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How to start, write and end a letter in German [formal + informal]

Marie Schmoll

“Dear reader,

Today i picked up my pen to write to you about the long lost art of letter writing.”.

We all know how to text and send quick emails full of abbreviations but when was the last time you sat down to write someone a letter with pen and paper? Taking the time to do this will show the other person you’ve put in some real effort, which is likely to get you what you want - whether you’re trying to impress a German love interest, writing a complaint letter to a German company or asking that nice German-speaking sales rep about the delicious perfume you didn’t get the chance to buy.

Getting those letters right demonstrates your commitment to effective cross-cultural communication and impresses the other person. So we’ll teach you exactly how to write a letter in German.

Why learn how to write a letter in German?

In German-speaking countries, it’s still fairly common to write letters, especially to formal offices or your bank. These are often the kind of important letters you want to get just right - but watch out! Writing a letter in German is not just like writing an English letter in a different language.

There are a number of things to take into account that will be different - starting with the size. In Germany, all standard mail comes in the size A4, not letterbox. It’s what people print their documents on and the size you’ll see in all stationery.

Next up, you wanna get your format and tone of voice right, and make sure your greeting and sign off are appropriate. Luckily there are a number of fool-proof words and phrases you can learn or copy and once you get them right, you’ll come off as a sophisticated German-speaker.

Key letter writing vocabulary to keep in mind

Let’s get started with these important letter-related words.

Formatting a letter in German

If you’re talking to a friend or a loved one, you can obviously relax about formatting your letter - but for any other purposes, try to stick to the common format, with this step by step guide on how to write a formal or a business letter in German:

• Start by placing your address on the top left corner of the page
• Next, add the recipient's address, aligned on the top right corner. Remember to include their name, street, postal code, and city.
• On the top right, write the date in long format (19. Juni 2023)
• If you’re using reference numbers, include them below the recipient's address, on the right-hand side and feel free to put them in parentheses or square brackets
• Add a polite salutation like “ Sehr geehrter/ Sehr geehrte ” if you’re addressing a stranger, followed by “ Herr/Frau ” and the person’s last name
• State what you want. No matter how long German words usually are, keep your content short and to the point by avoiding unnecessary fluff
• Sign off with a greeting like “ Mit freundlichen Grüßen ”, plus your name, and make sure you sign the letter by hand, even if you typed out the rest

How to write the date on a letter in German

German dates are a little different from the American standard:

• The conventional date format is DD.MM.YYYY. So, if today is June 10, 2023, you would write it as 10.06.2023
• When writing dates within a paragraph, remember to capitalize the days of the week (Montag, Dienstag, etc.) and months (Januar, Februar, etc.)
• Also, Germans use a dot (.) as the separator, not of a comma (,)

How to write a formal or business letter in German

Formal letters in German require a professional tone and adherence to proper etiquette. When writing a formal letter to a stranger in German, remember to:

• Use the appropriate formal pronouns, such as " Sie " instead of " du "
• Maintain a clear and concise structure
• Stick to polite and respectful language, avoid slang
• Learn about German business vocab and etiquette

Formal letter greetings

How to start a formal letter in german.

When it comes to crafting a formal letter, keep in mind why you’re writing the letter and what you’re hoping to get from the recipient.

Whether you’re applying for a job, writing an apology or trying to sell a product, we’ve collected just the right phrases to start your letter in German.

Cover letters when applying for a job

Letter of enquiry, letter of complaint, letter of apology.

For more ways to apologize in German, check out this helpful guide !

Letter of response

Letter of sales / promotion, how to sign off or end a formal letter in german.

If you need more inspiration for signing off a letter or an email, head to our guide on saying goodbye in German !

Example of a formal letter in German

Absender: Sophie Schaller An der Welle 3 60486 Frankfurt am Main

Empfänger: Frau Milena Eichbaum Leiterin der Parfumabteilung Drogeriegeschäft Kranz Hauptstraße 5 10178 Berlin

Frankfurt am Main, den 7. Juni 2023

Betreff: Anfrage bezüglich eines bestimmten Parfums

Sehr geehrte Frau Eichbaum,

Ich hoffe, diese Zeilen erreichen Sie in bester Gesundheit und Stimmung. Vor Kurzem hatte ich das Vergnügen, Ihr Geschäft zu besuchen, wo ich in den Genuss Ihrer exzellenten Beratung in der Parfumabteilung kam.

Zu meinem Bedauern musste ich meine Suche nach dem perfekten Duft unterbrechen, da ich einen unerwarteten Anruf erhielt und das Geschäft vorzeitig verließ. Da wir während meiner Beratung mehrere Parfums ausprobiert haben, ist mir leider der Name des Parfums entfallen, das mir so gut gefiel.

Ich erinnere mich noch vage daran, dass es eine blaue Flasche hatte und herrlich nach Jasmin und Vanille duftete, mit einer weiteren Note, die mich an den Strand erinnerte. Ich wäre Ihnen sehr dankbar, wenn Sie mir helfen könnten, dieses spezielle Parfum zu identifizieren.

Ich freue mich auf Ihre Antwort und bedanke mich im Voraus für Ihre Hilfe!

Mit freundlichen Grüßen,

Sophie Schaller

Translation:

Sender: Sophie Schaller An der Welle 3 60486 Frankfurt am Main

Recipient: Frau Milena Eichbaum Leiterin der Parfumabteilung Drogeriegeschäft Kranz Hauptstraße 5 10178 Berlin

Frankfurt am Main, June 7, 2023

Subject: Inquiry regarding a specific perfume

Dear Mrs. Eichbaum,

I hope these lines reach you in the best of health and spirits. I recently had the pleasure of visiting your store, where I had the honor of receiving your excellent advice in the perfume department.

To my regret, I had to interrupt my search for the perfect fragrance as I received an unexpected phone call and left the store early. Unfortunately, since we tried several perfumes during my consultation, I forgot the name of the perfume that I liked so much.

I vaguely remember that it had a blue bottle and smelled delightfully of jasmine and vanilla, with another note that reminded me of the beach. I would be very grateful if you could help me identify this particular perfume.

I look forward to your reply and thank you in advance for your help!

With kind regards,

How to write an informal letter in German

If you have German-speaking friends, I’m sure it would absolutely make their day if they got a handwritten letter from you!

It can be to a new acquaintance you met in transit at the Frankfurt airport or the coworker from your company’s German team that you’ve recently befriended.

Or you can go online and find a German-speaking pen pal, which is a super fun way to practice your German language skills !

Informal letters give you the liberty to write in a more personal and relaxed tone. They commonly start with a friendly greeting like " Liebe/r " (Dear) or " Hallo " (Hello) and end with casual sign-offs such as " Viele Grüße " (Many Greetings) or " Bis bald " (See you soon) - and in between you can get creative and say whatever comes to mind.

Informal letter greetings

When crafting an informal letter to a friend or a loved one, don’t worry about a formal greeting!

How to start an informal letter in German

You’re not trying to open a new bank account or complain about a service. This is a letter to a regular person in your life, so just write the way you’d talk to them!

How to sign off or end an informal letter in German

Sign off your letter with one of these phrases and don’t forget your name after that!

How to write an email in German

If this all sounds like a little too much work and you’re wondering how to write a German email instead, keep these things in mind:

• Punctuality: Most Germans value punctuality, so try to respond to emails in a timely manner
• Formality: Even in emails, it's common to use formal greetings and sign-offs if you don’t know the other person well
• Structure: Like traditional letters, German emails also tend to follow a specific structure with a greeting, body, and conclusion
• Politeness: Germans generally prefer directness in communication, but it's essential to stay polite. Consider using phrases like " Ich würde mich freuen, wenn... " (I would appreciate it if...) to make requests more courteous
• Fonts: Stick to professional, easy-to-read fonts such as Arial or Times New Roman. Avoid colored fonts and excessive use of bold or italic text
• Emojis: Generally avoid emojis in formal emails to strangers but if you do know the other person, go ahead. Using emojis in writing is like smiling while talking!

“Alles Liebe”

As you set out to write your own letters and emails in German, remember that each one of them is an opportunity to deepen connections, express your thoughts, and participate in a cultural exchange. So, grab that pen or start typing, and let your words brighten someone’s day!

P.S.: If you’re looking for more inspiring articles that all read like little love letters to the German language, find our German vocabulary blog!

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How to write a letter in German

by Jakob Straub

Published on February 15, 2021 / Updated on January 8, 2024

Have you ever needed to write a letter in German?

In this digital age, we can fortunately attend to many issues via email or even instant messenger .

But on many formal occasions, it’s still necessary to send a written letter, whether you’re applying for a job or apartment, applying for a visa , inquiring with an official government agency or when dealing with a lawyer, insurance agency, or other representatives of bureaucracy.

Many services in Germany are still not digitalized and formal communication through regular mail is still quite common. That’s why writing a letter in German is still a useful skill to have to master your daily life in the country.

Read on to learn more on:

Start your letter with the right header

Rules for writing a formal german letter, rules for writing an informal german letter, how to address an envelope in germany, how to post a letter in germany, learn languages at your pace.

A formal letter in German   should begin with a proper header. This consists of the sender’s address followed by that of the recipient. Include the country for an international address.

Next is a line stating the place from where the letter originates, followed by the date you posted it. You can then include an optional subject line (“Betreffzeile”) before a formal greeting, after which you begin the body text of your letter.

You can use a smaller font size for your own address at the top of the letter to save space. When using an envelope with a window ( Fensterumschlag ), you need to line up the recipient’s address with the window. The window area begins 50mm from the top of the page and is 40mm in height with an indentation of at least 20mm. German rules are complicated, aren’t they?

The line with the place and date is aligned to the right and can be written as “Berlin, 25.10.2020” or “Berlin, Donnerstag den 20. Februar, 2020”.

A subject line is optional but helps to quickly establish what the letter is about. You can put a reference number, customer ID, or the reason you’re writing the letter.

Sample of how to begin a formal letter in German

The following are examples for formal greeting lines when composing a letter in German:

1. Use formal greetings

• Guten Tag Herr Mustermann, – Good day Mr. Mustermann
• Sehr geehrter Herr Professor Doktor Brecht,  – Dear Professor Doctor Brecht – note that the title comes after gender-specific noun and before the actual name
• Sehr geehrter Herr Präsident,  – Dear Mister President
• Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,  – Dear Sir/Madam – note that the German is actually plural and is the equivalent of “To whom it may concern”
• Liebe Frau Treibholz,  – Dear Mrs. Treibholz – less formal but still very polite

Continue addressing the recipient formally throughout your German letter: use “Sie”, “Ihr”, and “Ihnen” as pronouns, and don’t forget to capitalize the words!

2. Find the right opening line

Depending on the subject of your letter, you might open with one of the following lines:

• ich schreibe Ihnen weil…  – I’m writing to you because…
• ich nehme Bezug auf Ihr Schreiben vom…  – I’m referring to your letter dated…
• ich habe folgendes Anliegen:  – I have the following request:

Pro tip : Take note that the formal greeting ends in a coma and the following opening line of the letter begins with a lowercase word.

3. End with the right closing

To formally conclude a letter in German, you can use one of these salutations:

• Mit freundlichen Grüßen  – Sincerely yours – literally “with friendly salutations”
• Ich freue mich auf Ihre Antwort  – I look forward to your reply
• Ich danke Ihnen für Ihre Aufmerksamkeit und verbleibe mit freundlichen Grüßen   – I thank you for your attention and remain with kind regards

Pro tip : No need to put a comma after the closing! You can just skip it and write your name directly under the closing salutations.

4. Sign, seal and deliver

Don’t forget to sign your letter with your name. If you’re attaching documents such as a cover letter , CV or a certificate, you can include all attachments as an itemized list after your sign-off with Anlagen ” or Anhang as a headline.

Depending on how informal your relationship to the recipient actually is, there are hardly any rules you need to follow when composing a letter to a  German friend . You can include the entire letterhead as you would for a formal letter, though you’d probably leave out a subject line.

Informal greetings

Yet it’s more common to just include the place and date to let the addressee know when and whence you’re writing. After that, you can greet and say hello with any type of informal greeting you prefer:

• Liebe Frau Müller,  – Dear Ms. Müller
• Lieber Andreas,  – Dear Andreas
• Hallo,  – Hello
• Hallo Martin,  – Hello Martin
• Hallo mein Lieber, / Hallo meine Liebe,  – Hello my love

Don’t forget that adjectives or nouns need to correspond properly to the gender of the recipient. Same as with a formal letter, the first line is not capitalized.

Informal closing

To close your letter informally in German, you can sign off any way you like. Final salutations are often warm and intimate in German and express best wishes:

• Herzlichst  – Cordially
• Viele Grüße  – Best regards
• Liebe Grüße / Viele liebe Grüße  – Lots of love
• Alles Liebe – Lots of love
• Beste Wünsche  – Best wishes
• Dein  – Yours, male version
• Deine  – Yours, female version
• In Liebe  – With love–reserve that one for your significant other!

Ideally, you’ll address an envelope for your German letter with printed labels, but you can also write out the address (legibly!) by hand.

Keep these rules in mind to not delay your letter unnecessarily by sorting problems:

• Only write on the front of the envelope.
• Put the sender’s address (your own) in the top left corner but not too close to the edge.
• Put the recipient’s address in the bottom right corner, but leave a margin of at least 15mm from the left and right edge and the bottom, and at least 40mm from the top.
• Alternatively, you can place the recipient’s address 50mm from the top and 20mm from the left–that’s where the window begins on a window envelope.

For mailing your letter, go to an office of the Deutsche Post (German post) or look up the required postage online. The postage varies with the size, weight, and destination of your letter. If you have the correct stamp at hand, you can place your letter in one of the public yellow mailboxes. Keep in mind that they’ll be emptied only once or twice daily.

For fast delivery or questions about postage, it’s best to go to an office or private mail carrier service. You’ll be able to ask about delivery times and options in person.

Practice your letter writing skills

German letter writing isn’t all that different from what you’re probably used to. Just be aware of what type of letter you are writing ( formal or informal ) and make sure to use the proper salutations and closings. And with a few more rules to keep in mind, you’ll surely be writing your next letter like a true German!

Jakob Straub

Jakob is a freelance writer in Barcelona, Spain, and his favorite books have pages all empty. As an expert storyteller, he publishes creative fiction in English and German and helps other authors shape their manuscripts into compelling stories. Thanks to an expertise in a wide range of topics such as writing, literature and productivity to marketing, travel, and technology, he produces engaging content for his clients. Apart from the escape that books offer, Jakob enjoys traveling digital nomad style and stays active with climbing and hiking. Find out more about him on his website or on Goodreads .

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How To Introduce Yourself in German: 8 Useful Phrases

Hello Junkies,

The first thing any beginner German learner needs is an introduction.

Why? Well, who are you? Why are you learning German and why should anyone care? When will you finally start speaking German?

An introduction gives you something to say right now!

So, right now, you’re going to learn how to introduce yourself in German. Check out the phrases. Say them out loud. Play the audio to hear real German. Cool? Cool.

Let’s jump in.

1. Wie heißt du? What’s your name? (informal)

Of course, the first thing you need to know is… the actual question: “What’s your name” in German? Why? Because people will ask you this. So you need to know it.

• Literal translation: What do you call yourself? (informal)
• Meaning: What’s your name?
• Pronunciation: VEE HI-SST DOO?
• The German consonant “ß” is pronounced “ss.”
• The German vowel combination “EI” is pronounced like the “I” in “island.”

By the way,  you should also hear REAL German. So, here’s a free German audio lesson from GermanPod101 – a popular German learning program. Press play and learn how to introduce yourself.

• Lesson #1 – What’s Your Name in German
• Free Lesson by  GermanPod101.com  >> click here for more free audio lessons .

2. Wie heißen Sie? What’s your name? (formal)

This is a more formal way of asking “what’s your name” in German.

• Literal translation: What do you call yourself? (formal)
• Pronunciation: VEE HI-SSEN ZEE?
• “Sie” must have a capital “S,” since it means “YOU (formal).” When it has a lowercase “s” it can mean “she” or “they.”  

Now, that you know the questions… Let’s answer it. Here are some ways to introduce yourself in German.

3. Mein Name ist _____. My name is _____.

• Literal translation / Meaning: My name is…
• Pronunciation: MINE NAH-MAEH IST …

This is a formal way to introduce yourself. It literally means: “My name is…”

4. Ich heiße ____. I call myself ____.

• Literal translation: I call myself… / I am called …
• Meaning: My name is…
• Pronunciation: EEH (h as in huge) HI-SAEH …

5. Ich bin ____. I am ____.

You can also use this alternative to introduce yourself, which literally means: “I am…”

• Literal translation / Meaning: I am…
• Pronunciation: EEH (h as in huge) bin

6. Es freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen. Nice to meet you. (formal)

You will also need to know how to say “nice to meet you” in German, right? Well, go ahead and use this phrase.

• Pronunciation: ES FROH-EET MIH (h as in huge) ZEE KEHN-NEN-TSOO-LEHR-NEHN
• Shorter version: Freut mich!

Note, that it has a shorter version that you can use (Freut mich!)

7. Ich komme aus den (place). I am from (place).

• I am from (place) .
• I’m from America.
• I’m from Germany.
• I’m from France.

8. Ich bin (age #) alt. I am (age #) years old.

Here’s how you say how old you are in German.

• Ich bin (age #) alt.
• I am 18 years old.

9. Ich bin (occupation). I am (a/an occupation).

Remember this phrase? You learned it above as a way to introduce yourself in German. For example,  “Ich bin Bob = I am Bob.” But, you can also use it to talk about your work or occupation.

• Ich bin (occupation) .
• I am a teacher.
• I am a student.

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100+ Important Business German Words, Phrases and Sentences

This Business German article will help you with important words, phrases and sentences which will be useful in your workplace as well as in formal situations.

Talking to strangers or executives, you will use the formal “Sie” form and not the “du” form. You can read more about these forms in our article 3 Types of German Pronouns with Free Quiz .

You will also use the “Konjunktiv II” or the “K2” form more often in this case. You can read more about this form in the article The Subjunctive II (Konjunktiv II) in German on the website “German Very Easy “. To put it simply, this form is used to make requests or ask questions in a very polite manner. Keep reading for examples.

English : Please try the following. German without K2 : Probieren Sie Folgendes. German with K2 : Wäre es möglich, dass Sie Folgendes probieren?

Let us know in the comments if you want us to write an article on “K2”.

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We have listed vocabulary in a generic way related to all professions below. Check out our vocabulary topic Berufe to learn more vocabulary about professions with flashcards and audio.

Business German for Telephone Conversations

Formal telephonic conversations in German will be slightly different than the regular informal conversations. As discussed above already, make use of the formal “Sie” form and “K2” .

Business German for Emails

In the opening lines of emails, instead of the more informal hello, a formal way is used to address the people. Keep reading to learn more. Also check out our guide to writing formal emails in German here.

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If you would like to learn more about Business German, let us know the topics in the comments section below or contact us here .

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I would like to thank you for the efforts you have put in penning this site.

I really hope to view the same high-grade blog posts from you in the future as well. In fact, your creative writing abilities has inspired me to get my own, personal website now 😉

Thank you so much Han! 🙂 Glad to know that you like our blog posts.

Really great and well done… Yours phb

Thank you. I find it really helpful as a German total beginner.

thank you very much for this lesson

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24 German Essay Phrases

We need to talk about your German essays.

Essay writing is a skill that you can learn in any language.

All you need is to brush up your vocabulary and follow a few simple strategies, and you’ll be well on your way to writing your first masterpiece.

This post will provide you with a list of useful German words and phrases to include in your next essay, plus the different types of German essays, a few writing strategies and even a sample essay at the end. 

German Essay Phrases

General explaining, ordering facts and ideas, demonstrating contrast, expressing your opinion, summarizing and concluding, what are german essays like, the different types of german essays, how to write an essay in german in 4 steps, 1. write down a list of words , 2. do your research, 3. make an outline using transition words, 4. write directly in german, an example of a german essay, and one more thing....

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Let’s start with the words and phrases themselves. As you’ll see, they’re grouped according to how and when you’ll use them. Let’s start off with some that will help you explain your arguments.

1. Weil (Because)

Daniel muss lernen, weil er morgen einen Test hat.

(Daniel has to study because he has a test tomorrow.)

2. Da (Because)

Daniel muss lernen, da er morgen einen Test hat.

3. Denn (Because)

Daniel muss lernen, denn er hat morgen einen Test.

(Daniel has to study because tomorrow he has a test.)

A quick note: Weil, da and denn are generally interchangeable. Keep in mind though that denn requires a different word order.

4. Damit (In order to; So that)

Lisa lernt viel, damit sie den Test besteht.

(Lisa is studying a lot in order to pass the test.)

5. Um (To; In order to)

Lisa lernt viel, um den Test zu bestehen.

(Lisa is studying a lot to pass the test.)

6. Im Grunde (Basically; Fundamentally)

Im Grunde ist Deutsch keine schwierige Sprache.

(Fundamentally, German is not a difficult language.)

7. Eigentlich (Actually)

Eigentlich ist Deutsch nicht so schwierig, wie es scheint.

(Actually, German is not as difficult as it seems.)

8. Ein Beispiel anführen  (To give an example)

Ich möchte ein Beispiel anführen .

(I would like to give an example.)

9. Dieses Beispiel zeigt, dass… (This example shows that…)

Dieses Beispiel zeigt, dass das Lernen einer Fremdsprache beim Reisen viele Vorteile hat.

(This example shows that studying a foreign language has many advantages when traveling.)

10. Erstens… zweitens… (Firstly… secondly…)

Erstens kann man sich auf Reisen besser verständigen und zweitens lernt man viele neue Leute kennen.

(Firstly, you can communicate better while traveling, and secondly, you meet many new people.)

11. Das Wichtigste ist…  (T he most important thing is…)

Das Wichtigste ist , die Angst vor der Sprache zu verlieren.

(The most important thing is to lose your fear of the language.)

12. Außer dem (Furthermore)

Außerdem kann man beim Reisen seine Sprachkenntnisse verbessern.

(Furthermore, you can improve your language knowledge while traveling.)

13. Nicht nur… sondern auch…  (Not only… but also…)

Nicht nur im Unterricht, sondern auch im Alltag kann man viel Deutsch lernen.

(Not only in class, but also in everyday life you can learn a lot of German.)

14. Obwohl (Even though)

Obwohl Anna viel lernt, hat sie Probleme mit der deutschen Grammatik.

(Even though Anna studies a lot, she has problems with German grammar.)

15. Allerdings (However)

Anna lernt gerne Deutsch, allerdings hat sie Probleme mit der Grammatik.

(Anna enjoys studying German; however, she has problems with the grammar.)

16. Trotz   (Despite)

Trotz ihrer Probleme mit der Grammatik lernt Anna gerne Deutsch.

(Despite her problems with German grammar, Anna enjoys studying German.)

17. Im Vergleich zu (In comparison to)

Im Vergleich zu Russisch ist Deutsch eine einfache Sprache.

In comparison to Russian, German is an easy language.

18. Im Gegensatz zu (In contrast to; Unlike)

Im Gegensatz zu Anna lernt Paul gerne neue Vokabeln.

Unlike Anna, Paul enjoys learning new vocabulary.

19. Meiner Meinung nach (In my opinion)

Meiner Meinung nach sollte jeder eine Fremdsprache lernen.

(In my opinion, everybody should study a foreign language.)

20. Ich bin der Ansicht, dass…  (I believe that…)

Ich bin der Ansicht, dass jeder eine Fremdsprache lernen sollte.

(I believe that everybody should study a foreign language.)

21. Ich finde es schade, dass…  (I think it’s a pity that…)

Ich finde es schade, dass die Schulen keine anderen Fremdsprachen unterrichten.

(I think it’s a pity that schools don’t teach other foreign languages.)

22. Alles in Allem (Overall)

Alles in allem ist Deutsch nicht so schwierig, wie es scheint.

(Overall, German isn’t as difficult as it seems.)

23. Im Großen und Ganzen (Overall)

Im Großen und Ganzen ist Deutsch keine schwierige Sprache.

(Overall, German isn’t a difficult language.)

24. Zusammenfassend kann man sagen, dass…  (In summary, it can be said that…)

Zusammenfassend kann man sagen, dass Sprachen beim Reisen sehr hilfreich sein können.

(In summary, it can be said that languages can be very helpful when traveling.)

Ok, let’s get a little deeper into the actual essays themselves. How do they compare to the essays that you’re probably used to writing?

• They have a similar structure to English essays. Remember how English essays have a beginning, middle and end? Good news: German essays contain those same parts. When you’re writing a German essay, you’ll want to include an opening paragraph with your argument, three supporting paragraphs that further your argument and a conclusion. German and English are often surprisingly similar, and essay structure is no exception.
• German essays are more to the point. Although German essays and English essays are structured similarly, German essays—just like German speakers—tend to be more blunt and to the point. You won’t need to dance around your conclusions or obfuscate in German: just say what you mean.
• German punctuation is different. Germans have different rules for punctuation than English speakers. For example, Germans introduce a direct quote with a colon instead of a comma. They use quotes instead of italics for the names of books, movies and newspapers. And they set off relative clauses beginning with dass (that) with a comma, unlike in American English. Understanding these differences between English and German punctuation will ensure you don’t give yourself away as a non-native speaker through punctuation marks alone!

Before you get started on your essay, make sure you know what type of essay you’re going to write. If it’s a school essay, be sure to read and understand the instructions.

Here are a few notes about the most common kinds of essays in German.

• An Erzählung  is a narrative essay that tells a story. Your teacher might give you some keywords or pictures and ask you to create a story around it. An Erlebniserzählung (“experience story”) is about a personal experience and can be written in the first person.
• An Erörterung is an argumentative essay, a writing piece meant to persuade someone to think the way you do. This writing genre requires you to investigate your topic well and provide evidence to prove your point.
• In a Nacherzählung you summarize and recount a book, a film or an article you have read, from an objective perspective. Depending on the essay instructions, you might be asked for your personal opinion in the conclusion.

Are you ready to start writing? Use these four strategies to wow your teachers and write the perfect German essay.

You should look at any new activity as an opportunity to learn and master new vocabulary . Instead of using the same words that you use in your everyday German speech, use this essay as an opportunity to introduce new words into your German lexicon.

Besides, incorporating academic words that help you craft and shape your argument can make your essay sound more professional and polished. So before you start writing, write down a list of the German words you’d like to incorporate in your essay.

As with everything else, you should look at the research portion of the essay-writing process as an opportunity to learn more about Germany—this time, about German culture, history , politics or travel .

Chances are if you’re writing your essay for a language-learning class, you’ll be assigned a topic pertaining to one of these aspects of German life, so use this as a chance to learn more about Deutschland.

For example, Deutsche Welle offers information and resources about German history. Other newspapers such as Berliner Zeitung and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung offer another perspective on politics and daily life in Germany.

There’s nothing clunkier than an essay that doesn’t flow naturally from one point to the next. Besides, thinking about how your arguments and points interact with each other will help you organize your essay and make sure you get your point across. (Do they support each other? Counter each other? How exactly do they function to further your argument?)

Examples of transition words:

• Vorher (prior)
• zur gleichen Zeit (at the same time)
• dann (then)
• trotzdem (nevertheless)
• noch (still)

Writing an essay in English and then translating it into German often results in stilted, poorly formed sentences and unnatural constructions.

For example, remember that German word order is different from English. If you write “He didn’t read the book,” a one-to-one literal translation would be Er hat gelesen nicht das Buch . But the correct translation is actually  Er hat nicht das Buch gelesen. In this example, translating word for word leads to errors.

There’s another, less tangible reason why it’s not a good idea to write in English and translate to German. Sure, you could just remember that you need to change the word order when translating into German. But isn’t it better to adapt your brain so that German word order seems fluid and natural?

Learning to think and write off-the-cuff in German is an essential step towards fluency, and devising sentences in German, instead of sentences in translation, will help you learn to do that.

One good way to learn to think in a language is to hear it spoken in natural contexts. You can hear German spoken naturally in German language TV shows , movies and YouTube videos .

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Listening to German spoken at a natural speed and native accent will help get you thinking in the language in real time. This will help get you to the point where you can come up with your own sentences in German, rather than thinking in English sentences first and then translating them in your head before you speak or write. That will greatly improve your speed and fluency when writing in German.

So, simply start writing the essay in German. Look up any words you’re not sure of and double-check any grammatical constructions that you’re not familiar with. After you finish writing, ask a German-speaking friend to look over the essay to make sure it sounds natural.

Now that we’ve explored strategies and phrases for writing top-notch German essays, let’s take a look at an example.

World War I doesn’t get as much coverage in the States as World War II (where it was more directly involved). But for Europe, World War I was a devastating example of the dangers of modern technological warfare and the horrors of violence.

Let’s take a look at an example opening paragraph and outline of an essay about the effect of World War I on German government and life.

Opening paragraph:

Der Erste Weltkrieg war ein totaler Krieg, der Deutschland völlig veränderte. Dieser Krieg hat 1914 angefangen, und 1918, als der Krieg zu Ende kam, waren die deutsche Gesellschaft, Regierung und Kultur nicht mehr erkennbar. Am Anfang hat der Erste Weltkrieg altväterliche Ideen und Systeme verstärkt. Am Ende hat dieser Krieg dagegen diese altväterlichen Dinge zerstört.

(The First World War was a total war that completely changed Germany. This war began in 1914 and in 1918, when the war came to an end, German society, government and culture were no longer recognizable. At the beginning, the First World War strengthened old-fashioned ideas and systems. However, by the end, this war destroyed these old-fashioned things.)

Notice that this opening paragraph is not very different at all from the first paragraph of an English essay. You can use the same structure you’ve always used to write your German essay, leaving you free to focus on grammar and vocabulary.

Notice also the use of phrases such as Am Anfang (at the beginning) and Dagegen (however). Words like these can help you make a point and counterpoint in your opening paragraph (or anywhere in your essay, for that matter).

I. Am Anfang (at the beginning):

– Dieser Krieg hat Deutschland vereint . (This war united Germany.) – Menschen hatten ein patriotisches Gefühl. (People had a patriotic feeling.) – Menschen dachten, dass der Krieg bald zu Ende kommen würde. (People thought that the war would soon come to an end.)

Notice that these points employ words like dachten (thought). Written German often relies on Präteritum , a form of the past tense that’s rarely used in spoken Deutsch. It’s often called “literary past tense” for this reason. Check out this guide to the Präteritum to include this tense in your essay.

II. Andrerseits (on the other hand):

– Bald gab es kein Essen mehr . (Soon there was no more food.) – Menschen wurden krank und desillusioniert . (People became sick and disillusioned.) – Es gab Proteste und Unruhen. (There was protest and unrest.)

Like in an English essay, your second and third paragraphs can include supporting points or counterpoints that contribute to the overall theme of your piece. The word Andrerseits (on the other hand) is an ideal transition word to show that you’re moving into another section of your essay.

Also notice that this essay will rely on vocabulary words that the average language learner might not have come across in his or her learning. After all, who learns the words for “disillusioned” and “unrest” in their intermediate German class? But don’t be daunted by the fact that your essay might include eclectic vocabulary. Instead, use this as an opportunity for more learning.

III. zum Schluss (in conclusion):

– Der Kaiser hat abgedankt . (The Emperor abdicated.) – Eine Republik wurde geboren. (A Republic was born.) – Die alten Werte waren weg. (The old values were gone.)

Once again, abgedankt (abdicated) is an example of the literary past tense (and an example of a word that you probably haven’t come across in your previous German studies!)

IV. Schließlich (finally)

– Der Erste Weltkrieg hat Deutschland verändert . (The First World War completely changed Germany.)

Again, like in an English essay, you should use this paragraph to summarize your main point.

Feeling a bit more confident about your next German essay now?

Just make a great essay plan, write down some new words and phrases that you want to include and off you go!

By sprinkling these bits of flair into your German essays, you’re sure to make your writing better and more effective.

Enjoy writing!

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Introductions in German: 25 Easy Ways to Introduce Yourself

• 'My Name is…'

The more time you spend in German speaking countries, or just learning German, the more people you’ll meet. Some situations will require introductions in German, and some won’t. For those times when you need to introduce yourself, this post is for you.

There are many different ways to introduce yourself. Some introductions may be shorter, and some may take longer and be more involved, for example if you’re meeting some friends of friends, or if you’re starting a conversation with a new language exchange partner.

After reading this post you will know:

• How to introduce yourself and someone else in German
• The differences between introducing yourself formally and informally
• How formal and informal introductions in German sound with example conversations

When to Use Formal & Informal German

Before we get started, an important feature of German is it’s use of the 2 words for ‘you’. In German we can say either Sie or du , both meaning ‘you’. However Sie is used for formal situations and du is for informal situations.

It’s important to know the difference because later on when we talk about introductions in German, you need to know which pronoun to use. Let’s take a quick look:

Sie = Formal ‘You’

As I alluded to before, Sie / Ihnen is reserved for formal situations. When introducing yourself in meetings, speaking with new work colleagues or meeting new people who are older than you, use Sie . You would also use it for speaking with people you don’t know in more casual settings like when speaking to waiters or shop staff.

Du = Informal ‘You’

Du / dich is the informal pronoun. Use it whenever introducing yourself to people your own age of younger in informal situations for example when a friend is introducing you to one of their friends.

If you want to learn more check out my post: Sie or Du in German: When to Use Formal & Informal German .

Ready to finally master German sentence structure?

Download your German Sentence Structure Cheat Sheet  for just $1 and get your sentences to flow naturally.

Introductions in German: How to Introduce Yourself

The great thing about introductions in German is that they follow the same basic pattern as in English. You start with a greeting, then a ‘nice to meet you’ and ‘my name is…’

All of these introduction phrases have their own posts which go into more detail about all the ways you can say them, so I’d recommend going through each post to further your knowledge on each phrase. You’ll find links to each post as you go along.

‘Hello’

Let’s start the introduction with a simple German greeting , for most situations a simple hallo (hello) will be fine in both formal and informal situations.

If you want to sound a bit more formal you can opt for guten Morgen (good morning), guten Tag (good day / afternoon) or guten Abend (good evening).

Read more : 15 Easy Ways to Say ‘Hello’ in German

‘Nice to Meet You’

Saying ‘nice to meet you’ when you meet someone for the first time is the next step when introducing yourself in German. There are many suitable phrases to choose from but the most common is:

Quite often this is shortened to the far easier phrase freut mich which can be used in both formal and informal situations.

If someone says ‘nice to meet you’ to you first, you can respond with:

Read more : How to Say ‘Nice To Meet You’ in German

‘My Name is…’

Of course, what would be the point of introducing yourself if you don’t tell the other person your name. Again there are a few different ways to say ‘my name is’ , but the simplest and most common phrase is:

If you want to ask the other person what their name is you can say:

Read more : How to Say ‘My Name Is’ in German

At this point we could reach the end of the conversation. Germans aren’t exactly fans of small talk, so in terms of introductions in German, this might be as far as the conversation goes.

However if the conversation naturally continues, perhaps you’re meeting a friend of a friend or a new language exchange partner you might want to share a little more about yourself.

Read more : Hobbies in German [How to Talk About Your Interests]

Introductions in German: How to Introduce Someone Else

Sometimes introductions in German don’t just involve introducing yourself, you might want to introduce someone else in German.

In formal situations such as introducing someone at business meeting you can say the following + the person’s name:

For less formal situations it’s normal to introduce someone with their name, and how you know them:

Although it’s considered impolite to talk about someone when they’re standing there with you, if the person you’re introducing doesn’t speak German, it may be helpful to make that clear to the people you’re introducing them to:

So now you have all the essential phrases to introduce yourself and someone else in German. Now let’s put them all together and see some real life introductions in German:

Formal Introductions: Example Conversation

You’ve recently started a new job and are meeting a new colleague for the first time, naturally you’re keen to make a good impression and appear friendly:

Informal Introductions: Example Conversation

Your German friend has invited some people over, and you’re keen to introduce yourself and make new friends:

Sehr super 👌

Sehr brauchbar, danke

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The German Alphabet (das deutsche Alphabet)

• 1 The alphabet
• 2.1 The hyphen and its functions
• 2.2 Quotation marks in German

The alphabet

The German alphabet is very similar to that of English but it has four letters that English does not have: ä , ö , ü and ß .

In English, to make the pronunciation and spelling of a word clear, we say "B as in burger" but in German they use names to spell and those names are fixed.

• the ß  does not exist in Swiss German and is substituted for with ss .
• Do not confuse ß (Eszett) with β (beta).
• If your keyboard does not have ä ,  ö ,  ü  and  ß , you can use ae ,  oe ,  ue  and  ss instead, respectively.

List of punctuation signs and writing symbols

It is very useful to know how to say the following in German: Punctuation signs, different parenthesis and some symbols frequently used such as the at sign and asterisk.

The hyphen and its functions

The typographical sign hyphen "-" is called the following in German:

der Viertelgeviertstrich

The same typographical sign has a different name depending on its function:

• der Bindestrich . Hyphen for joining 2 words. Ex: die E-Mail , Baden-Wurtemberg
• der Trennstrich . Hyphen for dividing a word when it doesn't fit on one line.
• der Ergänzungsstrich . Hyphen for indicating that part of a word has been omitted because it was redundant. Ex: Ein- und Ausgänge (instead of saying Eingänge und Ausgänge)

Quotation marks in German

When putting a text in Germany and in Austria in quotation marks, it is preferable to use the symbol „ (Anführungszeichen unten) when starting an expression and the symbol ” (Anführungszeichen oben) when finishing it.

Descartes sagte: „ Ich denke, also bin ich ” Descartes said: "I think, therefore I am"

As you can see that the quotation marks in German start on the bottom and finish on top, compared to the top only in English

Less often, the single quotation marks are also used:

Descartes sagte: ‚ Ich denke, also bin ich ‘

Next Lessons:

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DTZ. German B1 exam writing examples. 1

Last Updated on October 10, 2023

There will be letters examples for german language b1 level test – based on tasks that people have posted on forums and topics from different textbooks.

What is the level with which I will write these letters, it is difficult for me to judge. I think, B1 / B1+. In the preparation books for this exam, much simpler letters are shown as letters to the B1 level.

Read about DTZ (Deutschtest für Zuwanderer ). More German B1 exam writing examples: Letters 2 , Letters 3 , Letters 4, Letters 5 , Letters 6 Dialogues 1, Dialogues 2 Picture description in German B1. Deutschtest für Zuwanderer German picture description phrases and sequence About myself in German – sich vorstellen #Leben in Deutschland test

I am not responsible for errors. It is in the general interest to fix them, so if you see, please write to me.

Some advice

1. Prepare not for specific letters, but for the types of letters . Level B1 is everyday German language, so all situations are typical, there is simply nothing more to come up with, just change small details.

Something broke in the house or around, you are complaining. Making noise, cleaning, help from / for neighbors – these will all be neighbors, Hausmeister and Hausverwaltung. Shops and service – complaints. Behörde (authorities) – terms, complaints. School, kindergartens – terms, holidays, conflicts.

Important. Don’t memorize or copy letters, but write your own based on your own circumstances. Everyone has enough situations like this. 1. It is much easier to write and remember letters from your own experience. Then, in an exam situation, you can more easily change the details for the task. 2. Only your own writing really prepares you for the exam. 3. You are not the first person to have found the website. There is a possibility that other people have copied the same letter or that the teachers have already seen this letter.

2. Don’t write a draft – you won’t have time to rewrite it. Write only key words. Sometimes they are allowed to write as soon as the previous part is finished, sometimes not. So don’t count on extra time from the reading part. Some people could see subjects of letters at the very beginning, when only papers were handed out.

General requirements – How to write a letter

1.The subject of the letter and four points that must be developed are given. The general recommendation of all teachers: write two sentences for each point, although in some topics this can be difficult, since a sentence can be written complex, but not split it into two simple sentences for the sake of formality. Correctly written complex sentences are a big plus. But if you are not sure about the correctness, it is better to write in a simpler way.

2. Before the letter, the place and date should be indicated (on the right), then the appeal (on the left). After appeal, a comma and the next sentence with a lowercase letter on a new line.

Formal appeal (to those you don’t know at all):

Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,

A formal appeal if you know the name (for example, to the Beamter):

Sehr geehrte Frau Sommer, Sehr geehter Herr Sommer,

Semi-formal appeal (to those whom you personally know, but refer to “Sie” – a teacher, a neighbor):

Liebe Frau Sommer, Lieber Herr Sommer

At the end they write:

• in case of a formal appeal:

Mit freundlichen Grüßen first name, second name

• in case of a semi-formal appeal:

Viele Grüße Freundliche Grüße

Type 1. “In my house broke…” – conflicts with the property management company

… heating, antenna, plumbing, lighting, windows. The plot lies in the fact that you have it broken, you turned to the property management company (Hausverwaltung), but it ignored your appeal or is out of reach. Now you write a letter to the management company, where: – indicate the reason for the letter, – indicate your requirements, – the deadline for fulfilling the requirements, – you threaten.

First, let’s decide what you can write about this in general. The reason is easily formulated, since it is already indicated in the task: it’s broken …, you don’t react, so I am writing to you. The requirements arise from the breakdown: you must send an employee to fix it, because I … The timing is determined by the type of breakdown: heating – immediately, antenna, supposably, until the end of the week. Threats – contact another company and send an invoice, contact a lawyer, lower the rent, rent another apartment for the duration of the renovation.

Windows don’t close

Situation: your windows do not close properly in your apartment, and cold air enters your apartment. You have already called once, but there has been no response. – Grund des Schreibens. – Temperature and health – Heizkosten – What will you do if you don’t get an answer

Heilbronn, 22.12.2016

Sehr geehrter Herr Huber,

ich habe schon mit Ihnen telefoniert, dass man die Fenster im Wohnzimmer nicht schließen kann. Und Sie haben versprochen, dass die Fenster repariert werden. Aber Sie haben nichts gemacht.

Sie haben wahrscheinlich vergessen, dass es schon Dezember ist. Die kalte Luft kommt ins Zimmer und wir können dieses Zimmer nicht benutzen. Ich muss die Heizung auf die höchste Stufe stellen, damit kein Schimmel entsteht. Haben Sie wahrscheinlich vergessen, welche Preise für Warmwasser und Heizung wir letztes Jahr in der Jahresabrechnung hatten?

Ich hoffe, dass Sie schnell einen Handwerker zu uns schicken. Ich bin fast den ganzen Tag zu Hause. Aber geben Sie bitte mir Bescheid, wann genau er kommt. Wenn Sie nicht auf meinen Brief reagieren, rufe ich eine Firma an und schicke Ihnen dann die Rechnung. (Oder: gehe ich zu meinem Anwalt)

Read about different #insurance in Germany and what does public health insurance cover in Germany

Light does not work

The light does not work in your house entrance, write a letter to the Hausverwaltung: why are you writing, who should fix it, how dangerous it is, what do you want.

seit Montag funktioniert das Licht auf der Treppe in unserem Haus nicht. Es ist jetzt Dezember und schon um 17 Uhr ist es sehr dunkel. Im Haus wohnen alte Menschen. Sie sagen, dass sie abends zu Hause bleiben müssen, weil sie fürchten, die Treppe in der Dunkelheit hinunterzugehen. Ich habe ein kleines Kind und finde diese Situation auch sehr unbequem und gefährlich. Es ist leicht, hinzufallen und die Verletzungen zu bekommen.

Wir bezahlen regelmäßig die Nebenkosten und solche Reparaturen gehören zu Ihren Aufgaben. Würden Sie uns bitte dringend einen Handwerker schicken. Sonst werden wir nächste Woche einen Handwerker suchen und die Nebenkosten entsprechend reduzieren. Frau Sommer ist fast immer zu Hause und öffnet die Tür, aber geben Sie bitte Bescheid, wann genau Ihr Handwerker kommt.

Vielen Dank im Voraus

There was construction work going on in your house. Now the door to the Keller is damaged and you can’t lock it anymore. Write an e-mail to Frau XY from the property management. – A reason to write to you – Bikes may be stolen – Quick repair needed – Please answer

Sehr geehrte Frau XY,

ich schreibe Ihnen heute, weil die Tür zum Keller nach den Bauarbeiten in unserem Haus beschädigt ist. Leider kann man die Tür nicht mehr abschließen. Ich habe Sorge, dass unsere Fahrräder gestohlen sein könnten, weil die Garagentür oft geöffnet ist. Wir haben teuere Elektrofahrräder, deshalb ist es notwendig, die Tür zum Keller so schnell wie möglich zu reparieren.

Gerne würde ich Sie fragen, ob Sie einen Handwerker dringend zu unserem Haus schicken können. Ich bin morgens bis 13 Uhr zu Hause, und natürlich kann Ihr Handwerker um diese Zeit kommen. Könnten Sie mich bitte anrufen und Bescheid sagen, wann er kommt. Am besten erreichen Sie mich montags bis freitags von 8 Uhr bis 20 Uhr unter folgender Telefonnummer: 1523 6352417.

Ich freue mich auf Ihre schnelle Antwort.

Mir freundlichen Grüßen, Vorname Name

More letters examples for DTZ and other topics about Deutsch Test für Zuwanderer- #DTZ Everything about the #Orientierungstest (Test Leben in Deutschland) is here.

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3 thoughts on “DTZ. German B1 exam writing examples. 1”

Diese Website ist sehr schön und löst den Zweck effizient. Ich habe gerade in einer Stunde gelernt, wie man Briefe auf Deutsch schreibt.

Hi just one note Advice is not pluralised in English, you give advice or pieces of advice. Same for Feedback 🙂

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German Language Workshop

Everything about the TELC B2 exam

Author: Jadranka Bokan

People who plan to go to Germany and work there (especially medical workers) usually need to take the TELC B2 exam . Since this is a very common situation I decided to write a short description of this exam so that you can orient yourself better.

The following text includes:

-recommended course books for the B2 level -recommended preparation books for the TELC B2 exam – TELC B2 exam description -examples  of the letter of complaint (Beschwerdebrief) and application (Bewerbung) -Redemittel that you need for the oral part of the exam TELC B2 -example of a real test TELC B2 -word lists for all levels (A1-B2) – grammar overview (B2)

Recommended text book(s):

Erkundungen B2  and even better Mittelpunkt B2 . Ziel B2 is good, but in my opinion very complicated and extensive. You can order your copies here (just click on the Play button): <A rel=”nofollow” HREF=”//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?rt=tf_ssw&ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=DE&ID=V20070822%2FDE%2Fgermlangwork-21%2F8003%2F90594b06-3276-406d-8955-649c9d0b57f0&Operation=NoScript”>Amazon.de Widgets</A>

In the written part of the exam you will have to write either:

– letter of complaint  (Beschwerdebrief) or

– asking for more information (Bitte um Informationen) or

– application (Bewerbung) – this  task comes up seldom.

Examples of complaints can be found here:

Beschwerdebrief schreiben:  general rules Beschwerdebrief: Laptop not working Beschwerdebrief: German language course not satisfying

Examples of applications can be found here:

Bewerbung : general rules Bewerbung:  Freiwilliges Soziales Jahr

Beschwerde – general rules:

-you should use Präteritum when you are writing about past actions

-you should first write your name and address (in the upper left corner), then the name and the address of the institution/person that  you are writing to (in the upper left corner right below your name and address); the place and date (you don’t to use “den” in front of the date) should be placed on the right hand side of the page in one line and separated by a comma.

– the first line below the addresses is the subject line – it’s something like a title, so that it’s known why you are writing. You can write something like: Beschwerde über den Aufenthalt in Ihrem Hotel

– You should also name the people that you are writing to (below the subject line): Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren (if you don’t know precisely) or Sehr geehrter Herr (his surname)/sehr geehrte Frau (her surname) and then put the comma because you will continue writing immediately afterwards

– the first sentence of the body of your letter should be an introduction. You can write something like: Hiermit möchte ich mich  über den Aufenthalt in Ihrem Hotel beschweren (don’t mix up the verb “sich beschweren” which doesn’t contain the letter “d” and the noun “die Beschwerde” which does contain the letter “d”).

– Then you should describe the situation, start from the very start and describe the context, for example: Als ich Ihre Anzeige in der Zeitung gelesen habe, buchte ich sofort 2 Wochen in Ihrem Hotel.

– You could now summarize the bad experience and write: Im Juni 2016 verbrachte ich 14 schreckliche Tagen in Ihrem Hotel.

– Now you could start describing everything that went bad i.e. you should now explain why those days were so horrible: meine Enttäuschung war groß, als ich am Flughafen nicht abgeholt wurde und in Ihrer Anzeige stand es, dass das Angebot “all inclusive” ist.  Ich war 6 Stunden mit öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln unterwegs, bis ich Ihr Hotel fand. Also, es lang außerhalb und nicht zentral. Statt “Strandlage” befand sich das Hotel 7 km vom Meer entfernt. In Ihrer Anzeige wurde es anders beschrieben (you should always refer to the text of the ad and what were your expectations). Mein Zimmer war… Das Fenster ließ sich nicht öffnen… Die Mahlzeiten im Hotel ließen zu wünschen übrig, ich war ständig hungrig. Das Personal war…

– In the end say what you want: ich möchte, dass Sie mir die Kosten für meinen Aufenthalt zurückzahlen/erstatten.

If you want to prepare yourself for the TELC B2 exam with me, click here .

This part lasts about 15 minutes. You will take it in pairs (you will get a partner who is taking the exam exactly as you).

It consists of 3 parts:

1. short presentation 2. discussion 3. planning something

After you introduce yourself, the first part is a short presentation , then you should start  discussion  and the third part is planning something with your partner.

It is very important that you learn Redemittel (sentences that help you structure your speaking) for the parts 2 and 3 by heart, because it gives you time to think about the real content of your sentences.

All needed Redemittel you can find here:

Let me explain it to you:

After you have introduced yourself and held a short presentation, you will start with the part 2 (discussion). You and your partner will get one or two texts with the same topic and you will have to talk about it.

First you could ask your partner if they prefer that you use “Sie” or “du” during the talking (see the mind map)

Then, you should present your text in short by using these Redemittel:

das Thema des Artikels lautet: … Die Hauptinformation hier ist, dass… Es wurde nachgewiesen, dass… Ich finde auch Folgendes wichtig: … Außerdem (+Verb+Subject)

You don’t have to use them all – just pick the ones that you like the most and that you need for that particular text.

After that, you can express your opinion (see the mind map).

Once you are done, ask your partner about their opinion:

Was hältst du davon? or: Wie ist deine Meinung dazu/zu diesem Thema? or: was denkst du darüber?

If your partner talks too much, then feel free to interrupt them (see the mind map)

You should also react on your partner’s opinion – positively or negatively (see the mind map)

It could of course happen that you don’t have much to say about the topic that you are speaking about – in that case you could just say something like… see the mind map. This isn’t very popular because you should of course speak in the oral exam and show your abilities, however, with these Redemittel you can “buy time” and talk while you are thinking about the topic and what you could say about it.

At the end, it could be that you have agreed or not – you can sum that verbally up (see the mind map)

For the part 3 you can use the lower part of the mind map (make a suggestion, react on it and sum up the outcome).

You will have 20 minutes to prepare yourself for the oral exam. Use that time wisely – read the text for the part 2 and make notes (what is the main idea, what are the pros and cons) and make sure that you mention your personal experience and depict the situation in your family, school, country etc.

You should prepare a short presentation for the beginning of the oral exam. It should last about a minute, while another minute will be spent on partner’s questions related to your presentation. Make sure that you choose the topic that really interests/excites you most (if you do so, you won’t forget anything that you wanted to say!) :

– your hobby

– film that you saw lately

– book

– trip

– concert

– sports event

– person that is important for you

– some important experience that you have made in life

Make sure that you use complex things , e.g. complex conjunctions (Doppelkonjunktionen) like dadurch… dass (e.g. die Wege entstehen dadurch, dass man sie geht); Verb-Nomen Verbindungen (e.g. man soll auf andere Rücksicht nehmen ) etc. In some resources they say that you will get to choose one of 5 topics, so make sure to prepare at least one of them too: your favorite film, your favorite book, your dream holiday.

For a  video that shows you how the oral exam  looks like click  here .

Official exam description

with detailed explanations and tips can be found here .

Preparation book for the exam:

If you find some time, it would be beneficial if you would take a look at this book which shows you the exact format of the test : Mit Erfolg zu TELC B2 .

Test yourself:

Once you feel ready, do this online TELC B2 test

Repetition:

Words (wortschatz):.

*If you want to make sure that your knowledge is good enough at the levels A1 – B1, I recommend you to go through these word lists (with example sentences):

A1: Unterwegs Deutsch lernen A1 (app, Goethe Institute)

A1: Word list A1 (Goethe Institute)

A2:  Word list A2  ( Goethe Institute)

B1:  Word list B1 (Goethe Institute)

You could print them out and read them as newspapers. Highlight the words and phrases that you still need to learn. For ideas how to learn new words in the most efficient manner read   tips & tools for learning new words .

B2: Basic German Vocabulary B2  (Langenscheidt) This is a bilingual (German – English) vocabulary that contains the core vocabulary and facilitates it in the easiest and most efficient manner possible. It is meant for use by beginner learners, by more advanced students as a review and for test preparation. It enables you to communicate better in all everyday situations in German and covers the vocabulary at the B2 level.  You can order your copy by clicking on the above link.

Grammar overview:

Deutsch Übungen und Grammatik für das Niveau B2

B2 Grammatik

Grammatikuebersicht

Related pages:

Learn German online

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Präsens – Present Tense in German Grammar

How to conjugate the present tense in german.

• Lingolia Plus German

Introduction

The present tense also called the simple present (Präsens) is used to talk about the present and future in German. We can translate it into one of three English tenses : the simple present , present progressive and future with will or going to . It is the most commonly used tense in the German language.

Learn the grammar rules, how to conjugate verbs and when to use the present tense with Lingolia’s simply worded explanations and examples in real German. In the exercises , you can practise what you have learnt.

Das ist Felix. Jeden Dienstag geht er zum Fußballtraining. Er spielt schon seit fünf Jahren Fußball.

Nächsten Sonntag um 14 Uhr hat seine Mannschaft ein wichtiges Spiel.

We use the German present tense to express:

• a fact or condition in the present Example: Das ist Felix. This is Felix.
• an action that takes place in the present once, repeatedly, or never Example: Jeden Dienstag geht er zum Fußballtraining. Every Tuesday he goes to football practice.
• a action that expresses how long something has been going on Example: Er spielt schon seit fünf Jahren Fußball. He has been playing football for five years.
• a future action that is already planned or agreed upon Example: Nächsten Sonntag hat seine Mannschaft ein wichtiges Spiel. Next Sunday, his team has an important game.

To conjugate verbs in the German present tense, we remove the infinitive ending -en and add the following endings:

The verbs sein and haben are irregular :

• If the stem ends in d/t (e.g. warten ), in b/d/g + n (e.g. ordnen ) or in consonant + consonant + n (e.g. zeichnen, öffnen ), we add an e before the endings -st and -t . Examples: warten to wait – du wart e st, er wart e t, ihr wart e t ordnen to sort – du ordn e st, er ordn e t, ihr ordn e t zeichnen to draw – du zeichnest, er zeichnet, ihr zeichnet However, this doesn’t happen when a verb whose stem ends in d/t also has a vowel change. (In the 3rd person singular, the final -t of the stem also disappears). Example: laden to load – du lädst, er lädt, ihr lad e t (vowel change a to ä) halten to hold/stop – du hältst, er hält, ihr halt e t
• If the word stem ends in s/ß/x/z , we remove the s in the 2 nd person singular ending. Example: tanzen to dance – du tanzt (not: tanzst )
• If the word stem ends in ie , we remove the e in the ending. Example: knien to kneel – ich knie, wir knie n , sie knie n (not: kniee , knieen )
• The word stem changes in some strong verbs. Example: lesen to read – ich lese, du l ie st, er l ie st, wir lesen, ihr lest, sie lesen
• If the infinitive ends in -eln/-ern , we remove the e in the ending. Example: wandern to hike – ich wandere, wir wandern, sie wandern In the case of -eln , we can also leave off the e from the word stem in the 1 st person singular. Example: lächeln to smile – ich läch( e )le, wir lächel n , sie lächel n
• Most modal verbs ( können, dürfen  …) as well as the verb wissen change their root in the singular forms. They also have no ending in the 1st and 3rd person singular. Learn more about their conjugation over on our page all about the German modal verbs . Examples: können – ich k a nn, du k a nnst, er k a nn, wir können, ihr könnt, sie können wissen – ich w eiß , du w eiß t, er w eiß , wir wissen, ihr wisst, sie wissen

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