Vocab list 3 (Edexcel GCSE German): Revision Notes
General vocabulary - List 3
This vocabulary list contains essential German words you need to know for your GCSE exam. These are general terms that appear frequently across different topics and contexts. Learning these words thoroughly will boost your confidence in reading, listening, speaking and writing tasks.
Essential verbs
| German | English |
|---|---|
| anbieten | to offer |
| anfangen | to start |
| anschauen (sich) | to look at, watch |
| aufhören | to stop |
| aufregen | to excite, upset, annoy |
| auswählen | to choose |
| beenden | to end |
| behandeln | to treat |
| behaupten | to maintain, claim |
| bemerken | to notice |
These verbs are particularly important because they appear in many different contexts and situations. Notice how several have separable prefixes (an-, auf-, aus-) which affect their meaning and grammar.
Example sentences in context:
- Wir fangen um acht Uhr an. (We start at eight o'clock.)
- Ich schaue mir den Film an. (I'm watching the film.)
- Sie hört mit dem Rauchen auf. (She's stopping smoking.)
- Das regt mich wirklich auf! (That really annoys me!)
Important nouns
| German | English |
|---|---|
| der Vordergrund | foreground |
| die Vorstellung | performance, idea, introduction |
| die Wahrheit | truth |
| die Art | type, species |
| die Aufmerksamkeit | attention |
| die Ausrüstung | equipment |
| der Beginn | beginning |
| die Behandlung | treatment |
| der Boden | floor, ground |
| die Decke | ceiling, blanket |
Always learn the gender (der/die/das) with each noun! This affects grammar throughout German and is essential for GCSE success.
Example sentences in context:
- Am Beginn des Jahres war alles anders. (At the beginning of the year everything was different.)
- Die Ausrüstung ist sehr teuer. (The equipment is very expensive.)
- Diese Art von Musik gefällt mir nicht. (I don't like this type of music.)
Useful adjectives and adverbs
| German | English |
|---|---|
| ähnlich | similar |
| aktuell | current |
| deutlich | clear |
| ehemalig | former |
| wichtig | important |
| wunderbar | wonderful |
| zufrieden | content, pleased |
| weit | far, wide |
| wenig | little |
| wenige | few |
These adjectives and adverbs are extremely versatile and can be used to describe almost any situation. Notice how wenig and wenige have different uses - wenig is for uncountable things, wenige is for countable things.
Example sentences in context:
- Das ist sehr ähnlich wie gestern. (That's very similar to yesterday.)
- Die aktuelle Situation ist schwierig. (The current situation is difficult.)
- Ich bin sehr zufrieden mit meinen Noten. (I'm very pleased with my marks.)
Essential connecting words and phrases
| German | English |
|---|---|
| zweit | second |
| zu Beginn | in the beginning |
| das Gute | the good (thing) |
| enthalten | to contain |
| entscheiden | to decide |
| die Entscheidung | decision |
| (sich) entschuldigen | to apologise, excuse |
| das Ereignis | event |
This section contains a mix of connecting phrases and related vocabulary. The phrase zu Beginn is particularly useful for structuring your writing and speaking responses.
Translation practice
Translation Practice Exercise
German to English:
- Die Einrichtung ist sehr modern.
- Er kann sich nicht entscheiden.
English to German:
- I notice that the treatment is working.
- The event begins at seven o'clock.
Answers:
- The furnishings are very modern.
- He can't decide.
- Ich bemerke, dass die Behandlung wirkt.
- Das Ereignis beginnt um sieben Uhr.
Exam tips
Learning verb forms: The source material suggests choosing verbs from this list and learning their past forms. This is crucial for GCSE success as you need to recognise and use different tenses correctly.
Key verbs to focus on for past forms:
- anfangen → fing an (started)
- aufhören → hörte auf (stopped)
- entscheiden → entschied (decided)
Pronunciation tips
Key Pronunciation Guidelines:
- ähnlich - Remember the umlaut changes the sound: "AYN-likh"
- Ausrüstung - The "ü" sound is like saying "ee" with rounded lips
- wichtig - The "ch" is a soft sound, like in "ich"
Practice these sounds regularly as correct pronunciation builds confidence in speaking tasks.
Remember!
Key Points to Remember:
- Build your vocabulary systematically - these general terms appear in many different contexts
- Learn gender markers for all nouns (der/die/das) as they affect grammar throughout
- Practice using words in sentences rather than just memorising isolated translations
- Focus on verb forms - knowing past tenses of key verbs like these will boost your exam performance
- Group similar words together to help with memory and understanding patterns in German