Syllabus · A1 → C2 258 chapters

German grammar, A1 to C2.

Every grammar topic in the Klarweg course, in the order you learn it — from the alphabet and the nominative case to Nominalstil and C2 register. Each chapter teaches one topic with colour-coded grammar, clickable German, audio, practice and a quiz. Chapter 1 of every level is free.

A1 · Foundations

A1 German grammar — 47 chapters

A1 topics in course order. Start with Chapter 1: Das Alphabet & Aussprache — free. See the A1 roadmap for phases and progress.

  1. A1·1

    Das Alphabet & Aussprache The Alphabet & Pronunciation Free

    Before words, the sounds. Learn the 26 letters, the four extra signs (ä ö ü ß), and the handful of rules that make German read exactly the way it is written.

  2. A1·2

    Vokale & Laute Vowels & Sounds

    German is read the way it is written — once you own the vowels. Learn a e i o u, the umlauts ä ö ü, long vs short length, and the stress that makes a word sound German.

  3. A1·3

    Zahlen 0–100 Numbers 0–100

    Numbers run through every real conversation — your age, a price, a phone number. Learn the building blocks 0–12, the -zehn teens, the -zig tens, and the one reversal rule that makes every number up to 100 click into place.

  4. A1·4

    Hallo! Greetings & Introductions

    Your first real conversation. Greet by the time of day, say who you are and where you are from, and choose the right register — du or Sie — so you sound polite from the very first word.

  5. A1·5

    Wer bist du? Who are you?

    Your first real personal conversation. Two tools carry it: the personal pronouns (ich, du, er, sie …) and the verb sein (to be). With those you can say who you are, ask who someone else is, and answer like a Goethe A1 candidate.

  6. A1·6

    W-Fragen Question Words

    Real conversation is asking, not just answering. The W-words — wer, was, wo, woher, wann, warum — open every information question. Learn which word asks for what, and the one word-order rule that puts the verb in second place.

  7. A1·7

    Ja oder Nein? Yes/No Questions

    Half of every conversation is a yes/no question. In German you make one by moving the verb to the front — no question word needed. Learn the verb-first pattern, the short answers, and how to say "not" with nicht.

  8. A1·8

    Goethe Mini 1 Phase 1 Checkpoint Checkpoint

    Your first Goethe-style checkpoint. No new grammar — instead, everything from Chapters 1–7 comes back together: greet, introduce yourself, give numbers, ask W-Fragen and yes/no questions, and talk about countries and languages.

  9. A1·9

    Verben im Alltag Everyday Verbs

    Verbs are the engine of every German sentence. Learn the everyday ones — arbeiten, lernen, machen, spielen, kochen — and the one regular pattern of present-tense endings that conjugates almost all of them across ich, du, er, wir, ihr, sie.

  10. A1·10

    Der / Die / Das Articles & Gender

    Every German noun has a gender — der (m), die (f) or das (n) — and the article is part of the word. Learn the patterns that hint at gender, the one habit that saves you years of mistakes, and how plural turns almost everything into die.

  11. A1·11

    Kein & Nicht Negation

    There are two ways to say no in German, and choosing right is simple: use kein to negate a noun (no book, not a car), and nicht for everything else — verbs, adjectives, whole statements. Master the split and you can say what is not.

  12. A1·12

    Akkusativ The Accusative Case

    The accusative is the case of the direct object — the thing a verb acts on. The good news: only one thing changes. Masculine der becomes den (and ein becomes einen); die, das and plural die stay exactly the same.

  13. A1·13

    Adjektive mit sein Adjectives with sein

    Now you can describe anything. Put an adjective after the verb sein and you have a full sentence — Das Buch ist interessant, Ich bin müde. And the gift: after sein the adjective takes no ending at all.

  14. A1·14

    Essen & Trinken Food & Drink

    Order, eat, and say what you like. Learn the food and drink words, the verbs essen, trinken and mögen, and the one polite phrase that opens every café in Germany — Ich möchte … bitte.

  15. A1·15

    Im Café At the Café

    Sit down, order, and pay — the whole café from start to finish. Learn the polite ordering phrases ich möchte and ich hätte gern, ask können Sie …? for service, handle prices in Euro and Cent, and ask for die Rechnung like a local.

  16. A1·16

    Hobbies & Freizeit Hobbies & Free Time

    Talk about what you do for fun. Learn the hobby and free-time words, the verbs spielen, hören, lesen and gehen, and the three little words that rank everything you like — gern, lieber, am liebsten.

  17. A1·17

    Goethe Mini 2 Goethe Checkpoint 2 Checkpoint

    A Goethe-style consolidation checkpoint. Fill out a real registration form while you bring everything from Chapters 1–16 together — introductions, numbers, questions, articles, negation, Akkusativ, food, café and hobbies — and finish with a mixed mini-exam.

  18. A1·18

    Unregelmäßige Verben Irregular Verbs

    The verbs you use most are the ones that bend the rules. Meet the high-frequency irregulars — fahren, essen, sehen, geben, schlafen — and the two stem-change patterns (a→ä and e→i/ie) that catch every learner in the du and er/sie/es forms.

  19. A1·19

    Satzposition Word Order

    German word order runs on one golden rule: the conjugated verb is always in position 2. Learn how to start a sentence with a time word and flip the subject, where nicht goes, and the time–manner–place order — using the everyday routine vocabulary that makes it all click.

  20. A1·20

    Modalverben 1 Modal Verbs 1

    Modal verbs let you say what you can, must, want and would like to do. Meet können, müssen, wollen and möchten — and the one structural trick behind them all: the modal sits in position 2 and the main verb jumps to the very end (the Satzklammer).

  21. A1·21

    Uhrzeit Telling the Time

    Ask and tell the time, name the days of the week, and pin events to the clock. Learn Wie spät ist es?, the halb / Viertel / nach / vor system, and the little words that schedule a life — um, am, von … bis.

  22. A1·22

    Berufe & Arbeit Jobs & Work

    Say what you do for a living and where you work. Learn the professions (and their female forms), the workplace words, and the two patterns that carry every job conversation — Ich bin Lehrer and Ich arbeite als Ärztin.

  23. A1·23

    Possessivartikel & Familie Possessives & Family

    Talk about your family and say what belongs to whom. Learn the family words and the possessive articles — mein, dein, sein, ihr, unser — and the one rule that makes them all work: they copy the gender of the thing owned, not the owner.

  24. A1·24

    Datum & Ordinalzahlen Dates & Ordinals

    Say the date, name the months and seasons, and count the big numbers. Learn the ordinal numbers (der erste, der zweite, der dritte) and the one phrase that fixes every date in the calendar — am + ordinal + month.

  25. A1·25

    Trennbare Verben Separable Verbs

    Some German verbs split in two. Meet the separable verbs — aufstehen, anrufen, einkaufen, mitkommen — and the one rule that runs them all: in a normal sentence the prefix breaks off and flies to the very end.

  26. A1·26

    Goethe Mini 3 Goethe Checkpoint 3 Checkpoint

    A Goethe-style consolidation checkpoint built around punctuality and appointments. Apologise, arrange a meeting, and pull everything from Chapters 1–25 together — time, dates, work, modal verbs and separable verbs — then finish with a mixed mini-exam.

  27. A1·27

    Präteritum haben/sein war & hatte

    Your first step into the past. Two verbs do almost all the work when you talk about yesterday in German — haben becomes hatte and sein becomes war. Learn both little tables and you can already say where you were and what you had.

  28. A1·28

    Perfekt Einführung The Perfect Tense

    The way Germans actually talk about the past. The Perfekt uses two pieces — a helper verb (haben or sein) in position 2, and a past participle (the Partizip II) parked at the very end: Ich habe Deutsch gelernt.

  29. A1·29

    Perfekt mit haben Perfect with haben

    The default past tense. The vast majority of German verbs build the Perfekt with haben — Ich habe gelernt, gegessen, gekauft, gelesen. Lock in haben + Partizip II and you can talk about almost any past action.

  30. A1·30

    Perfekt mit sein Perfect with sein

    The other helper. A special group of verbs builds the Perfekt with sein instead of haben — verbs of movement (gehen, fahren, fliegen, kommen) and change of state (aufstehen, einschlafen, werden). Ich bin nach Berlin gefahren.

  31. A1·31

    Partizip II mit Präfix Participles with Prefixes

    Prefixes change where the ge- goes. Separable verbs tuck ge- in the middle (anrufen → angerufen); inseparable verbs (be-, er-, ver-, ent-, emp-) take no ge- at all (bekommen → bekommen, erklären → erklärt). One look at the prefix tells you the participle.

  32. A1·32

    Akkusativpronomen Accusative Pronouns

    Stop repeating nouns. Instead of "Ich kenne Anna. Ich sehe Anna," German swaps the object for a pronoun: Ich kenne sie. Ich sehe sie. Learn the eight accusative pronouns — mich, dich, ihn, sie, es, uns, euch, Sie — and your German starts to flow.

  33. A1·33

    Sätze verbinden Connecting Sentences

    Turn choppy sentences into real speech. Six little words link your ideas: und, aber, oder, denn and deshalb keep the verb in position 2 — but weil sends it to the very end. Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil ich krank bin.

  34. A1·34

    Schreiben & Einladungen Writing & Invitations

    Put it in writing. Learn to send a quick invitation to a friend and a proper email to a stranger — the informal Liebe… / Liebe Grüße and the formal Sehr geehrte… / Mit freundlichen Grüßen, plus how to give the date, time and place.

  35. A1·35

    Goethe Mini 4 Goethe Checkpoint 4 Checkpoint

    The big Phase-4 checkpoint. Anna shares a holiday report and the group pulls together everything from Chapters 1–34 — the past tense, pronouns, connectors, writing, time and dates — before a mixed Goethe-style mini-exam.

  36. A1·36

    Dativ Einführung The Dative Case

    Meet the second case. The dative marks the receiver — the person you give, help, or say something to. The articles shift: der→dem, die→der, das→dem, die(pl)→den. Ich gebe dem Mann das Buch. Ask "to whom?" with wem.

  37. A1·37

    Präpositionen mit Dativ Dative Prepositions

    Seven little words that always take the dative: aus, bei, mit, nach, seit, von, zu (plus gegenüber). After any of them, the article shifts — mit dem Bus, zu der → zur, von dem → vom. Lock these in and you can say where you’re from, who you’re with, and how you travel.

  38. A1·38

    Wechselpräpositionen Two-Way Prepositions

    Nine prepositions that swing both ways. in, auf, an, unter, über, vor, hinter, neben, zwischen take the accusative for MOVEMENT (Wohin? — Ich lege das Buch auf den Tisch) and the dative for LOCATION (Wo? — Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch). One question tells you the case.

  39. A1·39

    Ortsangaben & Kurzformen Places & Contractions

    Find your way and sound natural doing it. Learn the location and direction words — links, rechts, geradeaus, in der Nähe — and the contractions Germans use constantly: im, am, ins, ans, zum, zur, beim.

  40. A1·40

    Verben mit Dativ Dative Verbs

    Some German verbs quietly demand the dative. helfen, danken, gefallen, gehören, passen, stehen, schmecken — the object is the person who likes, owns, or is helped. Das Kleid gefällt mir und es passt mir. Ask Wem?

  41. A1·41

    Dativpronomen Dative Pronouns

    The other half of the pronoun system. After a dative verb or for the receiver of an action, swap the noun for a dative pronoun: mir, dir, ihm, ihr, uns, euch, ihnen, Ihnen. Ich helfe meiner Mutter → Ich helfe ihr.

  42. A1·42

    Welcher & Dieser which & this

    Point and pick. welcher asks "which one?" and dieser says "this one" — and both take the same endings as der/die/das. Welches Buch möchtest du? — Dieses Buch hier. Master the der-word endings across all three cases.

  43. A1·43

    Small Talk & man

    The glue of everyday conversation. Learn the weather words and small-talk phrases that open and carry a chat — and the impersonal pronoun man ("one / you / people in general"), which always takes the er/sie/es verb form. In Deutschland trinkt man viel Kaffee.

  44. A1·44

    Imperativ & Modalverben 2 Commands · dürfen & sollen

    Tell people what to do, and finish the modal set. The Imperativ gives commands (Komm! Macht die Tür zu! Seien Sie ruhig!), dürfen asks permission (Darf ich?), and sollen gives advice or instructions (Du sollst mehr trinken). Perfect for the doctor, the classroom and public signs.

  45. A1·45

    Telefonieren & Nachfragen Phone Calls

    On the phone you can’t see lips or gestures, so two skills matter most: opening a call politely (Hallo, hier ist … / Spreche ich mit …?) and asking people to repeat (Wie bitte? / Kannst du das wiederholen? / langsamer, bitte). Plus the tech words for a video lesson.

  46. A1·46

    Zeitangaben mit Dativ Time Expressions

    Pin events to the calendar. German uses dative prepositions for most time phrases: am Montag, am Abend, im Mai, im Sommer, seit zwei Monaten, ab morgen, nach dem Kurs, vor der Prüfung, vom 1. bis 5. August. One small set of words schedules your whole week.

  47. A1·47

    Goethe A1 Final The A1 Finale Checkpoint

    The last chapter. Everything from Chapters 1–46 comes together for the real Goethe-Zertifikat A1 — the exam structure, study strategies, a full grammar and vocabulary checklist, and a final mock. Then the story ends where it began: in Frau Weber’s classroom.

A2 · Elementary

A2 German grammar — 35 chapters

A2 topics in course order. Start with Chapter 1: Genitiv: Name + s — free. See the A2 roadmap for phases and progress.

  1. A2·1

    Genitiv: Name + s Possession with Names Free

    Your first step into A2 — and it’s a small one. Germans show possession with names by adding a simple -s: Annas Buch, Rohans Tasche, Frau Webers Büro. No new endings to memorise, no article changes. Names ending in s, ß, x or z just take an apostrophe: Max’ Handy, Felix’ Fahrrad.

  2. A2·2

    Perfekt (Wiederholung) The Spoken Past — Review

    Nothing new today — and that’s the point. You learned the Perfekt in A1; now we make it automatic. haben or sein in position 2, Partizip II at the end: Ich habe ein Fahrrad gemietet. Ich bin zum Flohmarkt gegangen. One relaxed chapter of retelling your weekend until the two-part frame runs by itself.

  3. A2·3

    Artikel (Wiederholung) Articles — Review

    One more confidence chapter before the cases start pulling their weight. You already know der, die, das and ein, eine, einen, einem from A1 — here we make the choice automatic. Gender patterns you can trust, definite vs indefinite, the plural (always die), and the small changes across Nominativ, Akkusativ and Dativ. No new grammar — just the article, until it runs by itself.

  4. A2·4

    Nebensatz mit weil Subordinate Clauses with weil

    Your first real A2 sentence structure — and the most useful one for real conversation: giving reasons. Add weil to explain why, and one thing happens: the conjugated verb jumps to the very end of that clause. Ich lerne Deutsch, weil ich in Deutschland arbeiten möchte. Answer any warum? with a full weil-sentence and you already sound a level higher.

  5. A2·5

    Nebensatz mit dass Subordinate Clauses with dass

    The second half of the Nebensatz story. Where weil gives reasons, dass reports what you think, know, hope or feel: Ich glaube, dass Deutsch wichtig ist. The word order is exactly the same rule you just learned — the conjugated verb goes to the end — so this chapter builds directly on Chapter 4. Master seven everyday verbs (glauben, denken, meinen, wissen, hoffen, finden, sagen) and you can voice an opinion about anything.

  6. A2·6

    Modalverben im Präteritum Modal Verbs in the Past

    How Germans really talk about the past. For most verbs you use the Perfekt — but for the six modal verbs, everyday German prefers the Präteritum: konnte, musste, durfte, wollte, sollte, mochte. Ich musste gestern arbeiten. Als Kind durfte ich nicht fernsehen. Wir wollten heiraten. One tidy pattern — a -t- in the stem, no umlaut, simple endings — and you can narrate what you could, had to, were allowed to, wanted, should and liked.

  7. A2·7

    Possessivartikel im Dativ Possessives in the Dative

    You know the dative endings from A1, and you know mein, dein, sein. This chapter clicks them together: when a possessive lands in the dative — after mit, bei, von, zu, or a dative verb like helfen — it takes the dative ending. Ich helfe meinem Freund. Sie wohnt bei ihren Eltern. Wir fahren mit unserem Auto. One ending pattern (-em, -em, -er, -en) and every possessive follows it.

  8. A2·8

    Komparativ & Superlativ Comparative & Superlative

    Three steps of every adjective: schnell (positive), schneller (comparative), am schnellsten (superlative). Add -er to compare, add am ...-sten to top the list, and use als for "than". Most short adjectives even take an umlaut — groß → größer, alt → älter. A handful are irregular and worth memorising: gut → besser → am besten, gern → lieber → am liebsten. With this you can rank cities, jobs, languages and films like a native.

  9. A2·9

    Vergleiche mit als / wie Comparisons with als / wie

    One small choice decides every comparison. When two things are DIFFERENT, use the Komparativ with als: Anna ist größer als Max. When they are the SAME, use (genau)so ... wie: Ich bin so groß wie du. Mix them up — "größer wie", "so größer als" — and it sounds instantly off. Learn one checklist: different? → als. Same? → wie. That’s the whole chapter.

  10. A2·10

    Goethe Mini 1 Goethe Checkpoint 1 Checkpoint

    Your first full checkpoint. No new grammar and no new words — instead, a Goethe-A2-style mock that puts Chapters 1–9 to work at once: the Genitiv with names, the Perfekt, articles, weil and dass, modal verbs in the Präteritum, dative possessives, and the whole comparison system (Komparativ, Superlativ, als vs wie). Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking in the real exam formats, plus a mini mock test with an estimated score and a personalised revision plan.

  11. A2·11

    Nebensatz mit wenn Subordinate Clauses with wenn

    One little word covers three everyday jobs: a condition (if), a repeated action (whenever) and a future plan (when). And it behaves exactly like weil and dass — wenn sends the conjugated verb to the end of its clause. Wenn ich Zeit habe, lerne ich Deutsch. Put the wenn-clause first and the main clause flips its verb to the front: verb, comma, verb. Learn one move and you can talk about conditions, habits and plans.

  12. A2·12

    Reflexive Verben Reflexive Verbs

    Some German verbs point the action back at the doer, and they need a little mirror-word: the reflexive pronoun. Ich freue mich. Ich wäsche mich. Most take the accusative pronoun (mich, dich, sich, uns, euch), but when there’s already a direct object the pronoun switches to the dative: Ich wäsche mir die Hände. Learn the small pronoun table once and a whole family of everyday verbs — getting up, getting ready, feeling, meeting, relaxing — opens up.

  13. A2·13

    Präpositionen mit Dativ Prepositions with the Dative

    Nine little prepositions always — no exceptions — put the next noun in the dative: aus, außer, bei, mit, nach, seit, von, zu, gegenüber. So der/die/das become dem/der/dem, and the plural adds an -n: mit den Freunden. Learn the nine as a set, memorise three everyday contractions (zum, zur, vom), and you can say where you’re from, where you live, how you travel and how long you’ve been doing something — all correctly.

  14. A2·14

    Wechselpräpositionen Two-Way Prepositions

    Nine prepositions can take EITHER case, and one question decides which: are you moving or already there? Wohin? (where to? — movement) → Akkusativ. Wo? (where? — location) → Dativ. Ich lege das Buch auf den Tisch (movement) vs. Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch (location). Same nine words — an, auf, hinter, in, neben, über, unter, vor, zwischen — two cases, one simple test.

  15. A2·15

    Positions- & Richtungsverben Position & Direction Verbs

    German has matched pairs of verbs: one says where something IS (position), the other says where it’s GOING (direction). Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch (position → Dativ) vs. Ich lege das Buch auf den Tisch (direction → Akkusativ). Five pairs cover almost everything — stehen/stellen, liegen/legen, sitzen/setzen, hängen, stecken. Pick the verb by asking Wo? or Wohin?, and the case from Chapter 14 follows automatically.

  16. A2·16

    Goethe Mini 2 Goethe Checkpoint 2 Checkpoint

    Your second full checkpoint — no new grammar. A Goethe-A2-style mock that puts Phase 2 to work at once: subordinate clauses with wenn, reflexive verbs, dative prepositions, two-way prepositions and the position/direction verb pairs — while recycling weil, dass, the Perfekt, modal past, dative and comparisons from Phase 1. Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking in the real exam formats, plus a scored mini mock test with a readiness indicator and a personalised revision plan.

  17. A2·17

    werden The verb werden

    One small verb, three big jobs. werden + infinitive talks about the future (Ich werde morgen arbeiten) or makes a prediction (Es wird regnen). werden + adjective or noun describes becoming or changing (Ich werde müde. Er wird Arzt.). The trick is telling werden apart from sein: sein describes a state you’re already in; werden describes the change into a new one.

  18. A2·18

    Ortsangaben: Präpositionen Location Expressions

    You already know the grammar — Dativ prepositions, Wechselpräpositionen, Wo?/Wohin?. Now learn how Germans actually talk about location day to day: links, rechts, geradeaus; gegenüber, in der Nähe, an der Ecke; and the simple phrases for giving directions — Gehen Sie geradeaus. Biegen Sie an der Ampel rechts ab. This is vocabulary and phrasing, not a new case rule.

  19. A2·19

    Indirekte Frage (W-Frage & ob) Indirect Questions (W-word & ob)

    A direct question is blunt: Wo wohnst du? Wrap it in a polite frame — Kannst du mir sagen, …? Ich weiß nicht, … — and it becomes an indirect question: Kannst du mir sagen, wo du wohnst? Two rules make it work every time: the W-word (or ob for a yes/no question) opens the clause, and the verb moves all the way to the end. No inversion, ever.

  20. A2·20

    Interrogativartikel: was für ein(e) The Interrogative was für ein(e)

    Was ist das? only gets you the name of a thing. Was für ein Buch ist das? gets you its kind — a novel, a textbook, a comic. This chapter teaches was für ein(e)/einen for exactly that question, and draws a clean line against welcher, which asks about one specific item from a known set.

  21. A2·21

    Verben mit Dativ und Akkusativ Verbs with Dative and Accusative

    Ich gebe meinem Freund ein Buch — one verb, two objects. Meinem Freund is the receiver (Dativ); ein Buch is the thing received (Akkusativ). This chapter drills the core two-object verbs — geben, schenken, zeigen, erklären, schicken, leihen, empfehlen — the Dativ-before-Akkusativ word order, and the switch to pronoun order once both objects become pronouns.

  22. A2·22

    Konjunktiv II: könnte

    Ich kann Deutsch sprechen states a fact. Ich könnte dir helfen softens it into an offer — polite, hypothetical, less direct. This chapter drills können's Konjunktiv II (ich könnte, du könntest, wir könnten …) across its four everyday jobs: polite requests, suggestions, possibility, and hypothetical ability.

  23. A2·23

    Konjunktiv II: sollte (Ratschläge) Konjunktiv II: sollte (advice)

    Du sollst mehr lernen. is an instruction. Du solltest mehr lernen. is advice — a recommendation, an opinion, offered rather than ordered. This chapter drills sollen's Konjunktiv II (ich sollte, du solltest, wir sollten …) across its everyday jobs: giving advice, recommending, sharing an opinion, and naming a soft obligation.

  24. A2·24

    deshalb & trotzdem

    Es regnet. Deshalb bleiben wir zu Hause. — a cause and its expected result. Es regnet. Trotzdem gehen wir spazieren. — a cause and an unexpected contrast. This chapter drills deshalb (therefore) and trotzdem (nevertheless), both of which trigger inversion: the connector takes position one, the verb slides into position two.

  25. A2·25

    Goethe Mini 3 Goethe Checkpoint 3 Checkpoint

    Your third full checkpoint — no new grammar. A Goethe-A2-style mock that puts Chapters 19–24 to work at once: indirect questions, was für ein(e) vs. welcher, two-object verbs, könnte, sollte, and deshalb/trotzdem — all inside realistic exam tasks.

  26. A2·26

    Adjektiv nach bestimmtem Artikel Adjective endings after the definite article

    Der kleine Hund. Die kleine Tasche. Das kleine Kind. Den kleinen Hund. Dem kleinen Mann. — the article already shows gender and case, so the adjective barely has to do any work: it almost always ends in -e or -en. This chapter drills exactly which one, in Nominativ, Akkusativ and Dativ.

  27. A2·27

    Adjektiv nach unbestimmtem Artikel Adjective endings after the indefinite article

    der kleine Hund becomes ein kleiner Hund. das kleine Kind becomes ein kleines Kind. Unlike der/die/das, the indefinite article ein doesn't always show gender clearly — so the adjective sometimes has to carry that information itself, with -er, -es, -e or -en. Possessive articles (mein/dein/sein/ihr/unser/euer/Ihr) follow the exact same pattern.

  28. A2·28

    Nebensatz mit als / wenn Subordinate clauses with als / wenn

    Als ich klein war, spielte ich Fußball. — one completed event, once, in the past: als. Wenn ich Zeit habe, lese ich. — repeated, present, future, or a condition: wenn. This chapter drills exactly when each one applies, and the verb-final, inverted word order both require.

  29. A2·29

    Indefinitpronomen Indefinite pronouns

    Jemand hat angerufen. Niemand ist zu Hause. Alles ist gut. This chapter teaches the everyday indefinite pronouns — jemand/niemand for people, etwas/nichts/alles for things, and jeder/alle/manche/viele/einige/wenige for quantities — in Nominativ and Akkusativ, with Dativ (niemandem, jemandem) reviewed only.

  30. A2·30

    Verben mit Präpositionen Verbs with fixed prepositions

    Ich warte auf den Bus. Ich denke an dich. Ich spreche mit meiner Lehrerin. Many German verbs always pair with one specific preposition and one specific case — the preposition can never be swapped. This chapter drills the most common Goethe A2 pairs, split cleanly into Akkusativ verbs and Dativ verbs, with their question-word forms.

  31. A2·31

    W-Fragen mit Präpositionen Question words with prepositions

    Ich warte auf den Bus. → Worauf wartest du? → Ich warte darauf. This chapter teaches how to ask about a fixed verb-preposition object without repeating the noun — wo(r)+Präposition for things, da(r)+Präposition to answer — and how people are always asked about with the preposition plus wem/wen instead.

  32. A2·32

    Konjunktiv II: Wünsche & Höflichkeit Subjunctive II: wishes and politeness

    Ich hätte gern einen Kaffee. Könnten Sie mir helfen? An deiner Stelle würde ich mehr lernen. This chapter teaches the everyday Konjunktiv II forms — hätte, wäre, würde + Infinitiv, with könnte and sollte reviewed — for wishes, polite requests and offers, simple preferences, and hypothetical advice.

  33. A2·33

    Relativsätze im Nominativ Relative clauses in the nominative

    Das ist der Mann, der hier arbeitet. Das ist die Frau, die Deutsch spricht. This chapter teaches relative clauses where the relative pronoun — der, die, das, or die (plural) — is the subject of the clause, so the verb moves to the end.

  34. A2·34

    Relativsätze im Akkusativ Relative clauses in the accusative

    Das ist der Film, den ich gesehen habe. Das ist die Sendung, die ich höre. This chapter extends relative clauses to the Akkusativ — when the relative pronoun is the direct OBJECT of its clause, only the masculine form changes: der → den.

  35. A2·35

    Goethe A2 Final Goethe Checkpoint 4 — Final A2 Readiness Checkpoint

    Your fourth and final A2 checkpoint — no new grammar. A complete Goethe-A2-style mock that puts Chapters 25–34 to work at once: adjective endings, als/wenn, indefinite pronouns, fixed-preposition verbs, W-Fragen mit Präpositionen, polite Konjunktiv II, and Nominativ/Akkusativ relative clauses — ending with a full A2 readiness check.

B1 · Intermediate

B1 German grammar — 35 chapters

B1 topics in course order. Start with Chapter 1: Infinitiv mit zu — free. See the B1 roadmap for phases and progress.

  1. B1·1

    Infinitiv mit zu Infinitive with zu Free

    Ich hoffe, Deutsch zu lernen. Es ist wichtig, genug zu schlafen. Ich habe Lust, ins Kino zu gehen. This chapter links two verbs cleanly with zu + Infinitiv — after verbs like hoffen and versuchen, after adjectives like wichtig, and after nouns like Lust — including separable verbs, where zu slips between the prefix and the verb: anzurufen.

  2. B1·2

    Nebensätze: weil / da & obwohl Subordinate clauses: weil / da & obwohl

    Ich lerne Deutsch, weil ich in Deutschland arbeiten möchte. Da ich krank bin, bleibe ich zu Hause. Obwohl es regnet, gehen wir spazieren. This chapter sharpens the reason-clause you already know (weil), adds its more formal cousin (da), and introduces the connector for unexpected contrast (obwohl) — in every case, the finite verb goes to the very end.

  3. B1·3

    Konjunktiv II: Höfliche Bitten Subjunctive II: Polite requests

    Könnten Sie mir helfen? Würden Sie bitte langsamer sprechen? Ich hätte gern einen Kaffee. This chapter teaches the four polite-request words — könnte, würde, hätte, wäre — as fixed patterns you can use immediately in restaurants, hotels, offices, doctors' surgeries, courses, and customer service, without any grammar theory beyond the pattern itself.

  4. B1·4

    Folgen: deshalb & so … dass Consequences: deshalb & so … dass

    Es regnet, deshalb bleiben wir zu Hause. Ich war so nervös, dass ich alles vergessen habe. This chapter adds the RESULT of a cause to what you already know — deshalb states a plain result, and so … dass shows just how strong that result was.

  5. B1·5

    Genitiv & Präpositionen mit Genitiv Genitive & prepositions with the Genitive (wegen, trotz, während)

    Das Auto des Mannes. Wegen des Regens bleiben wir zu Hause. Trotz der Probleme arbeitet er weiter. Während der Reise haben wir viele Fotos gemacht. This chapter introduces the Genitiv case — the case that answers "Wessen?" (whose?) — and its three most common B1 prepositions: wegen (reason), trotz (contrast), and während (during).

  6. B1·6

    Goethe Mini 1 Goethe Checkpoint 1 — First B1 Readiness Checkpoint

    Your first B1 checkpoint — no new grammar. A complete Goethe-B1-style mock that puts Chapters 1–5 to work at once: zu + Infinitiv, weil/da/obwohl, polite Konjunktiv II, deshalb & so … dass, and the Genitiv with wegen/trotz/während — ending with a full readiness check.

  7. B1·7

    Präteritum The simple past (Präteritum)

    Ich war gestern krank. Wir hatten viel Arbeit. Er ging nach Hause. This chapter adds the Präteritum — the tense of stories, newspapers, and formal writing — alongside the Perfekt you already use in speech. Same past, different register: sein and haben, the modal verbs, and the most common irregular verbs.

  8. B1·8

    Zeitangaben: Dativ & Genitiv Time expressions: Dativ & Genitiv

    Am Montag arbeite ich. Eines Tages möchte ich nach Deutschland ziehen. Anfang des Monats bekomme ich mein Gehalt. This chapter sharpens how you talk about time — the everyday Dativ expressions you use constantly (am Montag, im Sommer), and the more literary Genitiv expressions found in stories, newspapers, and formal writing (eines Tages, Anfang des Jahres, Mitte der Woche).

  9. B1·9

    Goethe Mini 2 Goethe Checkpoint 2 — Präteritum & Zeitangaben Checkpoint

    Your second B1 checkpoint — no new grammar. A complete Goethe-B1-style mock focused on Präteritum and Zeitangaben (Dativ & Genitiv), while continuously recycling zu + Infinitiv, weil/da/obwohl, polite Konjunktiv II, deshalb & so … dass, and the Genitiv with wegen/trotz/während.

  10. B1·10

    Passiv (Präsens) The passive voice (present tense)

    Das Auto wird repariert. Die Tür wird geöffnet. Hier wird nicht geraucht. This chapter shifts the focus from WHO does something to WHAT happens — the present passive, built from werden + Partizip II, for announcements, instructions, and formal descriptions where the actor is unknown, unimportant, or simply obvious.

  11. B1·11

    Relativsätze im Dativ Relative clauses in the Dativ

    Das ist der Mann, dem ich helfe. Das ist die Frau, der ich danke. This chapter completes the relative-clause picture — after Nominativ (subject) and Akkusativ (direct object), the Dativ relative pronoun marks the indirect object: the person a verb like helfen, danken, or gratulieren points to.

  12. B1·12

    Adjektivdeklination (Wiederholung & Vertiefung) Adjective declension — review & depth

    ein großer Hund, der große Hund, großer Hund — same adjective, three different endings. This chapter stops asking you to memorize tables and instead teaches the LOGIC: the article and the adjective together must show gender, number, and case exactly once. Weak, mixed, and strong declension are three answers to the same question.

  13. B1·13

    Goethe Mini 3 Goethe Checkpoint 3 — Passiv, Relativsätze & Adjektivdeklination Checkpoint

    Your third B1 checkpoint — no new grammar. A complete Goethe-B1-style mock focused on the Passiv (Präsens), Dativ relative clauses, and adjective declension, while continuously recycling zu + Infinitiv, weil/da/obwohl, polite Konjunktiv II, deshalb & so … dass, Genitiv, Präteritum, and Zeitangaben.

  14. B1·14

    Komparativ & Superlativ vor Nomen Comparative & superlative before nouns

    Das Auto ist größer. → das größere Auto. Das Auto ist am schnellsten. → das schnellste Auto. This chapter takes the comparison you already know and puts it directly in front of a noun — which means the adjective now needs a declension ending too. Two systems, one sentence.

  15. B1·15

    N-Deklination N-declension (weak masculine nouns)

    der Student → den Studenten → dem Studenten → des Studenten. A small, closed group of masculine nouns adds -n or -en in every case except the Nominativ Singular. Once you can spot them, they stop being a trap.

  16. B1·16

    Futur I Future tense I

    werden + Infinitiv (Satzende). Ich werde dir helfen. Morgen wird es regnen. Er wird jetzt zu Hause sein. One structure, four jobs: future plans, predictions, promises, and assumptions about right now.

  17. B1·17

    Nebensätze mit damit & um ... zu Purpose clauses: damit & um ... zu

    Ich lerne Deutsch, um in Deutschland zu arbeiten. Ich erkläre die Grammatik, damit die Schüler sie verstehen. Same goal, two structures — the only question that matters is whether the same person performs both actions.

  18. B1·18

    Relativsätze mit Präpositionen Relative clauses with prepositions

    Das ist der Lehrer, mit dem ich Deutsch lerne. Das ist die Familie, bei der ich wohne. When a verb needs a preposition, the preposition never moves — it stays right before the relative pronoun, and the pronoun's case comes from the preposition, not the antecedent.

  19. B1·19

    Goethe Halbzeit-Test Goethe Halfway Test — the B1 midpoint checkpoint Checkpoint

    The official halfway point of your B1 journey — no new grammar. A full-length Goethe-B1-style exam covering everything from Chapters 1–18: zu + Infinitiv, weil/da/obwohl, polite Konjunktiv II, deshalb & so … dass, Genitiv, Präteritum, Zeitangaben, Passiv, Relativsätze (including with prepositions), adjective declension, comparison, N-Deklination, Futur I, and purpose clauses.

  20. B1·20

    Plusquamperfekt Pluperfect (past perfect)

    Ich hatte gegessen, bevor ich ins Kino ging. Sie war schon eingeschlafen, als ich ankam. When one past event happened before another past event, the earlier one gets hatte/war + Partizip II — the "past before the past."

  21. B1·21

    Temporale Nebensätze Temporal subordinate clauses

    Als ich klein war, … Wenn ich Zeit habe, … Bevor ich schlafe, … Nachdem ich gegessen hatte, … Während wir aßen, … Five ways to answer "when?" — each one answers a slightly different question about time.

  22. B1·22

    brauchen + zu + Infinitiv Expressing "don't need to"

    Ich brauche heute nicht zu arbeiten. Du brauchst nicht nervös zu sein. müssen says you HAVE to. brauchen nicht … zu says you DON'T have to — the same zu + Infinitiv pattern you already know, now carrying the opposite meaning.

  23. B1·23

    Reflexivpronomen: Akkusativ & Dativ Reflexive pronouns: Akkusativ & Dativ

    Ich wasche mich. → Ich wasche mir die Hände. Same reflexive verb, two different pronoun forms — because the second sentence already has an Akkusativ object (die Hände), so the reflexive pronoun steps back into Dativ.

  24. B1·24

    Zweiteilige Konnektoren Two-part connectors

    entweder...oder (choice), sowohl...als auch (both), weder...noch (neither), nicht nur...sondern auch (surprising extra), zwar...aber (contrast). Five connector pairs, five distinct relationships between two ideas.

  25. B1·25

    Stellung von „nicht" im Satz Position of "nicht" in the sentence

    Where nicht goes: sentence negation, negating adjectives, adverbs, and prepositional phrases, focus negation on a single word, and the nicht vs kein decision.

  26. B1·26

    Adjektivdeklination ohne Artikel Adjective declension without an article

    Strong declension: when no article precedes a noun, the adjective alone must show gender, case, and number — großer Hund, kaltes Wasser, frische Luft.

  27. B1·27

    Goethe Mini 4 Goethe Checkpoint 4 — Plusquamperfekt, Nebensätze & Konnektoren Checkpoint

    Your fourth B1 checkpoint — no new grammar. A near-exam-difficulty Goethe-B1-style mock focused on Plusquamperfekt, temporal clauses, brauchen + zu, reflexive pronouns, two-part connectors, nicht placement, and strong adjective endings, while recycling everything from Chapters 1–19.

  28. B1·28

    Passiv: Präsens, Präteritum & Perfekt Passive: present, simple past & perfect

    Expand the passive voice across three tenses: wird repariert (Präsens), wurde repariert (Präteritum), ist repariert worden (Perfekt) — and the crucial worden vs geworden distinction.

  29. B1·29

    Passiv mit Modalverben Passive with modal verbs

    Combine the passive with all six modal verbs: das Formular muss ausgefüllt werden, hier darf nicht fotografiert werden — the infinitive werden always comes last.

  30. B1·30

    Artikelwörter als Pronomen Article words as pronouns

    Avoid repeating a noun: definite, indefinite, possessive, and demonstrative article words step in as pronouns — welches Buch? Ich nehme das.

  31. B1·31

    Adjektive als Nomen Adjectives as nouns

    When a noun is omitted, the adjective itself becomes the noun — capitalized, but still declined like an adjective: der Alte, die Deutsche, das Gute, der/die Abgeordnete.

  32. B1·32

    Relativsätze mit was & wo Relative clauses with was & wo

    Refer back to a whole idea with was (alles, was… / das, was…) and to a place with wo (die Stadt, wo… vs the more formal in der…).

  33. B1·33

    je … desto / umso Proportional comparisons: je … desto/umso

    Link two rising or falling quantities: je mehr ich übe, desto besser werde ich — with desto and umso interchangeable, and the exact word order that makes it work.

  34. B1·34

    Partizipien als Adjektive Participles as adjectives

    Turn verbs into adjectives: Partizip I (verb stem + -end) describes an ongoing action — der schlafende Hund — while Partizip II describes a completed result — die geschlossene Tür.

  35. B1·35

    Goethe-Zertifikat B1 Final Goethe-Zertifikat B1 — Final exam & graduation Checkpoint

    Your final B1 checkpoint — the complete Goethe-Zertifikat B1 mock exam across all four modules (Lesen, Hören, Schreiben, Sprechen), a full grammar and vocabulary revision, a graduation report, and your bridge into B2.

B2 · Upper-intermediate

B2 German grammar — 69 chapters

B2 topics in course order. Start with Chapter 1: Erweiterte Satzklammer — free. See the B2 roadmap for phases and progress.

  1. B2·1

    Erweiterte Satzklammer The extended sentence bracket Free

    Hold a long sentence together: the conjugated verb opens it (left bracket), everything else — infinitive, Partizip II, prefix, verb complement — closes it (right bracket), with the Mittelfeld in between.

  2. B2·2

    Mehrteilige Verben (Verbalkomplex) Multi-part verb clusters (Verbalkomplex)

    Stack up to four verb forms at clause-end in the order German expects: muss arbeiten, hat lernen müssen, wird repariert werden, ist geschrieben worden.

  3. B2·3

    Informationsstruktur: Thema → Rhema Information structure: theme → rheme

    Start with what's known (Thema), end with what's new (Rhema) — the rhythm that makes German sound natural, not translated.

  4. B2·4

    Formales es (Subjekt-es) Formal es (dummy subject)

    Use the placeholder es as a grammatical subject with no meaning of its own: Es regnet, Es gibt, Es ist wichtig, zu ... — where English would have nothing at all.

  5. B2·5

    Korrelat-es (es freut mich, dass …) Correlative es (anticipatory es)

    Use "es" to announce a clause that follows: Es freut mich, dass … / Es macht Spaß, … zu … — and learn exactly when that es disappears.

  6. B2·6

    Es in festen Ausdrücken Es in fixed expressions

    Lock in the idioms that carry "es" — es geht um, es kommt darauf an, ich habe es eilig — and learn them as whole chunks, never translated word-for-word.

  7. B2·7

    Verbergänzungen erkennen Recognizing verb complements

    Learn to spot what a verb requires — an accusative, a dative, a preposition — versus what is just optional extra information, before you build the sentence.

  8. B2·8

    Valenz von Verben Verb valency

    Know how many partners each verb takes — geben needs three, schlafen needs one — and build every sentence around the verb's own grammatical blueprint.

  9. B2·9

    Trennbar vs. untrennbar (Bedeutungsunterschiede) Separable vs inseparable verbs (meaning differences)

    Learn the logic behind German prefixes — how ankommen, mitkommen, bekommen, and entkommen all grow from "kommen" but mean something entirely different.

  10. B2·10

    Häufige B2-Verben (trennbar & untrennbar) High-frequency B2 verbs (separable & inseparable)

    Lock in the verbs you'll meet again and again at B2 — separable and inseparable, in verb families, synonyms, and fixed collocations.

  11. B2·11

    Stellung von nicht (Satz- vs. Sondernegation) Position of nicht (sentence vs. special negation)

    Where "nicht" goes depends on what you're negating: the whole sentence (placed late) or one specific word (placed directly before it) — a single decision that changes meaning entirely.

  12. B2·12

    Doppelte Verneinung & Litotes Double negation & litotes

    German avoids double negation — one negative is enough. But Litotes deliberately pairs two negatives on purpose, to sound softer, more diplomatic, more native.

  13. B2·13

    Nuancierte Negation Nuanced negation

    Not every "no" is the same strength — from the barely-there "kaum" to the formal wall of "keinesfalls", German gives you a whole scale of negation.

  14. B2·14

    Goethe Mini Test 1 (Checkpoint) Checkpoint

    Prove you've mastered Chapters 1-13 — Satzklammer through nuanced negation — with a Goethe-style mock exam covering Reading, Listening, Grammar, Vocabulary, Writing, and Speaking.

  15. B2·15

    Konzessivsätze: obgleich Concessive clauses: obgleich

    obgleich means exactly what obwohl means — although — but dressed for a report instead of a conversation.

  16. B2·16

    Konsekutivsätze: sodass / infolgedessen Consequence clauses: sodass / infolgedessen

    Cause leads to consequence — one clause with sodass (verb at the end), or a brand-new sentence with infolgedessen (verb in position 2).

  17. B2·17

    Modalsätze: indem Modal clauses: indem

    weil answers "why". indem answers "how" — the exact method by which something gets done.

  18. B2·18

    Modalsätze: dadurch, dass Modal clauses: dadurch, dass

    indem names the method plainly. dadurch, dass names the mechanism — the same idea, dressed for a report.

  19. B2·19

    ohne ... zu without ... -ing

    Something happened — and one thing conspicuously did not. ohne...zu names exactly what was skipped, same subject required.

  20. B2·20

    (an)statt ... zu instead of ... -ing

    What someone did INSTEAD — statt/anstatt...zu names the alternative that replaced the expected action, same subject required.

  21. B2·21

    sowohl ... als auch both ... and ...

    Not just "und" — sowohl...als auch insists that both things are equally, simultaneously true.

  22. B2·22

    weder ... noch neither ... nor ...

    Not "nicht Kaffee und nicht Tee" — weder...noch is the elegant, natural way Germans say both alternatives are false.

  23. B2·23

    nicht nur ... sondern auch not only ... but also ...

    Not a plain "and" — nicht nur...sondern auch flags the second piece of information as the more surprising, more important one.

  24. B2·24

    einerseits ... andererseits on the one hand ... on the other hand ...

    Two independent main clauses, two honest sides of the same issue — the connector of balanced argument.

  25. B2·25

    Verbindungsadverbien Conjunctive adverbs

    deshalb, folglich, trotzdem — a whole toolkit for connecting two complete sentences, verb always in Position 2.

  26. B2·26

    Goethe Mini Test 2 (Checkpoint) Checkpoint

    Prove you've mastered Chapters 15-25 — obgleich through Verbindungsadverbien — with a Goethe-style mock exam covering Reading, Listening, Grammar, Vocabulary, Writing, and Speaking.

  27. B2·27

    Tempus: Perfekt vs. Präteritum Tense: Perfekt vs. Präteritum (usage)

    Not how to form the tenses — WHEN to use each. Perfekt for talking, Präteritum for writing, with a handful of spoken exceptions.

  28. B2·28

    Tempuswechsel im Text Tense-switching within a text

    Good German does not stay in one tense — learn WHEN and WHY natives shift between Präsens, Perfekt, and Präteritum inside a single text.

  29. B2·29

    Futur I für Vermutungen Futur I for assumptions

    werden + Infinitiv often isn't about the future at all — it's how Germans guess what's probably true right now.

  30. B2·30

    Alternativen zum Futur Alternatives to the future tense

    Native speakers rarely say "werden + Infinitiv" — they use Präsens for plans and wahrscheinlich / vermutlich / wohl for guesses.

  31. B2·31

    Konjunktiv II der Vergangenheit Konjunktiv II of the past

    hätte / wäre + Partizip II — how Germans express regret, criticism, and missed opportunities about a past that cannot be changed.

  32. B2·32

    Konjunktiv II für Vermutungen Konjunktiv II for assumptions

    dürfte and könnte — two more natural ways to guess, ranked by how certain you actually feel.

  33. B2·33

    Irreale Vergleiche: als ob Unreal comparisons: as if

    als ob, als wenn, als + Konjunktiv II — how Germans describe an appearance without claiming it's the truth.

  34. B2·34

    Temporalsätze: während / seitdem Time clauses: while / since

    während links two actions happening at once; seitdem links a past beginning to something still true now.

  35. B2·35

    Temporalsätze: bevor / nachdem Time clauses: before / after

    bevor puts the later action first in the sentence; nachdem puts the earlier, completed action first. Getting the order right matters.

  36. B2·36

    Goethe Halbzeit-Test (Checkpoint) Goethe mid-course test (checkpoint) Checkpoint

    Prove you've mastered Chapters 27-35 — Perfekt vs Präteritum through Temporalsätze — with a Goethe-style mock exam before moving into Phase 4.

  37. B2·37

    Relativsätze im Genitiv (dessen / deren) Genitive relative clauses (dessen / deren)

    dessen and deren swap in for sein/ihr inside a relative clause — the elegant way German describes whose thing it is.

  38. B2·38

    Verschachtelte Relativsätze Nested relative clauses

    One relative clause inside another — the key to reading (and writing) genuinely complex German sentences without getting lost.

  39. B2·39

    Relativsätze mit wer... der... Indefinite relative clauses: whoever... that person...

    "wer" opens a clause about anyone at all; "der/die/das" picks the story back up — the grammar behind every good proverb.

  40. B2·40

    Verben mit Präpositionen (B2) Verbs with fixed prepositions (B2)

    warten AUF, sich interessieren FÜR, teilnehmen AN — learn every high-frequency B2 verb together with its one true preposition and case.

  41. B2·41

    Nomen mit Präpositionen (B2) Nouns with fixed prepositions (B2)

    Interesse AN, Einfluss AUF, Verantwortung FÜR — nouns have fixed prepositions too, just like verbs.

  42. B2·42

    Adjektive mit Präpositionen (B2) Adjectives with fixed prepositions (B2)

    stolz AUF, interessiert AN, zufrieden MIT — adjectives have fixed prepositions too, completing the verb/noun/adjective trio.

  43. B2·43

    Goethe Mini 3 (Checkpoint) Goethe mini-test 3 (checkpoint) Checkpoint

    Prove you've mastered Chapters 37-42 — Genitiv relative clauses through Adjektive mit Präpositionen — with a Goethe-style mock exam before moving into Phase 5.

  44. B2·44

    Zustandspassiv (sein + Partizip II) Statal passive (sein + past participle)

    Die Tür ist geöffnet — describe a state, not an action, with sein plus the participle.

  45. B2·45

    Passiversatz: sich lassen Passive alternative: sich lassen

    Das Problem lässt sich lösen — the natural, elegant alternative to "kann gelöst werden".

  46. B2·46

    Unpersönliches Passiv Impersonal passive

    Hier wird nicht geraucht — a passive with no subject, only the action.

  47. B2·47

    bekommen-/kriegen-Passiv The recipient passive

    Ich bekomme den Vertrag geschickt — when the RECEIVER, not the action, is what matters.

  48. B2·48

    Modalitätsersatz: haben + zu / sein + zu Modal-verb replacements: haben + zu / sein + zu

    Ich habe den Bericht zu schreiben — the formal, written-German alternative to müssen.

  49. B2·49

    Passiv in Wissenschaft & Beruf Passive voice in science & the workplace

    Seven passive structures, one decision: which one fits this sentence?

  50. B2·50

    Nominalisierung Verb → noun / adjective → noun

    Wir analysieren die Daten. → Die Analyse der Daten erfolgt. The formal style German prefers.

  51. B2·51

    Erweiterte Partizipialattribute Extended participial attributes

    Der Student, der im Labor arbeitet → Der im Labor arbeitende Student. Compressing a relative clause before the noun.

  52. B2·52

    Komplexe Nominalgruppen Complex noun phrases

    Der gestern veröffentlichte wissenschaftliche Forschungsbericht über erneuerbare Energien — one noun, everything else describes it.

  53. B2·53

    Goethe Mini 4 Phase 5 checkpoint exam Checkpoint

    A Goethe-style checkpoint across Chapters 44–52: every B2 passive alternative, Nominalisierung, and complex noun phrases — together.

  54. B2·54

    Funktionsverbgefüge Noun + light verb constructions

    entscheiden → eine Entscheidung treffen. The noun carries the meaning; the light verb carries the grammar.

  55. B2·55

    Modalpartikeln: doch / ja Modal particles: doch / ja

    Du kommst. Du kommst doch. Du kommst ja. Same facts — different feeling. Learn what native speakers really mean.

  56. B2·56

    Modalpartikeln: eben / halt Modal particles: eben / halt

    So ist das eben. So ist das halt. That's just how it is — accept it and move on.

  57. B2·57

    Textkohärenz: Verweiswörter Text coherence: reference words

    Der Bericht wurde veröffentlicht. Er war erfolgreich. Good German connects ideas — it doesn't repeat them.

  58. B2·58

    Textkohärenz: Absatzlogik Text coherence: paragraph logic

    One paragraph = one idea. Topic sentence, explanation, example, conclusion — in that order.

  59. B2·59

    Konjunktiv I: Formen Konjunktiv I: forms

    er ist → er sei. Learn the verb forms first — indirect speech comes next chapter.

  60. B2·60

    Indirekte Rede: Grundlagen Reported speech: basics

    "Ich bin müde." → Sie sei müde. Report what someone said — without claiming it's true.

  61. B2·61

    Indirekte Rede: Zeitverschiebung Reported speech: time reference

    "Ich habe gestern gearbeitet." → Er sagt, er habe gestern gearbeitet. The original timeline stays — always.

  62. B2·62

    Konjunktiv I: Berichtende Sprache Konjunktiv I: reporting language

    Who said it? What did they say? How do I report it neutrally? Never your own opinion.

  63. B2·63

    Goethe Mini 5 Phase 6 checkpoint exam Checkpoint

    A Goethe-style checkpoint across Chapters 54–62: Funktionsverbgefüge, Modalpartikeln, Textkohärenz, and Konjunktiv I — together.

  64. B2·64

    Präpositionen mit Genitiv Prepositions with Genitiv

    Formal German loves the Genitive. wegen, aufgrund, hinsichtlich, zugunsten — always ask: where is the Genitiv?

  65. B2·65

    Wissenschaftssprache Academic German

    Never write "I think...". Instead write "Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass...". Objective. Precise. Evidence-based.

  66. B2·66

    Argumentieren: Standpunkte Arguing: expressing viewpoints

    Opinion + Reason + Example + Conclusion = a strong B2 argument. Agree, disagree politely, stay logical.

  67. B2·67

    Argumentieren: Gegenargumente Arguing: counterarguments

    Opinion → Reason → Counterargument → Response → Conclusion. Strong arguments get stronger when they address the other side fairly.

  68. B2·68

    Redemittel für Diskussionen Discussion phrases

    Grammar helps you build sentences. Redemittel help you sound natural. Open. Ask. Listen. Respond. Clarify. Summarize. Conclude.

  69. B2·69

    Goethe-Zertifikat B2 Final Goethe-Zertifikat B2 — Final Examination Checkpoint

    The complete B2 mock examination. No new grammar. No new vocabulary. Everything from Chapters 1–68, integrated — Lesen, Hören, Schreiben, Sprechen.

C1 · Advanced

C1 German grammar — 43 chapters

C1 topics in course order. Start with Chapter 1: Tempusgebrauch & Stilistische Tempuswahl — free. See the C1 roadmap for phases and progress.

  1. C1·1

    Tempusgebrauch & Stilistische Tempuswahl Advanced tense usage & stylistic choice Free

    B2 asks: which tense is correct? C1 asks: which tense sounds best. Master why native writers deliberately switch tenses for effect.

  2. C1·2

    Raum & Zeit präzise ausdrücken Expressing space & time precisely

    B2 asks "Where?" and "When?" C1 asks "Exactly where, exactly when, in relation to what, and for how long?" Precision defines C1 German.

  3. C1·3

    Nebensätze sicher beherrschen Mastering complex subordinate clauses

    C1 is not about knowing more conjunctions — it is about controlling sentence architecture. Build hierarchy, not just length.

  4. C1·4

    Hauptsätze elegant verbinden Connecting main clauses elegantly

    C1 writing is judged by how ideas flow — not by sentence length alone. B2 asks which connector is correct; C1 asks which connector makes the text flow naturally.

  5. C1·5

    Zweiteilige Satzverbindungen Correlative & paired sentence connectors

    Think of paired connectors as bridges. The first word opens the bridge; the second word completes it. Never use only one half.

  6. C1·6

    Goethe Mini 1 Checkpoint: Chapters 1–5 Checkpoint

    A Mini Test is not another lesson — it measures whether the first five chapters have become automatic. Answer naturally, without consciously thinking about grammar rules.

  7. C1·7

    Präpositionen mit Genitiv Genitive prepositions in formal German

    B2 asks "Which preposition fits?" C1 asks "Which Genitive preposition sounds the most formal and precise?" Formal German is recognized instantly through correct Genitive prepositions.

  8. C1·8

    Anspruchsvolle Präpositionen Advanced prepositional expressions

    B2 asks "Which preposition is correct?" C1 asks "Which preposition is the most precise, formal and natural in this context?"

  9. C1·9

    Adjektive mit Präpositionalergänzungen Adjectives with fixed prepositional complements

    Don't memorize the adjective. Memorize the adjective + preposition. Think of each combination as one vocabulary item, not two separate words.

  10. C1·10

    Nomen mit Präpositionalobjekt Nouns with fixed prepositional objects

    Don't memorize the noun. Memorize the noun + preposition. Interesse an, Einfluss auf, Verantwortung für, Kenntnis von — each is one advanced vocabulary item.

  11. C1·11

    Goethe Mini 2 Checkpoint: Chapters 7–10 Checkpoint

    A Goethe Mini chapter is not another lesson. Its purpose is to verify whether the learner can use previous chapters automatically in authentic situations.

  12. C1·12

    Modalverben präzise verwenden Using modal verbs precisely

    A1 asks "what does the modal verb mean?" C1 asks "what attitude does the speaker express through it?" Certainty, doubt, politeness, criticism — same verb, different stance.

  13. C1·13

    Vermutungen mit Modalverben ausdrücken Expressing assumptions with modal verbs

    Don't ask "what does the modal verb mean?" Ask "how certain is the speaker?" The modal verb reveals confidence, not necessarily truth.

  14. C1·14

    Konjunktiv II für Irreales & Hypothesen Konjunktiv II for the unreal and hypothetical

    The Indicative describes reality. Konjunktiv II describes a world that is imagined, desired, impossible, or hypothetical. Every sentence asks: "What if reality were different?"

  15. C1·15

    Konjunktiv I & Indirekte Rede Konjunktiv I and reported speech

    Konjunktiv II asks "what if reality were different?" Konjunktiv I asks "someone says this — but I'm only reporting it." Reality → Konjunktiv II. Reported Reality → Konjunktiv I.

  16. C1·16

    Aufforderung, Empfehlung & Handlungssteuerung Directives, recommendations & guiding action

    A2 asks "can I tell someone what to do?" C1 asks "how can I influence someone's actions while maintaining professionalism, politeness, and register?" Professional German values guidance over commands.

  17. C1·17

    Goethe Halbzeit-Test Halfway Checkpoint: Chapters 12–16 Checkpoint

    The Halbzeit-Test is not another chapter. It verifies whether the learner has internalized the second phase of the course and can use it automatically under exam conditions.

  18. C1·18

    Adjektivdeklination sicher anwenden Applying adjective declension with confidence

    Never ask "which ending should I memorize?" Ask "who already carries the grammatical information?" If the article does the work, the adjective relaxes. If nobody does, the adjective must do the job.

  19. C1·19

    Steigerung & sprachliche Abstufung Gradation and linguistic nuance

    At A1 you compare objects. At C1 you compare ideas, arguments, evidence, probabilities, research, policies, opinions. Comparison is a tool for thinking, not just a grammar rule.

  20. C1·20

    Relativsätze erweitern und variieren Expanding and varying relative clauses

    A2 uses relative clauses to identify nouns. C1 uses them to organize information efficiently. Always ask: is a relative clause the clearest option, or can the sentence be expressed more elegantly?

  21. C1·21

    Partizipialattribute verstehen und nutzen Understanding and using participial attributes

    Think of every participial attribute as a folded relative clause. Nothing disappears — the information is simply compressed into the noun phrase.

  22. C1·22

    Komplexe Attribute & Nominalgruppen Complex attributes and noun groups

    A2 sentences grow by adding new clauses. C1 sentences grow by enriching the noun phrase. The more formal German becomes, the more information moves into the noun phrase.

  23. C1·23

    Goethe Mini 3 Checkpoint: Chapters 18–22 Checkpoint

    Goethe Mini 3 verifies whether the learner can automatically produce authentic C1 sentence architecture before entering the final phase of the course. The focus is fluency and information density, not isolated grammar knowledge.

  24. C1·24

    Nominalisierung im formellen Stil Nominalization in formal style

    Think of nominalization as turning actions into concepts. Instead of saying what someone does, formal German often talks about the action itself. C1 writers constantly choose between verbal style and nominal style.

  25. C1·25

    Partizipien & Adjektive als Nomen Participles and adjectives as nouns

    The noun disappears — but its meaning stays. Instead of "die Studenten", modern German often says "die Studierenden". The adjective or participle takes over the job of the noun.

  26. C1·26

    Passiv & Passiversatzformen Passive and passive alternatives

    Active: someone performs the action. Passive: the action becomes the star. Passiversatzformen achieve the same effect without the passive at all. The question is never "can I form it?" but "which structure sounds most natural?"

  27. C1·27

    Funktionsverbgefüge im akademischen Deutsch Light verb constructions in academic German

    Think of a Funktionsverbgefüge as a team: the noun carries the meaning, the verb carries the grammar. "Analysieren" becomes "eine Analyse durchführen" — the action stays the same, but the expression becomes more formal and objective.

  28. C1·28

    Goethe Mini 4 Checkpoint: Chapters 24–27 Checkpoint

    Native-like academic German balances nominal style, passive alternatives, and Funktionsverbgefüge while staying fluent and readable. This checkpoint tests whether that balance has become automatic.

  29. C1·29

    Verben mit Präfixen sicher unterscheiden Confidently distinguishing prefix verb families

    Never memorize beschreiben, unterschreiben, umschreiben, aufschreiben as separate words. Memorize schreiben, then learn what each prefix answers. Native speakers think in verb families, not isolated vocabulary.

  30. C1·30

    Nomen mit Numerusbesonderheiten Nouns with special number behavior

    Before making a noun plural, always ask: does this noun actually have a plural? Native speakers remember these as lexical properties, not grammar rules.

  31. C1·31

    Adversativangaben & Gegensätze ausdrücken Expressing contrast and opposition precisely

    Think of German argumentation as a bridge. One idea stands on one side, the opposing idea on the other. Different bridges serve different purposes — native speakers choose the bridge by the relationship between ideas, not because all of them mean "but".

  32. C1·32

    Kohärenz & Textverknüpfung Text coherence and cohesion

    Imagine your text as a train. Each sentence is a carriage. Grammar makes every carriage work. Kohärenz connects all the carriages into one train — if one is disconnected, the reader notices immediately.

  33. C1·33

    Goethe Mini 5 Checkpoint: Chapters 29–32 Checkpoint

    Well-structured academic German combines precise prefix verbs, correct noun number, sophisticated contrast, and coherent discourse. This checkpoint tests whether that combination has become automatic.

  34. C1·34

    Argumentieren auf C1-Niveau Arguing at C1 level

    Every strong C1 argument answers seven questions: what is my opinion, why, what evidence, what example, what would someone disagree with, how do I answer that, what conclusion follows? Strong argumentation is not emotional — it is structured and evidence-based.

  35. C1·35

    Konzession & Abwägen Concession and weighing arguments

    Think like a scientist, not a lawyer. A lawyer proves one side. A scientist asks: what supports this, what speaks against it, what are the limitations, what conclusion is justified? That mindset produces authentic C1 academic German.

  36. C1·36

    Register & Stilebenen beherrschen Mastering register and style levels

    Imagine you own six different suits. You would never wear a wedding suit to the gym or pajamas to a lecture. Every situation has its own linguistic dress code — native speakers instinctively choose the right one.

  37. C1·37

    Kollokationen & Bedeutungsnuancen Collocations and shades of meaning

    Imagine every German word has close friends. Entscheidungen are treffen, not machen. Maßnahmen are ergreifen, not nehmen. Learning one word is useful — learning its friends is what makes you sound native.

  38. C1·38

    Zusammenfassung schreiben Writing a summary

    Imagine packing for a flight — you cannot take everything. Keep the essentials, leave unnecessary details behind, arrange everything neatly, and never change what the original author intended.

  39. C1·39

    Stellungnahme schreiben Writing a statement of opinion

    Imagine you're a judge, not a fan. A fan supports one side immediately. A judge listens to both sides, evaluates the evidence, explains the reasoning, then reaches a justified decision.

  40. C1·40

    Forumsbeitrag schreiben Writing a forum post

    Imagine you're sitting at a round table discussion, not giving a speech. A Forumsbeitrag contributes ideas, reacts to others, asks questions, and keeps the conversation moving.

  41. C1·41

    Grafikbeschreibung & Grafikauswertung Describing and evaluating graphics

    Think like a data analyst, not a calculator. A calculator only reads numbers. A data analyst asks: what changed, why, what matters, and what conclusion can reasonably be drawn?

  42. C1·42

    Goethe-Zertifikat C1 Probeprüfung Goethe-Zertifikat C1 mock examination Checkpoint

    Imagine you're already at the Goethe exam. Don't think "I have to remember everything." Think "I've already learned everything — now I simply demonstrate what I know."

  43. C1·43

    Goethe-Zertifikat C1 Final Complete C1 mastery & certification readiness Checkpoint

    Imagine climbing a mountain. Every previous chapter was one step higher. This final chapter is not about climbing further — it is about standing on the summit and looking back at everything you have mastered. You are no longer learning C1. You are demonstrating C1.

C2 · Mastery

C2 German grammar — 29 chapters

C2 topics in course order. Start with Chapter 1: Zeitformen der Verben — free. See the C2 roadmap for phases and progress.

  1. C2·1

    Zeitformen der Verben Verb tenses at native level Free

    Imagine time as a camera. The event never changes — only the camera angle changes. Verb tenses are the camera angles of German. Native speakers choose the best angle, not simply the grammatical tense.

  2. C2·2

    Verben mit Präfixen Prefix verbs at native level

    Imagine every German verb as the trunk of a tree. Each prefix grows into a different branch. The trunk stays the same, but every branch reaches a different direction.

  3. C2·3

    Verben und ihre Ergänzungen Verbs and their complements at native level

    Imagine every German verb is a stage director. The verb decides who appears, who receives the action, where it happens, what is optional, what cannot be omitted.

  4. C2·4

    Nomen-Verb-Verbindungen Noun-verb constructions at native level

    Every simple verb has a formal twin. The verb is what people say in conversation. The noun-verb construction is what professors, researchers, journalists and officials choose when precision matters.

  5. C2·5

    Goethe Mini 1 Checkpoint — Chapters 1–4 integrated Checkpoint

    A professional orchestra: Chapter 1 taught rhythm (time), Chapter 2 the instruments (prefix verbs), Chapter 3 harmony (complements), Chapter 4 orchestration (nominal style). This is the first full performance.

  6. C2·6

    Konjunktiv II Konjunktiv II as speaker attitude

    Konjunktiv II is a dimmer switch, not an ON/OFF switch. You are not changing reality — you are adjusting how strongly your statement shines.

  7. C2·7

    Konjunktiv I Konjunktiv I as invisible quotation marks

    Imagine Konjunktiv I as quotation marks you cannot see. You are carrying someone else's words without claiming they are true. That invisible distance is the essence of C2 mastery.

  8. C2·8

    Modalverben Modal verbs as a pair of glasses

    Imagine every modal verb is a pair of glasses. The event stays exactly the same. Only the lens changes — certainty, possibility, obligation, or politeness.

  9. C2·9

    Goethe Mini 2 Checkpoint — Chapters 1–8 integrated Checkpoint

    Imagine conducting an international symposium. Each speaker represents one major grammar system. Goethe C2 expects you to coordinate the entire conference flawlessly.

  10. C2·10

    Adverbialsätze & Diskursmarker Adverbial clauses & discourse markers

    Every paragraph is a train carriage. Grammar builds each carriage. Discourse markers are the couplings that connect them — without strong couplings, the train falls apart.

  11. C2·11

    Relativsätze Relative clauses at native level

    The main clause is the box. The relative clause is a carefully wrapped note placed inside. C2 mastery means knowing exactly how much belongs inside, how much belongs outside, and how to keep the package elegant.

  12. C2·12

    Passiv The passive voice at native level

    Active voice points the camera at the actor. Passive voice points it at the action or result. At C2, native speakers don't ask "can I use the passive?" — they ask "where should I point the camera?"

  13. C2·13

    Passiversatzformen Alternatives to the passive

    Passive voice is only one road to your destination. At C2, native speakers know an entire network of roads — sometimes the highway, sometimes a shortcut, sometimes a scenic road. Mastery means choosing the best route.

  14. C2·14

    Goethe Halbzeit Test Halfway checkpoint — Chapters 1–13 integrated Checkpoint

    You have reached the base camp of Mount Everest. Everything you learned in Chapters 1–13 got you here. This is the last equipment check before the final ascent.

  15. C2·15

    Partizipien als Adjektive Participles as adjectives

    A relative clause is a large suitcase carried beside the traveler. A participial adjective packs the same information into a compact backpack — the traveler moves faster, and the reader follows more easily.

  16. C2·16

    Nominalisierte Adjektive und Partizipien Nominalised adjectives and participles

    Adjectives are labels attached to people. Nominalization removes the person and keeps only the label. Instead of "people who are injured," German simply says die Verletzten.

  17. C2·17

    Adjektivdeklination auf C2-Niveau Adjective declension at native level

    Every noun is the center of a solar system. The adjectives are planets orbiting it. At C2, the entire system is perfectly organized — every modifier has its exact orbit and purpose.

  18. C2·18

    Stilistische Nuancen & Register von Adjektiven Stylistic nuance & register in adjectives

    Every adjective is a paint color. Navy, cobalt, turquoise, sapphire, indigo — all "blue," but each creates a different impression. Native speakers choose the exact shade a situation requires.

  19. C2·19

    Adjektive mit Ergänzungen Adjectives with complements

    Some magnets attract a preposition. Some attract an infinitive. Some attract a dass-clause. Without the correct companion, the adjective feels incomplete.

  20. C2·20

    Goethe Mini 3 Checkpoint — Chapters 1–19 integrated Checkpoint

    Every grammar topic is an instrument. Knowing each one is not enough — at C2, your job is to conduct the entire orchestra so every part works together naturally.

  21. C2·21

    Wortbildung der Adjektive Word formation: adjectives

    The root is the main block. Prefixes and suffixes are extra pieces that change the meaning. Once you understand the bricks, you can build thousands of adjectives you've never seen before.

  22. C2·22

    Wortbildung der Nomen Word formation: nouns

    Each carriage adds information. The last carriage is always the locomotive — it decides gender, plural, and core meaning. Everything before it just describes the destination.

  23. C2·23

    Wortbildung der Verben Word formation: verbs

    The root verb is the trunk. Prefixes grow new branches — new meanings, new valencies. Suffixes grow the leaves that mark register. Once you see the tree, thousands of unfamiliar verbs become instantly readable.

  24. C2·24

    Goethe Mini 4 Checkpoint — Chapters 1–23 integrated Checkpoint

    Grammar is the building material. Morphology builds the buildings. Vocabulary furnishes the rooms. Register picks the neighborhood. At C2, your job is not one correct house — it is a whole city where every part works together naturally.

  25. C2·25

    Appositionen Appositions

    The noun tells you who someone is. The apposition is the business card pinned right next to the name badge — profession, title, or function, given instantly, without a new sentence.

  26. C2·26

    Nominalstil Nominal style

    Verbstil is a video, showing every action step by step. Nominalstil is a high-resolution photograph, summarizing everything in one compact, objective image. Native German switches between both depending on the situation.

  27. C2·27

    Kollokationen & Idiomatik Collocations and idiomatic usage

    A word rarely dances alone. Every important noun has a verb it naturally prefers — Entscheidungen trifft man, Verantwortung übernimmt man. Choose the wrong partner, and native speakers notice immediately.

  28. C2·28

    Präpositionen der Schriftsprache Prepositions of written German

    In everyday conversation, simple prepositions are casual clothes. But entering a university, a courtroom, or a government office, native writers change into a business suit — aufgrund, hinsichtlich, gemäß, mittels, zugunsten.

  29. C2·29

    Goethe C2 Finalprüfung Goethe C2 final exam Checkpoint

    Grammar gave you the equipment. Vocabulary showed you the route. Style taught you how to move efficiently. Register helped you choose the right path. This exam is not about learning something new — it is about proving you can use everything you have learned, confidently and naturally, in any situation.

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