Long-Term Plans (Leaving Cert German): Revision Notes
Long-Term Plans
Making plans for the future is an important topic in German conversation. Whether you're discussing career aspirations, where you'd like to live, or your educational goals, having the right vocabulary will help you express your ambitions clearly and confidently.
Career plans and professions
When talking about your future career, you'll need specific vocabulary to express your professional ambitions and plans.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| der Beruf | job/profession |
| die Karriere | career |
| arbeiten als | to work as |
| studieren | to study (at university) |
| der Arzt/die Ärztin | doctor |
| der Ingenieur/die Ingenieurin | engineer |
| der Lehrer/die Lehrerin | teacher |
| der Traumberuf | dream job |
Notice that many German professions have both masculine and feminine forms. The feminine form typically adds "-in" to the masculine version, like der Arzt → die Ärztin.
Example sentences for career plans:
- Ich möchte Arzt werden. → I would like to become a doctor.
- Sie will als Ingenieurin arbeiten. → She wants to work as an engineer.
- Mein Traumberuf ist Lehrerin. → My dream job is teacher.
- Er plant, Jura zu studieren. → He plans to study law.
Where you'd like to live
Expressing where you want to live in the future requires vocabulary about different types of locations and living situations. This topic often comes up when discussing lifestyle choices and personal preferences.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| wohnen | to live |
| die Stadt | city |
| das Dorf | village |
| im Ausland | abroad |
| am Meer | by the sea |
| auf dem Land | in the countryside |
| eine große Stadt | a big city |
| ein warmes Land | a warm country |
Example sentences for living preferences:
- Ich möchte in einer großen Stadt wohnen. → I would like to live in a big city.
- Wir wollen im Ausland leben. → We want to live abroad.
- Sie möchte am Meer wohnen. → She would like to live by the sea.
- Er will auf dem Land leben. → He wants to live in the countryside.
Ambitions and goals
To discuss your personal ambitions and what you hope to achieve, you'll need vocabulary that expresses dreams, goals, and aspirations.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| die Zukunft | future |
| das Ziel | goal |
| der Traum | dream |
| erreichen | to achieve |
| erfolgreich sein | to be successful |
| berühmt werden | to become famous |
| viel Geld verdienen | to earn lots of money |
| die Welt bereisen | to travel the world |
The verb erreichen is particularly useful for expressing achievement of goals. It's often used with both concrete objectives (ein Ziel erreichen) and abstract concepts (Erfolg erreichen).
Example sentences for ambitions:
- Mein Ziel ist, ein eigenes Geschäft zu haben. → My goal is to have my own business.
- In der Zukunft will ich mehr reisen. → In the future I want to travel more.
- Ich möchte meine Träume erreichen. → I want to achieve my dreams.
- Ein Traum von mir ist, ein Buch zu schreiben. → One of my dreams is to write a book.
Education plans
When discussing your educational future, these terms will help you talk about university, training, and academic goals.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| das Studium | university studies |
| die Ausbildung | training/apprenticeship |
| sich bewerben | to apply |
| die Prüfung | exam |
| die Universität | university |
| der Abschluss | qualification/degree |
| bestehen | to pass (an exam) |
Key distinction: studieren is used specifically for university-level study, while lernen is for general learning. Don't confuse these two verbs - it's a common mistake that can affect clarity in conversation.
Example sentences for education plans:
- 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
There are several ways to express what you plan to do in the future, each with slightly different meanings and uses. Understanding these nuances will help you communicate your intentions more precisely.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| werden | will (future auxiliary) |
| möchten | would like |
| hoffen | to hope |
| planen | to plan |
| vorhaben | to intend |
| wollen | to want |
Politeness levels: möchten is considered more polite than wollen when expressing wishes or desires. Use möchten in formal situations or when being courteous.
Example sentences for future intentions:
- Ich werde in einer internationalen Firma arbeiten. → I will work in an international company.
- 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.
- Ich habe vor, nächstes Jahr zu heiraten. → I intend to get married next year.
Example dialogue: Discussing Future Plans
Anna: Was sind deine Pläne für die Zukunft? Tom: Ich möchte Informatik studieren und später als Programmierer arbeiten. Und du? Anna: Mein Traum ist es, Ärztin zu werden. Ich will Menschen helfen. Tom: Das ist ein toller Beruf! Wo möchtest du arbeiten? Anna: Am liebsten in einem Krankenhaus in einer großen Stadt. Vielleicht sogar im Ausland.
Translation: Anna: What are your plans for the future? Tom: I'd like to study computer science and later work as a programmer. And you? Anna: My dream is to become a doctor. I want to help people. Tom: That's a great profession! Where would you like to work? Anna: Preferably in a hospital in a big city. Maybe even abroad.
Common mistakes and tips to avoid errors:
Mistake 1: Forgetting that werden requires the infinitive at the end of the sentence.
- ❌ Ich werde Arzt bin.
- ✅ Ich werde Arzt werden.
Mistake 2: Confusing studieren (university study) with lernen (general learning).
- Use studieren only for university subjects: Ich studiere Medizin.
- Use lernen for general learning: Ich lerne Deutsch.
Mistake 3: Mixing up word order with modal verbs.
- ❌ Ich möchte werden Lehrer.
- ✅ Ich möchte Lehrer werden.
Pronunciation tip: The 'ö' in möchten sounds like the 'u' in 'hurt'. Don't pronounce it like 'o' in 'hot'.
Exam tip: When writing about future plans, use linking words like weil (because), deshalb (therefore), and außerdem (furthermore) to connect your ideas and show reasoning.
Key Points to Remember:
- Use werden + infinitive to express definite future plans
- Möchten is more polite than wollen when expressing wishes
- Studieren is only for university-level study
- Connect your ideas with linking words to sound more natural
- Practice using different ways to express the same future intention