinion'. It is followed by normal word order and is a reliable opener for opinion turns in the discussion section.

Picture description routine

Describe a picture spatially: 'Auf dem Bild sehe ich …', then foreground and background, then left and right. A fixed order prevents hesitation and omission.

Circumlocution strategy

When a German word is unknown, define or paraphrase it in German instead of switching to English. Strategic competence of this kind is rewarded in the oral.

Verb second rule

In a German main clause the finite verb occupies position two: 'Heute fahre ich nach Hause.' Fronting an adverb does not change the verb position.

Verb final in subordinate

After subordinators such as 'weil', 'dass', 'obwohl', and 'wenn', the finite verb moves to the end: 'Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil ich krank bin.'

ich-Laut versus ach-Laut

The ich-Laut [ç] follows front vowels (ich, Milch); the ach-Laut [x] follows back vowels (Buch, Nacht). Confusing them affects pronunciation marks.

Final devoicing

Voiced consonants devoice at the end of a syllable or word: 'Tag' sounds like [taːk] and 'Hund' like [hʊnt]. This is standard, not an error.

Self-presentation content

A strong opening covers name, age, school or work, family, hobbies, and future plans. Including one past-tense sentence demonstrates range early in the oral.

Reading task types

The MATSEC IM German reading paper uses multiple choice, matching, and true/false items based on short authentic-style texts such as notices, adverts, emails, and articles.

Skimming then scanning

First read quickly for gist, then locate specific details. In linear tasks the questions follow the order of the text, so answers can be found sequentially.

False friend bekommen

'Bekommen' means to receive or get, not to become. The German for 'to become' is 'werden'. This is one of the most frequent comprehension traps.

False friend Gift

'Gift' is neuter ('das Gift') and means poison, not present. The German for gift is 'das Geschenk'. Context usually disambiguates but the trap remains.

False friend aktuell

'Aktuell' means current or up to date, not actual. The German for actual is 'tatsächlich'. Misreading it changes the meaning of news and advert texts.

Compound noun gender

In a German compound the gender is that of the final element: 'die Hausaufgabe', 'der Kindergarten', 'das Krankenhaus'. The last component also carries the plural form.

Separable verb split

Separable prefixes detach in main clauses and move to the end: 'Er steht um sieben auf.' In subordinate clauses the verb reunites: '…, weil er um sieben aufsteht.'

Passive with werden

The process passive is formed with 'werden' plus the past participle: 'Das Haus wird gebaut.' It is frequent in formal articles and notices.

Konjunktiv II forms

Hypothetical and polite statements use 'wäre', 'hätte', 'könnte', or 'würde' plus infinitive: 'Ich würde gern kommen.' Reading texts use it for speculation.

Pronominal adverbs

Words such as 'dabei', 'damit', 'dafür', and 'darüber' refer back to earlier ideas. Tracing the referent resolves many detail and inference questions.

Two writing tasks

The MATSEC IM German writing paper normally requires a shorter transactional text such as an email or notice and a longer article, letter, or opinion piece.

Content points checklist

Each writing prompt lists bullet-point content requirements. Tick each one off after drafting; an uncovered bullet loses content marks regardless of language quality.

Formal letter opening

A formal German letter opens 'Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren' or 'Sehr geehrte Frau …' and closes 'Mit freundlichen Grüßen'. The register throughout is 'Sie'.

Informal email opening

An informal German email opens 'Liebe …' or 'Hallo …' and closes 'Liebe Grüße' or 'Bis bald'. The register throughout is 'du' with contracted verb forms.