A2 · elementary
21 steps
The A2 path
21 topics are ready at this level, in order. Start at the top and move down — the sequence is not random, every step sits on the one before it. Remaining A2 topics join this path as they are written.
- 01 Dativ verbs helfen · gefallen · gehören · geben Dativ verbs are German verbs whose object goes in the dative case: helfen, gefallen, gehören, geben. →
- 02 Pronouns mich or mir? mich or mir — the full pronoun table and which case turns up when. →
- 03 Adjective endings guter · gute · gutes · guten German adjective endings are the letters an adjective takes when it stands in front of a noun: guter, gute, gutes, guten. →
- 04 Reflexive verbs sich freuen · sich waschen · sich vorstellen Reflexive verbs show that the subject does the action to itself, using a reflexive pronoun: sich freuen, sich waschen, sich vorstellen. →
- 05 Präteritum war · hatte · konnte · musste The Präteritum is the German simple past, used mostly in writing and with a handful of very common verbs: war, hatte, konnte, musste. →
- 06 wo? · wohin? in die Küche or in der Küche? The questions wo?, wohin? →
- 07 Place and direction hier · dort · hin · her German adverbs of place and direction show where something is or which way it moves: hier, dort, hin, her. →
- 08 Conjunctions und · aber · denn · deshalb German conjunctions join two clauses or words by meaning, and they split into groups by how they treat word order: und, aber, denn leave it alone … →
- 09 weil · dass · wenn weil ich müde bin weil, dass and wenn are German subordinating conjunctions: they start a subordinate clause and send the conjugated verb to the end (weil ich müde … →
- 10 Word order Heute gehe ich ins Kino German word order puts the conjugated verb in second position, whatever comes first: Heute gehe ich ins Kino. →
- 11 Modalpartikeln doch · mal · ja · halt doch · mal · ja — the small words that stop you sounding like a robot. →
- 12 schon · noch · erst already · still · not yet · no longer schon, noch, noch nicht and nicht mehr look at what a situation was before and what it is now; erst means less than expected or later than expected. →
- 13 German set phrases Ich hätte gern … · Wie bitte? · Meiner Meinung nach … A German set phrase (Redemittel) is a ready-made sentence with a gap: put coffee, a ticket or an appointment into Ich hätte gern … and the sentence … →
- 14 Conversation reflexes Genau · Ach so · Kein Ding · Alles klar Conversation reflexes are one-word reactions you give without building a sentence: Genau to agree, Echt? →
- 15 Saying no politely leider · gerne · Mal sehen A polite no in German has three steps: a thank-you, a clear refusal with leider, and an open door with gerne. →
- 16 Compound nouns Handschuh · Krankenhaus · Arbeitszimmer German compound nouns are nouns built from two or more words stuck together: Handschuh, Krankenhaus, Arbeitszimmer. →
- 17 Indefinite pronouns man · jemand · etwas Indefinite pronouns point to people or things without saying exactly who or what: man, jemand, etwas, alle. →
- 18 Mein Beileid condolences · good luck at work · thanks to the cook Höflichkeitsformeln are German politeness phrases: some moments have a fixed phrase (Mein Beileid, Gute Besserung), others have none, and what you … →
- 19 dieser and welcher dieser · welcher · jeder Words that stand before a noun to point at it or ask about it: dieser, welcher, jeder, mancher. →
- 20 Verbs with two objects geben · zeigen · schenken Some German verbs take two objects, one answering “to whom?” (dative) and one answering “what?” (accusative): geben, zeigen, schenken. →
- 21 Time expressions jeden Tag · morgens · seit German time expressions say when, how often or for how long something happens: jeden Tag, morgens, vor einem Jahr. →
Where to go from here
This page lists the topics in order — the quickest way to the one you need. When a level is done, the next one picks up where it left off.
Missing a topic? Message us on Instagram and it goes on the next card. @genau.german