Translating into English
- Read the whole sentence first, then write it in natural English.
- The verb comes second and a past participle comes at the end, so read to the end of the clause: Ich habe gestern im Park Fußball gespielt = I played football in the park yesterday.
- After weil, dass, wenn and als, the verb is at the end: …, weil er krank war = …because he was ill.
- Watch the tense: ich bin gefahren = I went (not "I am gone"); ich fuhr = I went; ich werde fahren = I will go; ich würde fahren = I would go.
- Seit + present = have been doing: Ich wohne seit zehn Jahren hier = I have lived here for ten years.
- Gern means "like doing": Ich schwimme gern = I like swimming.
False friends
- bekommen = to get (to become is werden), das Handy = mobile phone, also = so (therefore), eventuell = possibly (eventually is schließlich), aktuell = current, sensibel = sensitive.
- das Gift = poison (a gift is das Geschenk), der Chef = boss, das Rezept = recipe or prescription, wer = who, wo = where, ich will = I want (not "I will").
Translating into German
- Keep the verb second: Am Wochenende spiele ich Fußball.
- Send the verb to the end after weil, dass and wenn: Ich bin glücklich, weil ich Zeit habe.
- Order extra details as time, manner, place: Ich fahre morgen mit dem Bus in die Stadt.
- Give nouns capital letters and the right gender: der Hund, die Katze, das Haus.
- Use the right case: the accusative after es gibt and most verbs (Ich habe einen Bruder); the dative after mit, bei, von, zu, aus, nach and seit (mit meinem Bruder).
- Modal verbs and werden send the infinitive to the end: Ich muss meine Hausaufgaben machen.
Exam technique
- Translate every idea: each part carries a mark. Don't add or leave out detail.
- If you don't know a word, use a similar word you know rather than leaving a gap.
- Check capital letters on nouns, verb endings, and the position of the verb.
- Read your translation back to check that it makes sense.
Key terms
- ein falscher Freund
- a false friend: a word that looks like English but means something else
- bekommen
- to get (receive)
- werden
- to become (also used for the future)
- also
- so (therefore)
- eventuell
- possibly
- aktuell
- current
- das Gift
- poison
- das Geschenk
- present (gift)
- der Chef
- boss
- wer
- who
- wo
- where
- ich will
- I want