Postcard (Junior Cert German): Revision Notes
Postcard
What is a postcard?
A postcard is an informal message where you share news about your holiday or trip with friends and family. In German exams, you'll write about your activities, experiences, and impressions using simple, friendly language. The tone should be casual and personal, similar to texting a friend about your travels.
Postcards are typically short due to limited space, so you need to be direct and use familiar vocabulary. This writing task tests your ability to communicate basic information about holidays, weather, activities, and feelings in an informal setting.
Guidelines for writing your postcard
Your postcard should follow a clear structure that feels natural and friendly. Start with a warm greeting using the person's name, then tell them where you are and what you've been doing. Include at least two different activities to show variety in your experiences.
Always mention the weather, as this is an easy way to earn marks and Germans love discussing weather! Use past tense (Perfekt) when talking about completed activities like "Wir haben... besichtigt" (We visited...). Keep your sentences short and clear to fit the postcard format.
Sample Postcard Structure:
Opening: Liebe Anna, Hallo aus Berlin!
Status: Mir geht's gut. Das Wetter ist sonnig und warm.
Activities: Heute haben wir das Brandenburger Tor besichtigt. Wir sind auch ins Museum gegangen.
Opinion: Es macht viel Spaß! Das Essen ist sehr lecker.
Future: Morgen fahren wir nach München.
Closing: Liebe Grüße, Max
End with future plans or express anticipation, then close with a friendly phrase and your name. Remember to use informal language throughout - this means using du forms when addressing the reader.
Phrase bank
This phrase bank contains essential vocabulary organised by function. Learn these phrases thoroughly as they form the foundation of any good German postcard.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Opening greetings | |
| Liebe/Lieber [Name] | Dear [Name] |
| Hallo aus... | Hello from... |
| Wie geht's? | How are you? |
| Location and status | |
| Ich bin in... | I am in... |
| Wir sind in... | We are in... |
| Mir geht's gut | I'm well |
| Es ist... | It is... |
| Weather descriptions | |
| Das Wetter ist sonnig | The weather is sunny |
| Es ist heiß/kalt | It's hot/cold |
| schön/regnerisch | nice/rainy |
| Past activities | |
| Heute haben wir... | Today we have... |
| Wir haben... besichtigt | We visited... |
| Wir sind... gegangen | We went... |
| Ich habe... gekauft | I bought... |
| Opinions and reactions | |
| Es macht Spaß | It's fun |
| Das Essen ist lecker | The food is delicious |
| schrecklich | awful |
| Future plans | |
| Wir fahren morgen nach... | Tomorrow we are going to... |
| Ich freue mich auf... | I'm looking forwards to... |
| Places and activities | |
| Strand/Berge | Beach/Mountains |
| Museum/Schloss/Park | Museum/Castle/Park |
| Stadtzentrum | Town centre |
| Einkaufen gehen | Go shopping |
| Fotos machen | Take photos |
| Freunde treffen | Meet friends |
| Closing phrases | |
| Viele Grüße | Best wishes |
| Liebe Grüße | Kind regards |
| Schade | What a pity |
| Ich vermisse dich | I miss you |
Common mistakes and tips
Critical Grammar Rule: Many students forget that German nouns need capital letters - write das Wetter not das wetter and der Strand not der strand. This applies to all nouns, including places like Berlin and activities like das Museum.
Don't mix formal and informal language. Since postcards are casual, stick to du forms throughout rather than Sie. For example, write Wie geht's dir? not Wie geht es Ihnen?.
Word Order Mistake: Students often struggle with word order in German. Keep it simple with basic sentence patterns: subject + verb + rest. For example: Ich bin in Berlin (I am in Berlin) or Das Wetter ist schön (The weather is nice).
Include time markers like heute (today), gestern (yesterday), and morgen (tomorrow) to show when things happened or will happen. This demonstrates good German structure and helps you organise your ideas clearly.
Quality over Quantity: Remember that quality beats quantity - it's better to write shorter, accurate sentences than longer ones with mistakes. Learn a few reliable phrases that you can adapt for different postcards rather than trying to be too creative.
Remember!
Key Points for Success:
- Keep your postcard informal and friendly using du forms throughout
- Always include weather and at least two activities for easy marks
- Use past tense (Perfekt) for completed activities
- Capitalise all German nouns and include time markers for better structure
- End with future plans, a closing phrase, and your name for a complete postcard