KS3 · German · Year 8
Party plans: separable verbs in the present tense
A party: separable verbs
Learn it. Recall it. Make it stick.
IllumED Slides
IllumED · 1/9
Your learning goal
I can use separable verbs in the present tense to talk about plans for a party.
1 of 9
Party plans: separable verbs in the present tense: slides adapted from the imported teaching text; recall questions created from its keywords, learning points and common mistakes. Self-check practice, with no automatic grading or XP. Answers stay on this page and are cleared when you leave.
Original teaching resources
The original illustrated PowerPoint is available as well as the IllumED text slides. It retains the publisher’s design and credits.
Download original PowerPoint ↓What you’ll learn
I can use separable verbs in the present tense to talk about plans for a party.
Key learning points
- Preparing to listen by predicting what you will hear improves your understanding when you listen.
- Separable verbs are made up of a prefix and a main verb, e.g., 'vorbereiten' - 'to prepare, preparing'.
- In the present tense, the prefix moves to the end of the clause, e.g., 'ich bereite eine Party vor'.
- Many two-part separable verbs in German have single word English translations, e.g., 'einkaufen' - 'to shop'.
- In present tense negative sentences with separable verbs, 'nicht' generally goes just before the separable prefix.
Words to know
- separable verb
- two-part verb with a prefix and a main verb, e.g., ‘vorbereiten'
- nicht
- adverb meaning 'not'
Common mistakes
All separable verbs in German have their word-for-word English equivalent, e.g., 'stattfinden' - 'to take place', 'mitbringen' - to bring with, along'.
Many two-part separable verbs in German have single word English translations, e.g., 'einkaufen' - 'to shop', 'anfangen' - 'to start'. It is especially important with these verbs not to forget the separable prefix in German.
For parents, carers and teachers
- Following this lesson, teachers might usefully revisit separable verbs as part of a register routine, giving short phrases orally with the separable prefix missing for pupils to add, e.g., 'ich bereite eine Party ___', 'ich bringe einen Kuchen ___'.