Future career (Edexcel GCSE German): Revision Notes
Future career
Asking about future careers
When discussing career aspirations in German, the fundamental question you need to master is "Was willst du später werden?" (What do you want to be later?). This question forms the foundation for all conversations about future career plans and professional ambitions.
Understanding how to ask about and discuss future careers is essential for both everyday conversations and exam situations. This question appears frequently in German language assessments.
Essential career vocabulary
Learning career-related vocabulary is crucial for expressing your professional goals and understanding career discussions in German.
Jobs and professions
| German | English |
|---|---|
| der Arzt / die Ärztin | doctor |
| der Chef / die Chefin | boss |
| der Kollege / die Kollegin | colleague |
| der Künstler / die Künstlerin | artist |
| der Manager / die Managerin | manager |
| der Polizist / die Polizistin | police officer |
| der Schauspieler / die Schauspielerin | actor/actress |
| der Schriftsteller / die Schriftstellerin | writer/author |
| der Tierarzt / die Tierärztin | vet |
| der Zahnarzt / die Zahnärztin | dentist |
Work-related terms
| German | English |
|---|---|
| der Bereich | area/sphere of work |
| der Beruf | career |
| die Firma | firm/company |
| die Karriere | career |
| gut bezahlt | well paid |
| bezahlen | to pay |
| gelingen | to succeed |
| gründen | to found/set up |
| verdienen | to earn |
| werden | to become |
Using Career Vocabulary in Context
Here are practical examples of how to use these terms in sentences:
- Ich möchte Ärztin werden. (I want to become a doctor.)
- Der Beruf ist gut bezahlt. (The job is well paid.)
- Sie will viel Geld verdienen. (She wants to earn a lot of money.)
Important grammar rules
Understanding the grammatical rules for discussing careers will help you communicate more accurately and avoid common mistakes.
Making job titles feminine
Most masculine job titles become feminine by adding -in to the end. Some also require an umlaut to be added to the vowel.
Converting Masculine to Feminine Job Titles
- der Arzt → die Ärztin (doctor)
- der Kollege → die Kollegin (colleague)
- der Manager → die Managerin (manager)
Using articles with job titles
This is one of the most important rules to remember when discussing careers in German.
Key rule: There is no article in front of job names when stating what you want to be.
Correct: Ich will Arzt sein. (I want to be a doctor.)
Incorrect: Ich will ein Arzt sein.
Exception: Use an article only when there's an adjective describing the job.
Example: Ich will ein guter Arzt sein. (I want to be a good doctor.)
Sample exam-style text
Understanding career discussions in context is essential for your exam preparation. Here's how career topics typically appear in German assessments:
Exam-Style Career Discussion
"Ich möchte später Polizistin sein. Die Arbeit ist nicht sehr gut bezahlt, aber der Kontakt zu anderen Menschen interessiert mich. Meine Eltern, die Lehrer sind, denken, ich soll Ärztin sein, um viel Geld zu verdienen, aber in diesem Beruf hat man sehr lange Arbeitszeiten ... lieber nicht!"
Translation: "I want to be a police officer later. The work isn't very well paid, but contact with other people interests me. My parents, who are teachers, think I should be a doctor to earn lots of money, but in this profession you have very long working hours ... I'd rather not!"
Travelling for work
When discussing working in different locations, understanding the correct preposition usage is crucial for accurate communication.
Countries without articles
For most countries that don't use articles in German:
-
Use nach to say you're travelling there:
- Ich reise nach Afrika. (I'm travelling to Africa.)
-
Use in to say you're staying/working there:
- Ich arbeite in Amerika. (I'm working in America.)
Countries with articles
Some countries use articles in German (e.g. die Schweiz, die Türkei).
Special Rules for Countries with Articles
- Change the case after in: Ich reise in die Türkei. (I'm travelling to Turkey.)
- Use in der for staying/working: Ich arbeite in der Türkei. (I'm working in Turkey.)
Translation practice
Practising translation helps reinforce your understanding of career vocabulary and grammar rules.
Translation Exercise
Translate into German:
- In the future I would like to become a dentist.
- The training is long but dentists are well paid.
Answers:
- In der Zukunft möchte ich Zahnarzt/Zahnärztin werden.
- Die Ausbildung ist lang, aber Zahnärzte sind gut bezahlt.
Key Points to Remember:
- Most masculine job titles become feminine by adding -in (some need umlauts too)
- No articles before job names unless there's an adjective
- Use nach for travelling to countries without articles, in for staying there
- Countries with articles (die Schweiz, die Türkei) need in die for movement, in der for location
- Learn both masculine and feminine forms of job titles for comprehensive understanding