We are really enjoying our time in Frankfurt so far, but we'd like to make a difference with our vlogs.
Yeah, maybe we could talk about climate change.
We've experienced a lot of heat waves on our travels.
Great idea!
For this I think we could look into modals, as they help you talk about what you have to do, want to do or are allowed to do and can be used in the present, past and conditional tense.
When creating a sentence using a modal, the modal verb is the second idea of the sentence, and the second verb stays in the infinitive and goes at the end.
Nice.
What's an infinitive again?
It's when the verb is an unconjugated and ends in 'en'. For example, to read, 'lesen'.
That is also how they appear in the dictionary.
Oh, to infinitive and beyond!
Anyways, so for this sentence formation, the modal verbs have the same irregular stem in the Ich, Du, Er/Sie/Es form, the rest of it is regular.
You need to learn these, but the key point is that the vowel changes.
But how come it doesn't change with: 'Wir müssen?'
For the Wir form the verb stays infinitive, but for the Ich, Du and Er/Sie/Es form we remove the 'Umlaut' and use different endings.
Ich muss, Du musst, Er/Sie/Es muss,Wir müssen, Ihr müsst, Sie/sie müssen.
Wow.
Okay, so let me try it with a different verb.
How about 'können'.
Ich…can?
That's great.
For the different persons we have:Ich kann, Du kannst, Er/Sie/Es kann,Wir können, Ihr könnt, Sie/sie können.
Whoa! Can? Kann? They're the same!
But spelled differently with all kinds of different rules.
Nice. I'm ready to go.
I think the perfect place to take this discussion is our local science centre.
Wow! Look at this place!
I love a bit of science.
Don't get too distracted, Tina.
We're here on a mission.
'Wir müssen unsere Zukunft schützen.'
Super! Well remembered.
How do I say, you like our world?
The infinitive of, like, is 'mögen'.
So, what do you think a modal form is?
Hmmm…mö…?
I know it needs a vowel change, but what is it?
Fast! 'Mag'.
But as it's in the Du form, it would be: 'Du magst.'
'Du magst unsere Welt.'
Nice! The other forms including for Du are:Ich mag, Du magst, Er/Sie/Es mag,Wir mögen, Ihr mögt, Sie/sie mögen.
I like that!
How would we say we would like to improve our environment?
We would use the conditional form of 'mögen', 'möchten'.
The different forms are:Ich möchte, Du möchtest, Er/Sie/Es möchte,Wir möchten, Ihr möchtet, Sie/sie möchten.
So, we would have: 'Wir möchten auf unsere Umwelt achten.'
'Wir möchten auf unsere Umwelt achten.'
Genau!
Was geht ab Leute?
Wir sind im Wissenschaftszentrum, wo wir über das Klima lernen.
Ich kann nicht glauben, wie warm es diesen Sommer war.
Wir müssen unsere Zukunft schützen.
Tina. Du magst unsere Welt.
Ja. Wir möchten auf unsere Umwelt achten.
Du kannst uns einen Kommentar mit Ideen schreiben.
Bis zum nächsten Mal!
Tschüss!
Heidi teaches Malik and Tina about modals, which help the trio to talk about what they have, want, and are allowed to do.
At a science centre in Frankfurt, Malik and Tina implement what they've learned and vlog about their aspirations.
This short film is from the BBC Teach series German Grammar and Vocabulary.
Teacher Notes
Before you watch the episode
As this episode covers the use of modal verbs in the context of the environment, students could learn/revisit vocabulary on this topic area and then extend its use for both speaking and writing tasks after the episode.
The conditional ich möchte is included here because it is often introduced early in German courses, with the meaning ‘I would like’ + noun. (e.g ich möchte ein Eis, etc). It may be useful to revisit this, then reinforce its use in two-verb structures - ich möchte ein Eis kaufen (I would like to buy an ice cream).
During watching the episode
Depending on the lesson focus, the video could be paused to reinforce the formation of modal verbs in the present tense, and extend to include those not in the video, but possibly already taught - eg dürfen.
After watching the episode
Continuing on the theme of environment, the core verbs structures in the present tense can be practised in individual/pair/group work to consolidate both verb forms and the more complex vocabulary in this topic.
Extension work on the conditional form of the verbs can be introduced in the same context, particularly using the most common forms of ich könnte, ich sollte, ich möchte (also in different parts of the verb).
For further extension/consolidation, episode 6 covers modal verbs in the imperfect tense, and the key differences of removing the umlaut in the imperfect can be practised for speaking,writing and translation skills.
Curriculum Notes
England
This series has been produced to build on the key grammar requirements identified in the Modern Languages KS3 National Curriculum Programme of Study in England, and with both the current GCSE and upcoming GCSE (for first teaching in 2024) in mind.
Scotland
This series also meets the aims for teaching languages within the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) in Scotland, specifically to:
- develop a secure understanding of how language works, and use language well to communicate ideas and information in English and other languages
- develop young people’s ‘communicative competence so that they are able to use and enjoy the language effectively in real situations, in relevant and realistic contexts
It also supports the objectives within the National 4 and 5 qualifications in supporting students in applying grammatical knowledge and understanding in productive skills (speaking and writing)
Wales and Northern Ireland
This video series fits in with the current curriculum in Wales and Northern Ireland in support of pupils taking German GCSE. Whilst the Languages, Literacy and Communication section of the new Curriculum for Wales (2022) gives greater flexibility on the teaching of International Languages (including German) the content of this series will support the development of core grammar knowledge within the broader aims of the curriculum.
Key vocabulary used in the episode:
| Part of speech | German | English equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| v | müssen | (to) have to, must |
| Ich muss | (I) have to, must | |
| du musst | (You sing informal) have to, must | |
| er/sie/es muss | (he, she, it) has to, must | |
| wir müssen | (We) have to, must | |
| ihr müsst | (You, plural informal) have to, must | |
| Sie/sie müssen | (You, formal, they) have to, must | |
| v | können | (to) be able to, can / being able to |
| ich kann | (I) am able to, can | |
| du kannst | (you sing informal) are able to, can | |
| er/sie/es kann | (he, she, it) is able to, can | |
| wir können | (we) are able to, can | |
| ihr könnt | (you plural informal) are able to, can | |
| Sie/sie können | (you formal, they) are able to, can | |
| v | mögen | (to) like / liking |
| ich mag | (I) like to | |
| du magst | (you, singular informal) like to | |
| er/sie/es mag | (he, she, it) likes to | |
| wir mögen | (we) like to | |
| ihr mögt | (you plural informal) like to | |
| Sie/sie mögen | (you, formal, they) like to | |
| Ich möchte | (I) would like (to) | |
| du möchtest | (you,singular informal) would like (to) | |
| er/sie/es möchte | (he,she, it) would like (to) | |
| Wir möchten | (we) would like (to) | |
| Ihr möchtet | (you plural informal) would like (to) | |
| Sie/sie möchten | (you formal, they) would like (to) | |
| n (f) | Zukunft | future |
| v | schützen | (to) protect / protecting |
| n (f) | Umwelt | environment |
| v | achten auf | (to) take care of, pay attention to |
| n (nt) | Klima | climate |
| n (f) | Welt | world |
| v | verbessern | (to) improve / improving |
| v | schreiben | (to) write / writing |
| n (m) | Kommentar | Comment, commentary |
Verbs in the below table are referenced in the video, but not specifically used:
| Part of speech | German | English equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| v | können | (to) be able to, can | being able to |
| v | müssen | (to) have to, must |
| v | mögen | (to) like | liking |
| v | dürfen | (to) be allowed to, may |
| v | wollen | (to) want (to) | wanting (to) |
More German grammar and vocabulary
The present tense. video
This episode places emphasis on the verbs gehen, essen, besichtigen and verstehen.
The perfect tense with haben. video
How to use the perfect tense with the verb haben and how to form the past participle of the verb.
The perfect tense with sein. video
How to use the perfect tense with the verb sein. Additionally, the episode places emphasis on the verbs gehen, ahren, and fliegen.
The future tense with werden. video
How to use the future tense with the verb werden.
Making things negative (changing to the opposite meaning) video
How to make things negative using nicht and kein.
The imperfect of haben and sein. video
How to use the imperfect forms of the verbs haben and sein, and the modal verb forms of können and wollen, which are regularly used when talking about the past.
Word order - starting with a time phrase. video
How a word order main clause inversion functions in German.
Asking questions. video
How to ask questions using the question words Wer, Was, Wo, Wann and Wie.
Word order with subordinating conjunctions. video
How subordinating conjunctions change the order of words in a sentence.
