Avoiding health risks (Edexcel GCSE German): Revision Notes
Avoiding health risks
Health vocabulary
Understanding key health-related vocabulary is essential for discussing health advice and risks in German. These terms frequently appear in exam questions and real-life conversations about wellbeing.
Master these fundamental health terms as they form the building blocks for more complex health discussions and are frequently tested in German language exams.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| die Droge (f) | drug |
| die Gefahr (f) | danger |
| das Gefühl (nt) | feeling |
| die Risiken (nt, pl) | risks |
| gefährlich | dangerous |
| nehmen | to take |
| probieren | to try |
| rauchen | to smoke |
| schlecht | bad |
| vermeiden | to avoid |
Example sentences using health vocabulary:
- Drogen sind sehr gefährlich. (Drugs are very dangerous.)
- Man soll das Rauchen vermeiden. (One should avoid smoking.)
- Diese Risiken sind schlecht für die Gesundheit. (These risks are bad for health.)
The imperative form
The imperative is used to give instructions, commands, or advice. This grammatical structure is particularly important when discussing health advice, as you'll often need to tell people what they should or shouldn't do to stay healthy.
Using du (informal singular)
When giving advice to someone you know well, use the du form. Take the present tense du form and remove the -st ending. You don't need to include the pronoun.
Key Rule: For du imperative forms, simply drop the -st ending from the present tense and omit the pronoun entirely.
Example: Trink Wasser! (Drink water!)
Using ihr (informal plural)
When addressing a group of people you know well, use the present tense ihr form without the pronoun.
Example: Raucht nicht! (Don't smoke!)
Using Sie (formal)
When speaking formally, invert the verb and pronoun from the present tense form.
Example: Treiben Sie viel Sport! (Do a lot of sport!)
Irregular verbs in the imperative
Some verbs don't follow the standard pattern and have special imperative forms:
Memorize these irregular imperatives - they're commonly used in health advice and frequently appear in exams.
| Infinitive | du form | English |
|---|---|---|
| haben | Hab! | Have! |
| sein | Sei! | Be! |
| essen | Iss! | Eat! |
| fahren | Fahr! | Drive! |
| geben | Gib! | Give! |
| lassen | Lass! | Leave! |
| nehmen | Nimm! | Take! |
Alternative ways to give advice
You can also use modal verbs müssen (must) or sollen (should) to give health advice:
- Du musst Pausen machen. (You must take breaks.)
- Man soll nicht vor Kindern rauchen. (You should not smoke in front of children.)
Exam guidance
Exam Success Tips
When answering questions about health advice, remember to:
- Use appropriate imperative forms based on who you're addressing
- Include a variety of health-related vocabulary
- Consider both positive advice (what to do) and negative advice (what to avoid)
- Pay attention to formal vs informal situations
Translation practice
Translation Exercise: German to English
Translate these sentences into English:
- Trink mehr Wasser! Der Körper braucht viele Gläser pro Tag.
- Ich soll versuchen, früher ins Bett zu gehen.
Answers:
- Drink more water! The body needs many glasses per day.
- I should try to go to bed earlier.
Translation Exercise: English to German
Translate these sentences into German:
- I know young people who take drugs, but I find that dangerous.
- We try to eat less chocolate.
Answers:
- Ich kenne Jugendliche, die Drogen nehmen, aber ich finde das gefährlich.
- Wir versuchen, weniger Schokolade zu essen.
Key Points to Remember:
- Health vocabulary is essential for discussing wellbeing and giving advice in German
- The imperative has different forms depending on whether you're speaking to du, ihr, or Sie
- Some verbs are irregular in the imperative - learn the key ones like haben (Hab!) and sein (Sei!)
- Modal verbs like müssen and sollen provide alternative ways to give advice
- Practice translation in both directions to build confidence with health-related topics