Identity & Relationships is a core part of GCSE German. Revise the key concepts and common mistakes below, then lock them in with the free games.
Key concepts
blaue AugenBlue eyes — Augen is plural, takes -e ending.
lange HaareLong hair — Haare always plural in German.
kurze HaareShort hair — common alternative to lange.
lustigFunny — common personality adjective.
schüchternShy — useful for personality descriptions.
fleißigHard-working — examiner favourite, opposite of faul.
sich verstehen mitTo get on with — reflexive verb, very common.
streitenTo argue — Wir streiten oft / selten.
der beste FreundBest friend (m) — die beste Freundin (f).
nervigAnnoying — useful for siblings descriptions.
vertrauenTo trust — Ich vertraue meinen Freunden.
die BeziehungRelationship — feminine noun.
die MutterMother — feminine noun; my mother = meine Mutter.
der VaterFather — masculine; my father = mein Vater.
Common mistakes to avoid
Questions where students often pick the tempting wrong answer — make sure you know the right one:
Do German nouns and articles change in different roles?✗ No, they never change. ✓ Yes — German uses cases (nominative, accusative, dative, genitive).
Can you always guess a German noun's gender from its meaning?✗ Yes, meaning always tells you the gender. ✓ No — gender is often grammatical (das Mädchen, 'girl', is neuter).
How many genders do German nouns have?✗ Two, like French and Spanish. ✓ Three — masculine, feminine and neuter (der, die, das).
Is German word order the same as English?✗ Yes, exactly like English. ✓ No — the verb is usually second in main clauses and last in subordinate clauses.
Practise Identity & Relationships — free games
Test yourself with these quick revision games for this topic:
See all 17 games in the Subjects Arcade →
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