NCEA Level 2 German flashcards

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

halb drei

Colloquial German time meaning 2:30, not 3:30. German counts toward the next hour: halb drei = half way to three. Contrast with the formal 14.30 Uhr.

einundzwanzig

The number 21. German states the unit before the ten and joins them with und: ein-und-zwanzig. The same pattern gives zweiundvierzig (42) and neunundneunzig (99).

Separable verb in main clause

Verbs like aufstehen, einkaufen and anrufen split in a main clause: the prefix moves to the end. Ich stehe um sieben Uhr auf. Listen to the sentence end for the full meaning.

doch as a reply

A particle used to contradict a negative statement or question. Kommst du nicht mit? - Doch, ich komme. It means roughly 'yes, I am' against an expectation of no.

nicht versus kein

Use kein/keine before a noun with no article (Ich habe keine Zeit). Use nicht for verbs, adjectives, names and nouns with a definite article (Das ist nicht mein Bruder).

Listening distractor pattern

A common task design: the audio names several options, then corrects or rejects them (Nicht 20, sondern 18 Euro). The confirmed detail, not the first number, is the answer.

Verb-second rule

In a German main clause the finite verb is the second element. If a time or place phrase comes first, the subject follows the verb: Am Montag fahre ich nach Hamburg.

Verb-final in subordinate clauses

After conjunctions weil, dass, obwohl, wenn and als, the finite verb moves to the end: Ich lerne Deutsch, weil ich in Wien studieren will.

Yes/no question inversion

In yes/no questions the finite verb comes first: Hast du am Samstag Zeit? Kommst du mit? This structure is a reliable way to keep a spoken interaction going.

Perfect tense with sein

Use sein as the auxiliary with verbs of motion and change of state: ich bin gefahren, ich bin gekommen, ich bin geblieben. Most other verbs take haben: ich habe gemacht.

ich-Laut and ach-Laut

The letter combination ch is soft [ç] after i and e (ich, echt) but a harsh [x] after a, o and u (Buch, noch). Mixing them reduces intelligibility in the speaking assessment.

Follow-up question stems

Phrases that sustain a Level 2 interaction: Und du? Wie war das für dich? Warum denn? Was meinst du dazu? They invite the partner to speak instead of ending the exchange.

Presentation scaffold

Structure for a spoken presentation: Thema nennen, three or four developed points each with a reason or example, a personal opinion, and a closing question to the audience.

also as a false friend

German also means 'so' or 'therefore', not English 'also'. Ich bin krank, also bleibe ich zu Hause. The German for 'also' is auch.

bekommen as a false friend

German bekommen means 'to receive' or 'to get', not 'to become'. Ich bekomme ein Geschenk. The German for 'to become' is werden.

Dative prepositions

The prepositions mit, nach, bei, seit, von, zu and aus always take the dative: mit dem Bus, nach der Schule, bei meiner Oma, seit einem Jahr.

Accusative prepositions

The prepositions durch, für, gegen, ohne and um always take the accusative: für meinen Bruder, ohne einen Plan, durch den Park, um die Ecke.

Two-way prepositions

in, an, auf, über, unter, vor, hinter, neben, zwischen take the accusative for motion or change of place (in die Stadt) and the dative for position (in der Stadt).

deshalb and trotzdem

deshalb means 'therefore' and signals a consequence; trotzdem means 'nevertheless' and signals a contrast. They indicate whether the next clause supports or contradicts the previous one.

German decimal comma

German writes prices and decimals with a comma and a euro sign after the number: 3,50 €, 12,99 €. A full stop marks thousands: 1.000 Euro means one thousand.

Datum im Text

Dates are written with a full stop after the ordinal: 3. Mai 2025, read as der dritte Mai. This format is a frequent scanning target in reading tasks.

Gift as a false friend

German Gift means 'poison', not 'present'. The German for 'gift' is Geschenk. Similarly, Handy means mobile phone and Chef means boss, not chef.

Formal e-mail frame

Open with Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren or Sehr geehrte Frau Müller, write the request in the middle, and close with Mit freundlichen Grüßen followed by your name.

Informal e-mail frame

Open with Hallo Anna or Liebe Anna, write the message, and close with Viele Grüße, Liebe Grüße or Bis bald followed by your name. Use du forms throughout.

Modal verb word order

A modal verb sits in position two and sends the infinitive to the end: Ich muss morgen früh aufstehen. Er will nach Berlin fahren. The infinitive is never conjugated.

Präteritum use

In Level 2 writing the simple past is mainly for sein, haben and modal verbs (war, hatte, konnte, wollte) and for narrative passages. Everyday speech and informal writing prefer the perfect.

Opinion phrases

Stems for an opinion text: Ich finde, dass …; Meiner Meinung nach …; Ich bin der Meinung, dass …; Ein Vorteil ist, dass …. Follow each with a reason and an example.

Connectors for coherence

Linking words that raise the writing grade: zuerst, danach, außerdem, deshalb, obwohl, trotzdem, zum Beispiel, einerseits … andererseits. They join sentences instead of listing them.

Noun capitalisation

Every German noun is written with a capital letter, including inside sentences: Ich habe morgen einen Termin beim Arzt. Missing capitals is a recurring accuracy error in writing tasks.

du and er verb endings

Present-tense endings: du machst, er/sie/es macht; du fährst, er fährt for strong verbs with a vowel change. Check the ending of every verb against its subject.

weil, dass, wenn, obwohl

Subordinating conjunctions that send the finite verb to the end of the clause: Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil ich krank bin. Sie sagt, dass sie später kommt.

Word count in writing tasks

Level 2 tasks usually ask for 150–250 words in a set format. Going far under the limit loses content marks; going far over increases the chance of accuracy errors.