Future aspirations
Young people need to start thinking about the type of jobs they will be applying for in the future.
Was sind deine Zukunftspläne?– What are your future plans?
You can answer this question with one of the following verbs and an infinitive:
- Ich will... – I want to...
- Ich möchte... – I would like to...
- Ich habe vor... zu werden – I intend to become...
- Ich hoffe...zu werden – I hope to become...
- Mein Traum ist...zu sein – My dream is to be...
- Mein Traum wäre...zu sein – My dream would be to...
Question
Here are some key infinitives. What do they mean?
- Abitur machen
- eine Lehre machen
- eine Ausbildung machen
- einen Beruf lernen
- an der Uni studieren
- als (Arzt) arbeiten
- mit Kindern arbeiten
- im Ausland arbeiten
- Abitur machen – to do A levels
- eine Ausbildung machen – to do a training course/apprenticeship (more modern)
- einen Beruf lernen – to learn a trade
- an der Uni studieren – to go to university
- als (Arzt) arbeiten – to work as a (doctor)
- mit Kindern arbeiten – to work with children
- im Ausland arbeiten – to work abroad
Question
How would you say these sentences about future plans?
- I want to do an apprenticeship.
- I would like to do A levels.
- I hope to go to university.
- My dream would be to work abroad.
Ich will eine Ausbildung machen.– I want to do an apprenticeship.
Ich möchte Abitur machen.– I would like to do A levels.
Ich hoffe, an der Uni zu studieren.– I hope to go to university.
Mein Traum wäre, im Ausland zu arbeiten.– My dream would be to work abroad.
Did you know?
Germans place great value on professional training and it is expected that everyone will learn a trade – einen Beruf lernen – in the way most suitable to them.
For some people this will be Abitur and university, for others it will be doing an apprenticeship or training at the same time as completing studies at a Berufschule – 'a vocational school'. It is a highly respected way of carving out a career.
A trainee who chooses this path is called ein Azubi or eine Azubine which is short for ein Auszubildender or eine Auszubildende because they do eine Ausbildung. The people who train them are called Ausbilder.
A young woman talks about the experiences she has gained during her apprenticeship (This clip is from: BBC TWO Germany Inside Out)
