Musical Instruments (Leaving Cert German): Revision Notes

Musical Instruments

Learning to talk about musical instruments is essential for discussing hobbies and interests in German. This vocabulary will help you express what you play, ask others about their musical abilities, and share opinions about different instruments.

Essential vocabulary

Understanding the correct articles for musical instruments is crucial, as German nouns require their proper gender markers. Here are the most common instruments you'll encounter:

German	English
die Gitarre	guitar
das Klavier	piano
die Geige	violin
das Schlagzeug	drums
die Trompete	trumpet
die Flöte	flute
das Saxophon	saxophone
die Klarinette	clarinet
das Keyboard	keyboard
die Harfe	harp
das Cello	cello
das Akkordeon	accordion
das Horn	horn
die Orgel	organ
das Banjo	banjo

Talking about playing instruments

When discussing musical abilities, German uses specific structures that differ from English. The verb "spielen" (to play) is always used with musical instruments, and importantly, you don't use the article when stating what instrument you play.

Example sentences:

• Ich spiele Gitarre. (I play guitar.)
• Meine Schwester spielt seit fünf Jahren Klavier. (My sister has been playing piano for five years.)
• Wir spielen zusammen in einer Band. (We play together in a band.)
• Sie übt jeden Tag eine Stunde Geige. (She practises violin for one hour every day.)
• Er lernt gerade Schlagzeug spielen. (He's currently learning to play drums.)

The phrase "seit + time period" is particularly useful for expressing how long someone has been playing an instrument, showing duration that continues to the present.

Asking about musical interests

When showing interest in others' musical abilities, you can use various question forms. These questions are common in conversations about hobbies and leisure activities.

Useful questions:

• Spielst du ein Instrument? (Do you play an instrument?)
• Welches Instrument spielst du? (Which instrument do you play?)
• Seit wann spielst du Klavier? (Since when have you played piano?)
• Möchtest du Trompete lernen? (Would you like to learn the trumpet?)
• Wie oft übst du? (How often do you practise?)

Expressing opinions about instruments

Being able to share your thoughts about different instruments helps create engaging conversations. These opinion phrases work well with various adjectives to describe your musical preferences.

Opinion expressions:

• Die Gitarre klingt toll. (The guitar sounds great.)
• Das Klavier ist mein Lieblingsinstrument. (The piano is my favourite instrument.)
• Ich finde die Geige schwierig. (I find the violin difficult.)
• Das Schlagzeug ist zu laut. (The drums are too loud.)
• Die Flöte hat einen schönen Klang. (The flute has a beautiful sound.)

Example dialogue

Common mistakes & tips

Remember!