Making Plans (Junior Cert German): Revision Notes
Long-term Plans
When learning German, being able to discuss your future aspirations is essential for meaningful conversations. This topic covers how to express career ambitions, living preferences, goals, and educational plans using appropriate vocabulary and sentence structures.
Talking about career plans
Understanding how to discuss your professional future helps you communicate your aspirations and understand others' career goals. The key vocabulary forms the foundation for these conversations.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| der Beruf | job/profession |
| die Karriere | career |
| arbeiten als | to work as |
| studieren | to study (at university) |
When expressing career intentions, German speakers often use "möchten" (would like) followed by an infinitive verb at the end of the sentence. This creates a polite way to share your plans:
- Ich möchte Arzt werden. → I would like to become a doctor.
- Ich will als Ingenieur arbeiten. → I want to work as an engineer.
- Sie plant, Jura zu studieren. → She plans to study law.
- Mein Traumberuf ist Lehrer. → My dream job is teacher.
Pronunciation tip: The "eu" in "Ingenieur" sounds like the "oy" in "boy".
Talking about where you'd like to live
Discussing living preferences involves specific vocabulary about locations and the verb "wohnen" (to live/reside). This helps you express geographical preferences and understand housing discussions.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| wohnen | to live |
| die Stadt | city |
| das Dorf | village |
| im Ausland | abroad |
Notice how "möchten" combines with location expressions to create natural-sounding sentences:
- Ich möchte in einer großen Stadt wohnen. → I would like to live in a big city.
- Er will in einem Dorf wohnen. → He wants to live in a village.
- Wir wollen im Ausland leben. → We want to live abroad.
- Sie möchte am Meer wohnen. → She would like to live by the sea.
Talking about ambitions
Expressing personal goals and dreams requires specific vocabulary that helps you discuss future aspirations. These words often appear in contexts about long-term planning.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| die Zukunft | future |
| das Ziel | goal |
| der Traum | dream |
| erreichen | to achieve |
German speakers use these terms to create meaningful statements about their aspirations:
- Mein Ziel ist, ein eigenes Geschäft zu haben. → My goal is to have my own business.
- Ich möchte meine Träume erreichen. → I want to achieve my dreams.
- In der Zukunft will ich mehr reisen. → In the future I want to travel more.
- Ein Traum von mir ist, ein Buch zu schreiben. → One of my dreams is to write a book.
Talking about education plans
Educational discussions require vocabulary about formal learning pathways. These terms help you navigate conversations about academic and vocational training.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| das Studium | university studies |
| die Ausbildung | training/apprenticeship |
| sich bewerben | to apply |
| die Prüfung | exam |
When discussing educational plans, Germans often use future-oriented language structures:
- Ich möchte Medizin studieren. → I would like to study medicine.
- Er macht eine Ausbildung als Mechaniker. → He is doing training as a mechanic.
- Ich werde mich an der Universität bewerben. → I will apply to the university.
- Sie möchte ihre Prüfungen bestehen. → She would like to pass her exams.
Expressing future intentions
Different verbs help express varying degrees of certainty and politeness when discussing future plans. Understanding these nuances improves your conversational skills.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| werden | will (future auxiliary) |
| möchten | would like |
| hoffen | to hope |
| planen | to plan |
These verbs create different tones in your conversations:
- Ich werde in einer internationalen Firma arbeiten. → I will work in an international company.
- Ich möchte in einem warmen Land leben. → I would like to live in a warm country.
- Wir hoffen, ein Haus zu kaufen. → We hope to buy a house.
- Sie plant, in zehn Jahren eine Familie zu haben. → She plans to have a family in ten years.
Translation practice
Practice: Translation
- Ich möchte Lehrer werden.
- Wir planen, im Ausland zu studieren.
- I hope to achieve my goals.
- He wants to live in a big city.
Answers:
- I would like to become a teacher.
- We plan to study abroad.
- Ich hoffe, meine Ziele zu erreichen.
- Er will in einer großen Stadt wohnen.
Common mistakes and tips
Critical Grammar Points to Avoid Common Errors:
Word order errors: Remember that "werden" requires the infinitive verb at the sentence end.
- Wrong: "Ich werden Arzt möchte."
- Correct: "Ich möchte Arzt werden."
Register confusion: Use "möchten" for polite expressions and "wollen" for stronger intentions. "Möchten" sounds more courteous in formal situations.
Linking words: Connect your ideas using "weil" (because) and "deshalb" (therefore) to explain your reasoning: "Ich möchte Arzt werden, weil ich Menschen helfen möchte."
Exam preparation: Watch for future indicators like "möchte", "werde", "planen" in listening exercises. In writing tasks, use varied sentence starters and future tense forms to demonstrate range.
Key Points to Remember:
- Use "möchten" + infinitive for polite future plans
- "Werden" + infinitive creates the future tense with the verb at sentence end
- Career vocabulary (der Beruf, die Karriere) appears frequently in conversations
- Location expressions with "wohnen" help discuss living preferences
- Linking words like "weil" and "deshalb" strengthen your explanations