langula
Grammar · A1–A2–B1–B2
German grammar, explained simply
The topics that matter at the start — each with example sentences you can listen to, the mistakes everyone makes, and exercises whose answer is one click away.
- Topics
- 41
- Level
- A1–B2
- Exercises with answers
- 244
Word classes8 topics
- Der, die, das and ein, eineWhy do different words appear before nouns?A1
- Nouns, verbs and adjectivesWhat do “Suppe”, “spiele” and “groß” tell you?A1
- Plural nounsWhat changes in “Brüder” and “Kinder”?A1
- Personal pronounsPersonal pronouns replace nouns and indicate the person.A1
- Adjective endingsWhy “einen roten Mantel” but “eine freundliche Person”?A2
- Groß, größer, am größtenWhat does “am liebsten” mean compared with “gern”?A2
- Mein, dein, sein: whose is it?Whose passport does “Ihren Reisepass” refer to?A2
- NominalizationNominalization means turning verbs or adjectives into nouns.B2
Sentence structure9 topics
- The verb in second positionWhere is the verb after “Heute”?A1
- Nicht and keinWhat does “nicht” do in these sentences?A1
- Asking questionsWhy does one question start with “Wo” and another with “Kann”?A1
- In, auf, unter: place or directionWhy is it “in die Schule” but “in einem Büro”?A2
- Join sentences with weil and dassWhere is ist after weil in “Sie ist traurig, weil er weg ist”?A2
- Relative clausesRelative clauses give additional information about a noun.B1
- Infinitive constructionsInfinitive constructions with 'zu' replace subordinate clauses.B1
- Extended participle constructionsExtended participle constructions are typical of formal German texts.B2
- Correlative connectorsTwo-part connectors join parts of sentences or whole sentences in complex ways.B2
Tenses6 topics
- Present tense: regular verbsWhy is it “ich spiele” but “du spielst”?A1
- The perfect: talking about the pastWhy do “hast” and “gemacht” appear together?A2
- War and hatte: the simple pastWhat does war show in “Gestern war ein schöner Tag”?A2
- Past perfectThe past perfect describes an action that took place before another action in the past.B1
- Konnte, musste, wollteHow do you use können for a past ability?A2
- Future perfectThe future perfect describes an action that will be completed at a future point in time.B2
Cases3 topics
Verbs13 topics
- Sein and habenWhy is it “ich bin” but “er ist”?A1
- Separable verbsWhy is “auf” at the end?A1
- Können, müssen and wollenWhy does “sein” appear after “muss”?A2
- Reflexive verbsWhy is mich in “Ich freue mich auf das Wochenende”?A2
- Passive voiceThe passive voice is used when the action is more important than who performs it.B1
- Subjunctive IISubjunctive II expresses unreal situations, wishes, polite requests, and hypothetical conditions.B1
- Requests and commandsWhat should you do in “Würze die Suppe”?A2
- Reported speechReported speech conveys what someone has said.B1
- ParticiplesThe present participle is formed from the infinitive + '-d' (lachend, spielend) and describes a simultaneous action.B1
- Ich hätte gern, könnten SieWhy does “Ich hätte gern” sound more polite than a direct wish?A2
- Verbs with prepositionsWhich small words follow freuen, ärgern and hoffen?A2
- Subjunctive ISubjunctive I is mainly used in reported speech, especially in news reports and formal texts.B2
- Light verb constructionsLight verb constructions (FVG) consist of a light verb (e.B2
Usage2 topics
- Academic languageGerman academic language is characterized by nominalizations, passive constructions, impersonal expressions, and complex sentence structures.B2
- Language registersGerman has different registers: colloquial speech (informal), standard language (neutral), and elevated language (formal).B2
No topic found.
Grammar is not learnt by heart
Rules stick when you meet them in sentences you need anyway. That is why every topic sits next to a lesson from the course: there you hear the sentences, repeat them days apart and test yourself.