Arranging to go out (Edexcel GCSE German): Revision Notes
Arranging to go out
When making plans with friends in German, you'll need key vocabulary for discussing when and where to meet. This topic covers essential phrases and time expressions you'll use in everyday conversations about going out.
Times of day
Understanding different parts of the day helps you arrange meetings at appropriate times. These time periods form the foundation for making specific arrangements and are used constantly in German conversations.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Morgen (m) | morning |
| Nachmittag (m) | afternoon |
| Abend (m) | evening |
| heute | today |
| morgen | tomorrow |
| heute Morgen | this morning |
| heute Nachmittag | this afternoon |
| heute Abend | this evening/tonight |
Notice the difference between morgen (tomorrow) and Morgen (morning). The capitalisation is crucial for meaning - this is a common source of confusion for German learners.
Example sentences:
- Gehen wir heute Abend ins Kino? (Shall we go to the cinema this evening?)
- Morgen Nachmittag habe ich Zeit. (I have time tomorrow afternoon.)
Additional time expressions
These phrases help you be more specific about timing and are essential for making detailed arrangements with German speakers.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| morgen früh | tomorrow morning |
| am Dienstag | on Tuesday |
| nächsten Freitag | next Friday |
| nächstes Wochenende | next weekend |
| besuchen | to visit |
| plaudern | to chat |
Example sentences:
- Können wir uns nächsten Freitag treffen? (Can we meet next Friday?)
- Am Dienstag besuchen wir das Museum. (We're visiting the museum on Tuesday.)
When using days of the week, Germans always use am before the day name (am Dienstag, am Freitag). This preposition is essential and cannot be omitted.
When to meet - Wann treffen wir uns?
This is the key question for arranging meeting times. Learning to ask and answer this question fluently is essential for social interactions in German.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| um halb acht | at half past seven / 7:30 |
| gegen Mittag | at about midday / around midday |
| um 20 Uhr | at 8 pm |
| nach der Schule | after school |
German uses halb (half) differently from English. Halb drei means "half past two" (literally "half to three"). This is one of the most common mistakes English speakers make when learning German time expressions.
Where to meet - Wo treffen wir uns?
These location phrases are essential for arranging where to meet and understanding German spatial relationships.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| vor dem Kino | in front of / outside the cinema |
| in dem Café | in the café |
| am Strand | on the beach |
| am Bahnhof | at the station |
| auf dem Marktplatz | in the market square |
Example sentences:
- Treffen wir uns vor dem Kino. (Let's meet in front of the cinema.)
- Sie treffen sich in einem Café und plaudern. (They meet in a café and chat.)
Pay careful attention to the prepositions: vor (in front of), in (in/at), am (at/on), and auf (on/in). Each preposition changes the case of the following noun, and using the wrong one can completely change your meaning.
12-hour clock expressions
Understanding how Germans express time is crucial for making arrangements. Germans use a logical system that can initially confuse English speakers.
| German | English | Time shown |
|---|---|---|
| zwei Uhr | two o'clock | 2:00 |
| fünf nach zwei | five past two | 2:05 |
| Viertel nach zwei | quarter past two | 2:15 |
| halb drei | half past two | 2:30 |
| Viertel vor drei | quarter to three | 2:45 |
| zehn vor drei | ten to three | 2:50 |
Key point: Remember that halb drei literally means "half to three" but translates as "half past two" in English. This is because Germans think of being halfway to the next hour. This concept appears frequently in GCSE listening exercises.
Example conversation analysis
When listening to Germans making arrangements, understanding the typical flow and structure will help you follow conversations more easily.
Worked Example: Typical Arrangement Conversation
Here's how Germans typically structure their arrangement conversations:
- Invitation: Hast du Lust, morgen einen Kaffee zu trinken? (Do you fancy having a coffee tomorrow?)
- Agreement: Ja, gerne! (Yes, I'd love to!)
- Time arrangement: Um wie viel Uhr? (At what time?)
- Time suggestion: Halb elf? Wenn dir das passt? (Half past ten? If that suits you?)
- Meeting place: Treffen wir uns vor dem Café! (Let's meet in front of the café!)
Notice how the conversation follows a logical sequence from invitation to specific arrangements.
Translation practice
Test your understanding with these practical translation exercises that mirror typical GCSE exam questions.
German to English:
- Wann treffen wir uns morgen Abend?
- Gegen halb drei vor dem Bahnhof.
English to German: 3. Shall we meet at the café tomorrow afternoon? 4. Yes, at quarter past two.
Answers:
- When shall we meet tomorrow evening?
- At about half past two in front of the station.
- Treffen wir uns morgen Nachmittag im Café?
- Ja, um Viertel nach zwei.
Exam Tips for Listening and Speaking
- Listen carefully for time expressions - they often use "halb" which can be confusing
- Watch out for location prepositions: vor (in front of), in (in/at), am (at/on)
- Pay attention to the difference between morgen (tomorrow) and Morgen (morning)
- Remember that German uses 24-hour time in formal contexts but 12-hour time in casual conversation
- Practice listening to time arrangements as they appear frequently in GCSE exams
Key Points to Remember:
- Halb drei means "half past two" - Germans count halfway to the next hour
- Use Wann treffen wir uns? to ask when to meet and Wo treffen wir uns? to ask where
- Time expressions like "heute Abend" and "morgen früh" are essential for making specific arrangements
- Location prepositions (vor, in, am, auf) change the meaning, so learn them carefully
- Practice listening to time arrangements as they appear frequently in GCSE exams