Reading (AQA GCSE German): Revision Notes
Reading (Lesen)
Reading is an important topic in German free-time activities. This revision note will help you learn essential vocabulary, expressions, and grammar points to talk about reading habits, preferences, and different types of literature.
Essential vocabulary
Understanding key vocabulary related to reading materials and activities is crucial for expressing your preferences and discussing literature in German.
Reading materials and genres
The following vocabulary forms the foundation for discussing different types of reading materials in German:
- die Action (f) - action
- der Autor / die Autorin (m/f) - author (male/female)
- die Beziehung (f) - relationship
- die Geschichte (f) - story or history
- die Hauptperson (f) - main character
- der Krimi (m) - detective story or crime novel
- der Roman (m) - novel
- das Thema (nt) - theme or subject
- die Zeitung (f) - newspaper
Notice that der Krimi is a uniquely German shortened form of "Kriminalroman" (crime novel). This informal term is widely used in everyday German conversation.
Describing reading materials
These adjectives help you characterise different types of reading materials:
- entspannend - relaxing
- historisch - historical
Reading activities and verbs
These verbs are essential for discussing reading activities and describing stories:
- beschreiben - to describe
- entdecken - to discover
- entwickeln - to develop
- erzählen - to tell or relate
- gehen um + noun - to be about (e.g., "Das Buch geht um Liebe" - The book is about love)
- passieren - to happen
The phrase "gehen um" is particularly important as it's the most common way to describe what a book or story is about. It always requires a noun or noun phrase after it.
Expressing frequency and degree
These qualifier words help you express how often you read or how much you enjoy different types of reading materials.
Frequency expressions
Master these terms to express how often you engage in reading activities:
- ab und zu - from time to time
- meistens - mostly
- selten - rarely
- kaum - hardly
Degree and intensity
Use these expressions to indicate the intensity of your preferences:
- eigentlich nicht - not really
- ein bisschen - a little
- ein wenig - a little (slightly more formal than "ein bisschen")
- ganz / ziemlich - quite
- gar nicht - not at all
- vielleicht - perhaps
Word Order Tip: These qualifiers typically come before the verb or adjective they modify, which can help make your German sound more natural and fluent.
Example sentences with translations
Here are practical examples showing how to use reading vocabulary in context:
Practical Usage: Expressing Reading Preferences
Expressing preferences:
- "Ich lese Bücher, aber Zeitungen lese ich gar nicht." - I read books, but I don't read newspapers at all.
- "Krimis gefallen mir ziemlich gut." - I quite like detective stories.
- "Ab und zu lese ich einen historischen Roman." - From time to time I read a historical novel.
Describing books:
- "Die Geschichte geht um eine interessante Hauptperson." - The story is about an interesting main character.
- "Das Thema ist sehr entspannend." - The theme is very relaxing.
Expressing opinions:
- "Es ist mir egal." - I don't mind.
- "Daran gibt es keinen Zweifel." - There's no doubt about it.
- "Das stimmt." - That's true.
- "Das ist jedenfalls meine Meinung." - That's my opinion, in any case.
Grammar and pronunciation tips
Understanding the grammatical patterns in reading-related vocabulary will help you use these words correctly in conversation and writing.
Gender patterns
Critical Grammar Point: Remember the gender of reading-related nouns as this affects which articles and adjectives you use:
- Masculine (der): Roman, Krimi, Autor
- Feminine (die): Geschichte, Zeitung, Hauptperson, Beziehung, Action, Autorin
- Neuter (das): Thema
Verb usage
Understanding how these verbs work will help you construct natural-sounding sentences:
- "gehen um" always requires a noun or noun phrase: "Das Buch geht um eine Familie" (The book is about a family)
- beschreiben, erzählen, entdecken are regular verbs and follow standard conjugation patterns
When using "gehen um", avoid the common mistake of trying to use it with verbs or clauses. It specifically requires nouns or noun phrases.
Word order
When using qualifiers, they typically come before the verb or adjective they modify:
- "Ich lese gar nicht gern Zeitungen." - I don't like reading newspapers at all.
Translation practice
Translation Exercise: German to English
- "Historische Romane finde ich ziemlich interessant, aber Krimis lese ich selten."
- "Die Hauptperson in dieser Geschichte ist sehr sympathisch."
Translation Exercise: English to German
- "I hardly ever read newspapers, but I quite like novels."
- "The story is about a detective who discovers something important."
Answer Key:
German to English:
- I find historical novels quite interesting, but I rarely read detective stories.
- The main character in this story is very likeable.
English to German:
- Zeitungen lese ich kaum, aber Romane gefallen mir ziemlich gut.
- Die Geschichte geht um einen Detektiv, der etwas Wichtiges entdeckt.
Key Points to Remember:
- Learn the gender of reading-related nouns as this affects which articles and adjectives you use
- Use qualifiers like "gar nicht," "ziemlich," and "ab und zu" to make your German sound more natural and express precise meanings
- The phrase "gehen um" (to be about) is essential for describing what books or stories are about
- Practice expressing both positive and negative opinions about different types of reading materials
- Remember that "Krimi" is a uniquely German word for detective/crime stories - it's shorter than the full word "Kriminalroman"