German grammar lessons
50 clear, illustrated lessons from level A1 to level C1, explained in English. Each lesson states the rule, shows examples and offers corrected exercises.
A1 Beginner
The basics: sein, haben, the present tense, articles, word order, the accusative.
- Sein and haben in the present tenseBasic verbs
- Gender and the articles: der, die, das, ein, eineNouns and articles
- The present tense of regular verbsThe present tense
- The present tense of stem-changing verbs: fahren, sehen, nehmenThe present tense
- Word order: the verb in second position, and questionsThe sentence
- The accusative: den, einen, and the direct objectThe cases
- Negation: nicht and keinThe sentence
- The plural of nounsNouns and articles
- Possessive articles: mein, dein, sein, ihr, unserNouns and articles
- Modal verbs: können, müssen, wollen, möchten, dürfen, sollenModal verbs
A2 Elementary
The dative, prepositions, the Perfekt, separable verbs, the imperative.
- Separable and inseparable verbsVerbs
- The dative: the indirect object and dative verbsThe cases
- Personal pronouns in the nominative, accusative and dativePronouns
- Prepositions with the accusative or the dativePrepositions
- Two-way prepositions: wo or wohin?Prepositions
- The Perfekt with haben and the past participleThe past
- The Perfekt with sein: haben or sein?The past
- The Präteritum of sein, haben and the modal verbsThe past
- The imperativeVerbs
- The comparative and the superlativeComparison
B1 Intermediate
Subordinate clauses, adjective endings, the Präteritum, Konjunktiv II, the passive.
- Subordinate clauses: weil, dass, wenn, obThe sentence
- Reflexive verbsVerbs
- Adjective endingsAdjectives
- The Präteritum of regular and irregular verbsThe past
- Relative clauses: der, die, dasRelative clauses
- The genitive and its prepositions: wegen, trotz, währendThe cases
- The Futur I and the verb werdenThe future
- Konjunktiv II: würde, wäre, hätte, könnteKonjunktiv II
- The infinitive with zu: um... zu, ohne... zu, statt... zuThe infinitive
- The passive in the present and the PräteritumThe passive
B2 Upper intermediate
Indirect speech, the full passive, verbs with prepositions, connectors.
- The Plusquamperfekt and time clauses: nachdem, bevor, als, währendThe past
- Konjunktiv II in the past: unreal conditions and regretsKonjunktiv II
- The passive in every tense, with modal verbs, and the ZustandspassivThe passive
- Indirect speech and Konjunktiv IReported speech
- Relative clauses with prepositions, dessen, deren, was and woRelative clauses
- Verbs with prepositions: worauf, darauf, auf wenVerbs
- The n-declension and adjectives used as nounsNouns
- Concession and contrast: obwohl, trotzdem, während, dagegenConnectors
- Two-part connectors: sowohl... als auch, weder... noch, je... destoConnectors
- Purpose and consequence: damit, um... zu, sodass, deshalbConnectors
C1 Advanced
Participial attributes, nominal style, modal particles, subjective modals.
- Extended participial attributesFormal style
- Nominal style: nominalization and verbalizationFormal style
- Funktionsverbgefüge: in Frage stellen, zur Verfügung stehenFormal style
- The subjective use of modal verbs: er soll, sie dürfte, es mussModal verbs
- Konjunktiv I in the press and unreal comparisons with als obThe Konjunktiv
- The Futur II and expressing assumptionsThe future
- Word order in the middle field: time, cause, manner, placeThe sentence
- Modal particles: doch, ja, mal, eben, halt, wohlSpoken style
- Passive substitutes and the gerundive: sein + zu, sich lassen, -barThe passive
- Connectors for argumentation: indem, sofern, zumal, folglich, hingegenArgumentation