German grammar: rules, examples and common mistakes
159 grammar topics, from the three genders and word order at A1 to the Konjunktiv I and formal sentence structures at C1. Each topic explains the rule, shows example sentences, names the most common mistake and gives a memory tip. Not sure where to begin? Read German articles, German cases or verbs and word order first.
Filter by level: A1 A2 B1 B2 C1
A1 – Beginner
- The German alphabet Basics
- Pronunciation of ch Basics
- Pronunciation of ei / ie Basics
- Pronunciation of s, z, w, v Basics
- Capitalised nouns Basics
- Three genders Basics
- Definite articles (nominative) Basics
- Indefinite articles Basics
- Negation with kein Basics
- Personal pronouns Basics
- Regular verb conjugation Basics
- The verb sein Basics
- The verb haben Basics
- Verb position in statements Basics
- Yes/no questions Basics
- W-questions Basics
- Plural formation Basics
- Possessive articles Basics
- Accusative case Basics
- Verbs taking accusative Basics
- Telling the time (formal) Basics
- Telling the time (informal) Basics
- Days, months, seasons Basics
- Numbers 13–99 Basics
- Separable verbs (intro) Basics
- Modal verbs (intro) Basics
- Imperative Basics
- Word order with time and place Basics
- Conjunctions und, aber, oder, denn Basics
- Du vs. Sie Basics
- Prepositions of place: in, auf, an Basics
- Es gibt Basics
- Gern, lieber, am liebsten Basics
- Stem-changing verbs e → i Basics
- Stem-changing verbs a → ä Basics
- Wie viel, wie viele Basics
- Wann, wie lange, wie oft Basics
A2 – Elementary
- Dative case Cases & Verbs
- Dative verbs Cases & Verbs
- Dative prepositions Cases & Verbs
- Accusative prepositions Cases & Verbs
- Two-way prepositions Cases & Verbs
- Perfect tense with haben Cases & Verbs
- Perfect tense with sein Cases & Verbs
- Past participles of irregular verbs Cases & Verbs
- Past participles with prefixes Cases & Verbs
- Simple past of sein and haben Cases & Verbs
- Simple past of modals Cases & Verbs
- Modal verbs in full Cases & Verbs
- Separable verbs in the perfect Cases & Verbs
- Reflexive verbs Cases & Verbs
- Reflexive with dative Cases & Verbs
- Subordinate clauses with weil Cases & Verbs
- Subordinate clauses with dass Cases & Verbs
- Subordinate clauses with wenn Cases & Verbs
- Subordinate clauses with ob Cases & Verbs
- Als vs. wenn Cases & Verbs
- Comparative Cases & Verbs
- Superlative Cases & Verbs
- Irregular comparisons Cases & Verbs
- Adjective endings after definite article Cases & Verbs
- Adjective endings after indefinite article Cases & Verbs
- Adjective endings without article Cases & Verbs
- Future with werden Cases & Verbs
- Imperative of irregular verbs Cases & Verbs
- Questions with wo-compounds Cases & Verbs
- Da-compounds Cases & Verbs
- Indefinite pronouns man, jemand, niemand Cases & Verbs
- Position of nicht Cases & Verbs
- Dative and accusative object order Cases & Verbs
- Personal pronouns in accusative Cases & Verbs
- Personal pronouns in dative Cases & Verbs
- Nouns with n-declension Cases & Verbs
- Zu + infinitive Cases & Verbs
- Um … zu Cases & Verbs
- Temporal prepositions Cases & Verbs
B1 – Intermediate
- Genitive case Advanced Structures
- Genitive prepositions Advanced Structures
- Passive voice (present) Advanced Structures
- Passive voice (past) Advanced Structures
- Passive with modal verbs Advanced Structures
- Agent in the passive Advanced Structures
- Konjunktiv II – wishes Advanced Structures
- Konjunktiv II – unreal conditions Advanced Structures
- Polite requests Advanced Structures
- Relative clauses Advanced Structures
- Relative pronouns (dative, genitive) Advanced Structures
- Relative clauses with prepositions Advanced Structures
- Past perfect (Plusquamperfekt) Advanced Structures
- Nachdem Advanced Structures
- Bevor / ehe Advanced Structures
- Während Advanced Structures
- Obwohl Advanced Structures
- Damit vs. um … zu Advanced Structures
- Indirect questions Advanced Structures
- Konjunktion sodass Advanced Structures
- Konjunktion falls Advanced Structures
- Konjunktion indem Advanced Structures
- Konjunktion sobald Advanced Structures
- Konjunktion bis Advanced Structures
- Verb position with connectors (deshalb, trotzdem) Advanced Structures
- Double connectors Advanced Structures
- Prepositional objects Advanced Structures
- Adjective endings after possessives Advanced Structures
- Participles as adjectives Advanced Structures
- Adjectival nouns Advanced Structures
- Lassen Advanced Structures
- Verbs with infinitive without zu Advanced Structures
- Double infinitive Advanced Structures
- Word order: Mittelfeld Advanced Structures
- Wissen vs. kennen Advanced Structures
- Comparisons with so … wie Advanced Structures
- Je … desto Advanced Structures
- Interrogative welch- Advanced Structures
- Zeit expressions with accusative Advanced Structures
- Präteritum of regular verbs Advanced Structures
- Präteritum of strong verbs Advanced Structures
- Präpositionen with temporal use Advanced Structures
B2 – Upper-Intermediate
- Konjunktiv I (indirect speech) Style & Precision
- Konjunktiv II in the past Style & Precision
- Passive substitutes Style & Precision
- Zustandspassiv Style & Precision
- Extended participial attributes Style & Precision
- Nominalisation Style & Precision
- Verbs with fixed nouns (Funktionsverbgefüge) Style & Precision
- Modal particles Style & Precision
- Subjective use of modal verbs Style & Precision
- Genitive with abstract nouns Style & Precision
- Conditionals without wenn Style & Precision
- Concessive clauses Style & Precision
- Causal expressions Style & Precision
- Final expressions Style & Precision
- Verb prefix distinctions Style & Precision
- Word formation: prefixes un-, miss-, ur- Style & Precision
- Word formation: suffixes -ung, -heit, -keit Style & Precision
- Relative clauses with was and wo Style & Precision
- Sentence adverbs Style & Precision
- Declension of weak nouns Style & Precision
- Position of reflexive pronouns Style & Precision
- Doppelkonjunktion with je Style & Precision
- Past tense in narration Style & Precision
- Antworten with doch Style & Precision
- Position of "nicht" in complex clauses Style & Precision
- Verbs: scheinen + zu, drohen + zu Style & Precision
C1 – Advanced
- Complex nominal style Mastery
- Subjunctive in formal contexts Mastery
- Inversion for emphasis Mastery
- Cleft-like emphasis Mastery
- Participial constructions Mastery
- Genitive replacement with von Mastery
- Discourse connectors Mastery
- Impersonal passive Mastery
- Verb valency and case government Mastery
- Register and style Mastery
- Rhetorical devices Mastery
- Conjunctive adverbs of contrast Mastery
- Concessive structures Mastery
- Subject-less sentences Mastery
- Prepositions with dual case in figurative use Mastery