AQA · GCSE · 8668
German — Keywords & Key Terms — Definitions Glossary (2026)
AQA GCSE German (8668) — Specification (2026)
Topic-by-topic keywords, key terms and definitions for precise exam language—separate from our revision checklists (topic coverage) and formula sheets (equations).
Keywords & Key Terms — definitions
Examiner-style keywords and definitions organised by syllabus topic. Terms are tagged Essential (start here), Core (typical exam standard), and Advanced for harder distinctions — tick each row when you can recall it. Your progress is saved in this browser for this list.
AQA GCSE German (8668)
AQA GCSE German (8668)
AQA GCSE German (8668) — Specification (2026)
Topics map to AQA GCSE German grammar (verbs, the four cases, word order) plus the three prescribed themes (Identity & culture; Local/national/international/global areas of interest; Current and future study and employment) and the four assessed papers.
Mark schemes: AQA mark schemes reward accurate verb formation across a range of tenses, correct case endings, secure word order (V2 and verb-final clauses), and varied vocabulary. Subordinating conjunctions and modal verbs in Konjunktiv II lift answers into higher bands.
Active recall: 0 / 22 terms ticked
| Recalled | Topic | Level | Keyword | Definition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verb conjugations & tenses | Essential | Present tense | Used for current/habitual actions: regular -en verbs take -e/-st/-t/-en/-t/-en (ich spiele, du spielst); strong verbs change vowels (ich fahre, du fährst). | |
| Verb conjugations & tenses | Core | Perfect tense | Past completed action: haben/sein (present) + past participle at the end (ich habe gespielt, sie ist gefahren); movement/change-of-state verbs take sein. | |
| Verb conjugations & tenses | Core | Imperfect (Präteritum) | Used in writing/storytelling and for sein/haben/modals in speech: ich war, ich hatte, ich konnte, ich musste. | |
| Verb conjugations & tenses | Core | Future tense | werden (present) + infinitive at the end: ich werde nach Berlin fahren; commonly used to talk about plans alongside the present tense + time marker. | |
| Verb conjugations & tenses | Advanced | Conditional & modals in Konjunktiv II | würde + infinitive expresses ‘would’ (ich würde gehen); modals form their own subjunctive: ich könnte, ich müsste, ich sollte, ich möchte. | |
| Verb conjugations & tenses | Advanced | Key irregular verbs | sein, haben, werden, gehen, fahren, nehmen, sehen, sprechen, essen, geben — central to most exam answers and required across multiple tenses. | |
| The four cases | Essential | Nominative | The subject of the sentence (who/what is doing the action): der Mann liest; uses der/die/das/die and ein/eine/ein. | |
| The four cases | Core | Accusative | The direct object (who/what is receiving the action) and after prepositions durch, für, gegen, ohne, um: ich sehe den Mann. | |
| The four cases | Core | Dative | The indirect object (to/for whom) and after aus, bei, mit, nach, seit, von, zu: ich gebe dem Mann ein Buch (dem/der/dem/den + add -n to plural noun). | |
| The four cases | Core | Genitive | Shows possession (‘of the’) and follows trotz, während, wegen: das Auto des Mannes; usually replaced by von + dative in speech. | |
| The four cases | Advanced | Adjective endings | Endings depend on case + gender + article type (strong/weak/mixed); learn the three declension tables — examiners credit consistent accuracy. | |
| Word order, pronouns & separable verbs | Essential | V2 main clause word order | In a main clause the conjugated verb is the second idea: Heute spiele ich Fußball; subject inverts after a fronted time phrase. | |
| Word order, pronouns & separable verbs | Core | Subordinate clauses (verb-final) | After weil, dass, wenn, obwohl, als the conjugated verb goes to the end: …weil ich müde bin; comma separates clauses. | |
| Word order, pronouns & separable verbs | Core | Time–Manner–Place (TMP) | Within a clause, time comes before manner before place: Ich fahre morgen mit dem Bus in die Stadt. | |
| Word order, pronouns & separable verbs | Core | Separable verbs | Prefix detaches and goes to the end in main clauses (ich stehe um 7 Uhr auf) but stays joined in the infinitive and after modals. | |
| Word order, pronouns & separable verbs | Advanced | Personal pronouns by case | Nominative ich/du/er/sie/es/wir/ihr/sie/Sie; accusative mich/dich/ihn/sie/es/uns/euch/sie/Sie; dative mir/dir/ihm/ihr/ihm/uns/euch/ihnen/Ihnen — must match the verb’s required case. | |
| Themes, connectives & the four papers | Essential | Theme 1 — Identity & culture | Me/family/friends/relationships, technology in everyday life, free-time activities, customs and festivals in German-speaking countries. | |
| Themes, connectives & the four papers | Essential | Theme 2 — Local, national, international & global areas of interest | Home/town/neighbourhood/region, social issues, global issues, travel and tourism. | |
| Themes, connectives & the four papers | Core | Theme 3 — Current & future study and employment | My studies, life at school/college, education post-16, jobs/career choices and ambitions. | |
| Themes, connectives & the four papers | Core | High-value connectives | weil, obwohl, wenn, dass (verb-final); aber, denn, deshalb, außerdem, trotzdem (main-clause word order) — examiners credit accurate use of both groups. | |
| Themes, connectives & the four papers | Core | Paper 1 (Listening) & Paper 2 (Speaking) | Listening: short and longer extracts; Speaking: role play, photo card discussion and general conversation on the themes. | |
| Themes, connectives & the four papers | Advanced | Paper 3 (Reading) & Paper 4 (Writing) | Reading includes a short DE→EN translation; Writing at Foundation has structured short tasks, at Higher a 90-word task, a 150-word task and an EN→DE translation. |
Pair this with our revision checklists, formula sheets hub and past paper finder.
German (8668) — Keywords & Key Terms FAQ
- What is on this AQA GCSE German keywords and key terms list?
- It is a topic-organised glossary of important german terms with short, exam-style definitions aligned to AQA GCSE German (8668) — Specification (2026) (8668). It is designed for “define”, “state”, “outline” and “explain” questions where precise vocabulary earns marks.
- How should I use this German glossary alongside past papers?
- Tick terms when you can recall them without reading the answer, then check your wording against mark schemes. Pair vocabulary practice with past papers for GCSE German (8668) so you apply terms in context.
- Is this the same as a revision checklist or a formula sheet?
- No. Revision checklists help you track which syllabus topics you have covered and your confidence—separate pages on Tutopiya. Formula sheets summarise equations and quantitative relationships. This page is only a definitions and key-terms glossary for German.
- Can I download this German keywords and key terms list for free?
- Yes. After a quick free sign-up you can download a UTF-8 CSV (opens in Excel or Google Sheets) or open a print-friendly page and save as PDF. Browsing the list on the page is free.
- Is this German list aligned to the 8668 specification?
- Topic groupings and wording follow AQA GCSE German (8668) — Specification (2026) for AQA GCSE. Always confirm final learning objectives and any regional options in your official specification and recent examiner reports for your exam session.
- Why focus on definitions instead of full notes?
- Mark schemes reward correct technical terms and clear links between ideas. A compact glossary lets you drill the exact language examiners expect for German at GCSE, separate from longer notes or topic trackers.