Alltag 🌤️🌛

Everyday Life 🌄🌆

Published by Roslyn Green in March 2023

The chores, frenetic activity and relaxed moments of everyday life can be summed up with a range of infinitive expressions. Each one can then be turned into sentences in the present, future or perfect tense.

Below is a list of essential expressions for getting through the day in German, followed by three quizzes, including an audio quiz about a typical challenging day.

  • der Alltag – daily life
    • Manchmal möchte ich einfach dem Alltag entfliehen. → Sometimes I just want to escape from everyday reality.
  • das Alltagsleben – day-to-day life
  • der Tagesablauf – daily routine

Bildlexikon

Infinitive Verbs and Expressions to Describe Everyday Life


  • aufwachen → to wake up (perfect: sein)
  • früh aufstehen → to get up early (perfect: sein)
  • ausschlafen → to sleep in
  • aus dem Bett springen → jump out of bed (perfect: sein)

  • das Bett machen → to make the bed
  • die alten Bettlaken ausziehen → to take off the used sheets
  • das Bett frisch beziehen → to put clean sheets on the bed

  • (einen) Tee / Kaffee kochen oder machen → to make tea
  • Tee mit einem Teebeutel zubereiten → to make tea with a tea bag

  • frühstücken → to have breakfast
  • ausgiebig frühstücken → to have a substantial breakfast
  • etwas zum Frühstück essen → to eat something for breakfast

  • zur Schule gehen → to go to school
  • in den Unterricht gehen → to go to class
  • zur Arbeit gehen → to go to work
  • an einem Projekt arbeiten → to work on a project

  • sich fit halten → to keep oneself fit
  • fit bleiben → stay fit
  • ins Fitnessstudio gehen → to go to the gym

  • einkaufen gehen → to go shopping
  • zum / in den Supermarkt gehen → to go to the supermarket

  • mit dem Hund spazieren gehen → to take the dog for a walk
  • Gassi gehen / mit dem Hund Gassi gehen → (colloquial: to take the dog for a walk)

  • im Garten arbeiten → to work in the garden
  • Samen in ein Gartenbeet pflanzen → to plant seeds in a garden bed
  • den Rasen mähen → to mow the lawn

  • sich mit Freunden treffen → to meet with friends
  • auf einen Kaffee gehen | einen Kaffee trinken gehen → to go out for a coffee

  • ein Zimmer abstauben, aufräumen, staubsaugen – to dust, tidy, vacuum a room
  • den Müll rausbringen, hinunterbringen → to take out the rubbish
  • die Wäsche waschen, aufhängen → do the laundry, hang out the washing

  • Videospiele spielen → to play video games
  • im Internet surfen → to surf on the internet
  • mit dem Handy spielen → play with/on your mobile
  • auf TikTok/YouTube gehen → to go on TikTok/YouTube

  • ins Bett gehen → to go to bed
  • vor dem Schlafengehen lesen → to read before going to sleep

Turning Infinitive Expressions into Four Types of Sentences

Here are four sentence patterns, each based on an expression above. Try the second quiz below to practise each of these constructions in order.

  • Present: Jede Woche bringt er den Müll raus.
  • Future: Morgen werde ich früh aus dem Bett springen, ehrlich!
  • Modal Verb: Möchtet ihr auf einen Kaffee gehen?
  • Perfect: Ich habe die ganze Nacht Videospiele gespielt.

Online Activities


Quiz: Four Sentence Patterns for Talking About Everyday Life

Paper Version of Quiz: Worksheet – Alltag: Four Types of Sentences This worksheet also suggests a brief extension activity.


Audio Quiz: Mein Alltag: Ein typischer Tag

Podcast Episode:

Trennbare Verben und Gegenteile

Published in December 2022 by Roslyn Green

Learning Separable Verbs as Opposites

Many of the verbs below have multiple meanings. The examples focus only on the meaning that represents a precise opposite of the other verb. This list includes some commonly used and practical choices, but it is far from comprehensive.

Bildlexikon und Beispiele | Picture Dictionary and Examples

aufwachen → to wake up

Am Wochenende wache ich früh auf, obwohl ich gern länger schlafen würde. – I wake up early at the weekend, although I’d like to sleep longer.

einschlafen → to fall asleep

Mein Mann schläft sehr schnell ein, während ich wach bleibe und über alles nachdenke. – My husband falls asleep very quickly while I stay awake thinking about everything.

sich anziehen → to get dressed

Sie zieht sich immer elegant an. – She always dresses elegantly.

(sich) ausziehen → to get undressed

Zieh dir die Stiefel aus, die sind voller Schlamm. – Take off your boots, they’re covered with mud.

anmachen → to turn on

Kannst du die Lampe💡 anmachen? Ich brauche mehr Licht zum Lesen. – Can you turn on the lamp? I need more light to read.

anschalten → to switch on

ausmachen → to turn off

Sie machte den Fernseher 📺 aus, weil sie die Reality-Show langweilig fand. – She turned off the TV because she found the reality show dull.

ausschalten → to switch off

Image by RD Law from Pixabay

aufmachen → to open

Ich habe das Fenster aufgemacht, denn wir brauchen frische Luft in diesem muffigen Raum. – I’ve opened the window because we need fresh air in this musty room.

zumachen → to close

Mach bitte die Tür 🚪 zu, mir ist kalt. – Please close the door, I feel cold.

Image by Kristijan Puljek from Pixabay

anfangen → to begin

Vor zehn Jahren habe ich angefangen, Deutsch zu lernen. – Ten years ago, I began to learn German.

aufhören → to stop

Ein Freund von mir versucht, mit dem Rauchen aufzuhören. – A friend of mine is trying to stop smoking.

Image by kalhh from Pixabay

einziehen → to move in

Unsere Tochter möchte bei ihren Freundinnen einziehen. – Our daughter would like to move in with her girlfriends.

ausziehen → to move out

Er will aus diesem Haus ausziehen. He wants to move out of this house.

Image by Chu Viết Đôn from Pixabay

aufsteigen → to mount, get on

Die Frauen werden bald auf ihre Fahrräder aufsteigen und nach Hause fahren. – The women will soon get on their bikes and ride home.

absteigen → to dismount, get off

Steig von deinem Fahrrad ab. Auf dieser Brücke darfst du nicht fahren. Get off your bike. You’re not allowed to ride on this bridge.

herkommen → to come (towards the speaker)

Komm mal her zu mir! – Come here!

Also used to ask about origins: Wo kommst du her? – Where do you come from?

weggehen → to go away (from the speaker)

Geh weg, lass mich in Ruhe! – Go away, leave me alone / in peace.

zunehmen to put on weight

Während des Lockdowns habe ich drei Kilogramm zugenommen. – During the lockdown I gained three kilograms.

abnehmen → to lose weight

Jetzt möchte ich ein paar Kilo abnehmen und fit werden. – Now I’d like to lose a few kilos and get fit.

Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay

glattgehen → to go smoothly

Die ganze Reise ist glattgegangen. Der Reiseführer war einfach genial. – The whole trip went smoothly. The guide was simply brilliant.

schiefgehen → to go wrong

Bei uns ist alles schiefgegangen. Nichts ist ausgegangen, wie wir es geplant hatten. – Everything went wrong for us. Nothing turned out as we had planned.

Image by AC works Co., Ltd. from Pixabay

absagen → to cancel, call off or turn down

Zuerst wollte sie auf die Feier kommen, aber dann hat sie abgesagt. – At first she wanted to come to the party, but then she cancelled.

zusagen → to accept an invitation or offer

Ich habe fünf Freunde eingeladen und vier haben schon zugesagt. – I have invited five friends and four have already accepted.

Image by victoraf from Pixabay

einsteigen to board, get on

Es war schwierig, mit so viel Gepäck einzusteigen. – It was difficult to board with so much luggage.

aussteigen → to get out or off, disembark

Das ist die Haltestelle, wo ich aussteige. – This is the stop where I get off.

Note: The verb aussteigen can also mean “to opt out” of something or to reject mainstream society and try something new.

Image by bhossfeld from Pixabay

aufbauen → to set up, build or assemble

Die Teenager können das Zelt in zwölf Minuten aufbauen.

abbauen → to dismantle, take down

Früh am Morgen haben sie das Zelt abgebaut. – Early in the morning, they dismantled the tent.

Note: This verb also has important figurative meanings: Stress abbauen – to relieve stress; Vorurteile abbauen – to break down prejudices, etc.

aufsetzen → to put on (a hat, glasses, etc.)

Die junge Frau setzt immer einen Strohhut und eine Sonnenbrille auf, bevor sie am Strand spazieren geht. – The young woman always puts on a straw hat and sunglasses before going for a walk at the beach.

absetzen → to take off (a hat, glasses, etc.)

Der alte Mann vergaß vor dem Einschlafen, seine Brille abzusetzen*. – The old man forgot to take off his glasses before falling asleep.

*The verb abnehmen is also possible in this context.

Image by n-kukova from Pixabay

sich einmischen → to interfere, to meddle, butt in

Mein Stiefvater hat sich in unseren Streit eingemischt, was mich genervt hat. – My stepfather got involved in our argument, which annoyed me.

sich raushalten → to stay out of something, avoid interfering

Ich wollte ihm sagen: „Es geht dich nicht an, halt dich da raus!” – I wanted to say to him, “It’s none of your business, stay out of it!”

Image by n-kukova from Pixabay

losfahren → to drive off, away

Meine Schwester ist gerade losgefahren. – My sister has just driven off / left.

anhalten → to pull up (in a car), stop

Der Autofahrer musste an der Ampel anhalten. – The driver had to stop at the light.

Quizzes

Quiz: Separable Verbs as Opposites

Choose the correct verb or prefix in a range of sentences based on the examples above. Fix these pesky separable verbs in your memory for ever.


Quiz: Trennbare Verben und Gegenteile

Type the missing words in sentences that include 8 pairs of the verbs above. Click on the help lightbulb to read the vocabulary list.

A Day of Separable Verbs 🌅

Published in December 2022 by Roslyn Green

Separable Verbs in the Present Tense

☀️ From Waking Up to Falling Asleep🌜

💙 Send this part to the end of the sentence | 🧡 Conjugate this part

aufwachen – to wake up

→ Ich wache auf. – I wake up.

aufstehen – to get up, stand up

→ Ich stehe auf. – I get up.

Image by 👀 Mabel Amber, who will one day from Pixabay

sich anziehen

→ Ich ziehe mich an. – I dress myself.

Image by congerdesign from Pixabay

einkaufen – to shop

→ Ich kaufe im Supermarkt ein. – I go shopping in the supermarket.

Image by Dhanesh Damodaran from Pixabay

anrufen – to ring up, call

→ Ein Freund ruft mich an. – A friend rings me.

Image by Manish Dhawan from Pixabay

einladen – to invite

→ Er lädt mich zum Mittagessen ein. Wie schön! – He invites me to lunch. How lovely!

Image by ravadosa from Pixabay

abholen – to pick up

→ Er holt mich vom Bahnhof ab. – He picks me up from the railway station.

Image by Rob Owen-Wahl from Pixabay

  • sich ausruhen – to rest, take it easy

→ Nach dem Essen ruhen wir uns aus. – After lunch we have a rest.

Image bImage by -Rita-👩‍🍳 und 📷 mit ❤ from Pixabay

vorschlagen – to suggest

→ Dann schlage ich einen Spaziergang vor. – Then I suggest a walk.

Image by 👀 Mabel Amber, who will one day from Pixabay

mitkommen – to come along

→ Der Hund kommt mit. – The dog comes too.

Image by 👀 Mabel Amber, who will one day from Pixabay

absetzten – to drop off

→ Mein Freund setzt mich am Bahnhof ab. – My friend drops me off at the railway station.

Image by erge from Pixabay

ankommen – to arrive

→ Ich komme zu Hause an. – I arrive home.

Image by Rob Owen-Wahl from Pixabay

zubereiten – to prepare (food)

→ Ich bereite das Abendessen zu. – I prepare dinner

Image by -Rita-👩‍🍳 und 📷 mit ❤ from Pixabay

vorlesen – to read aloud

→ Meine Tochter liest mir eine Geschichte vor. – My daughter reads me a story.

Image by Petra from Pixabay

ausmachen – to turn off

→ Ich mache die Lampe aus. – I turn off the lamp.

Image by Pexels from Pixabay

Two Quizzes

Drag and Drop Quiz: Separable Verbs in Present Tense Sentences

Construct present tense sentences with separable verbs by dragging and dropping the words provided into the right spaces.

This quiz is based on the examples above.

This Quiz as a PDF Worksheet: A Day of Separable Verbs


Quiz: Using Separable Verbs in Sentences About Appearance and Personality

Practise using separable verbs in present tense and perfect tense sentences as well as in sentences containing a modal verb.

Kahoots for Those Desperate Moments 😱

Published by Roslyn Green in November 2022

Here are thirty freshly updated Kahoots to accompany teachers and learners through the last exhausting months of this year. These games could be just the thing to get you through a torturous afternoon period in a long and wearing week. Students can also play them in little groups with one student hosting.

I’ve listed the Kahoots roughly in order from the simplest to the most difficult, with links to related pages that also offer individual quizzes for early finishers.

Please note: You may have to click through Kahoot’s marketing prompts initially. But hopefully you will get to a point where you can “continue as guest” or log in if you have an account.


Introduction to German

Beginners answer simple questions about greetings, noun gender, numbers and self-introduction. Suitable after 4-6 lessons of German.


Woher kommt…? / Was ist das?

This Kahoot provides practice with questions about people’s origins and the names of objects.


Jumble Kahoot: Ich lerne Deutsch

Learners respond to each question by placing four words (or sets of words) in the right order. This could be played with a class or by a small group of students.


Mein Steckbrief

This is a simple introductory game for students who are in the first 2-3 months of learning German. Players need to choose the correctly written sentence in each question.


Freunde, Freundinnen, Freundschaft

In this simple Kahoot, useful words for friends, friendship and the characteristics of friends are introduced.


Doktor Tierlieb: Ein Doktor für Tiere

Learners can revise animal names in singular and plural forms, definite and indefinite articles, and adjectives.

Audio text Handout


Mein Schultag

Players experience a simple school day in German, from breakfast before school to feeling tired afterwards.

Note: Both of the above units provide downloadable booklets for students.


Schulsachen

This game revises the names of school items; ein/e and kein/e; and the uses of common school objects.

Note: Both of the above units provide downloadable booklets for students.


Pure Conjugation

Learners revisit the conjugation of important verbs, including sein, haben and some common vowel-changers.


End of Year German Quiz

This Kahoot provides revision for the first year or two of German learning.


Hobbys und Freizeit

The questions focus on the conjugation of key verbs for describing hobbies.


German Word Order with weil and denn

This is a jumble puzzle in which students need to place words in the correct order to form or complete a sentence. Each question allows a minute to work out the puzzle.


Weihnachten

This quiz offers 20 questions in which simple vocabulary is introduced and then reiterated in the following question. Ideal after a year or two of German.


Allgemeinwissen | General Knowledge in German

This quiz is purely in German. A new word is introduced with the help of a simple sentence and picture, then reinforced in one or two of the following questions. The students therefore learn new German words by applying their existing general knowledge.

This is actually my most popular German Kahoot – it has been played more than any other. Who would have thought?


A Multitasking Verb: werden

Practise using and conjugating werden in two of its roles: as a verb meaning to become, to get, to turn; and as an auxiliary verb to create the future tense.


Cases and Adjective Endings

Players have to distinguish between the nominative and accusative cases and then choose the correct adjective endings in simple sentences.


Comparisons: Mein Hund ist größer als dein Hund!

Learners can practise making comparisons, including with irregular comparatives such as größer, wärmer, älter, jünger, länger, etc.


Persönlichkeit und Aussehen

Players can learn and revise adjectives for describing personality and appearance.


German: The Perfect Tense

This Kahoot focuses purely on the correct conjugation of the auxiliary verb: sein or haben. There are several simple sentences with a variety of activities represented.


Which Past Participle? – The German Perfect Tense

The key task for learners is to choose the correct past participle from four options. There are several simple sentences with a variety of activities represented.


The Long Weekend in the Present and the Perfect Tenses

Each question has a sentence in the present tense, followed by an equivalent sentence in the perfect tense. Players have to choose the correct auxiliary verb and past participle to complete the perfect tense sentence.


In den Schulferien habe ich…

Players choose between sentences that describe school holiday activities. They also revise W-question words, which should then allow them to pose questions about the holidays themselves.


Ich mache eine Party!

Learners revise vocabulary related to giving a party, inviting people to come, preparing for the event, and so on.


Viele Familiengeschichten

This Kahoot introduces key verbs for love, marriage and marriage breakdown, as well as exploring the complexity of family relationships in a very simple fashion.


Manchmal verstehen wir uns gut, manchmal nicht

This Kahoot reinforces vocabulary for describing how people get along — or don’t. Some questions require the use of weil to give reasons for feelings; others revise the reflexive pronouns.


Reflexive and Reciprocal Verbs in German – Accusative Reflexive Pronouns

Learners practise the usage of verbs such as sich anziehen, sich verstehen, sich beeilen, etc. This Kahoot provides good practice for the accusative reflexive pronouns and common verbs that require them.


Traumtag oder Horrortag?

In each question a typical teenager experience is described. The students have to decide what kind of day is represented. Later questions present players with 4 situations; they have to choose which belongs to a happy day or an awful one.


Die Umwelt

Players are asked to choose between options that are friendly to the environment and actions that might lead to harm. The vocabulary is summarised in the two pages buttoned below.


Relative Pronouns

This is a relatively challenging quiz for senior or more advanced students. Students need to choose between relative pronouns and distinguish between nominative, accusative and dative cases.


Die Wechselpräpositionen

This is a relatively challenging quiz for senior or more advanced students. I made it originally for students learning German at the Goethe-Institut in München, so it is completely in German and includes some photos from that visit.