This section covers additional grammar topics that are important for the A2 level – but don’t fit neatly into the other categories. These are the grammar details that help you build confidence and fluency in everyday German.

The Formal "Sie" – Polite German (A2 Focus)​

In German, there are two ways to say "you":

• "du" – informal, for people you know well (friends, family, children)

• "Sie" – formal, used in polite or professional situations (strangers, customers, colleagues)

"Sie" is always capitalised, even in the middle of a sentence.

Examples: Wie heißen Sie? → What is your name? (formal) Kommen Sie aus Berlin? → Are you from Berlin?

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At A2 level, it's important to understand not just how to use "Sie", but when and how to move between formal and informal speech.

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When to switch from "Sie" to "du": In Germany, it's common to stay formal ("Sie") in work or public settings until someone explicitly offers the informal "du". This cultural change is called "per Du sein". The older or higher-ranking person usually initiates this. You might hear: Sollen wir uns duzen? → Shall we use "du" with each other?

Tip: Stay formal (with "Sie") in emails, shops, workplaces, or with new people, unless the informal tone is clearly invited.

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Imperative – Giving Commands and Instructions (A2 Expansion)

The imperative is used to give direct commands, advice, or instructions. While A1 learners see the basics, A2 students expand their range and accuracy.

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In German, the imperative form depends on who you're talking to:

du-form (informal singular)

Lern(e) Deutsch! → Learn German!

Komm schnell! → Come quickly!

Sei ruhig! → Be quiet!

Gib mir das Buch! → Give me the book!

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ihr-form (informal plural)

Lernt Deutsch! → Learn German! (to several people)

Kommt bitte pünktlich! → Please be on time!

Seid leise! → Be quiet!

Gebt mir eure Hefte! → Give me your notebooks!

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Sie-form (formal)

Lernen Sie Deutsch! → Learn German! (formal)

Kommen Sie bitte herein! → Please come in!

Seien Sie vorsichtig! → Be careful!

Geben Sie mir das Formular! → Give me the form!

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In the du-form, remove the "-st" ending from the verb (lernen → lern(e)). Irregular verbs like "sein" and "geben" have special forms: "sei", "gib", "seid", etc.

Tip: For polite or written instructions, always use the Sie-form. For friendly advice, use du-form with "bitte" to keep the tone soft.

Reflexive Verbs – Daily Routines and Feelings (A2 Focus)

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At A2 level, students expand their understanding of reflexive verbs - common in daily life and emotional expression.

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Some German verbs use a reflexive pronoun, like "sich". This means the action is done by and to the same person.

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Examples: Ich dusche mich. → I shower (myself).

Du freust dich. → You are happy. Er zieht sich an. → He gets dressed.

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Here’s a list of reflexive pronouns with subjects:

• ich → mich

• du → dich

• er/sie/es → sich

• wir → uns

• ihr → euch

• sie/Sie → sich

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These pronouns come directly after the verb and must match the subject.

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More common reflexive verbs:

sich erinnern (an + Akk.) – to remember

sich ärgern (über + Akk.) – to get annoyed

sich interessieren (für + Akk.) – to be interested in

sich beeilen – to hurry

sich ausruhen – to rest

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Example: Ich erinnere mich an den Film. → I remember the film.

Wir freuen uns auf das Wochenende. → We’re looking forward to the weekend.

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Tip: Many reflexive verbs use prepositions – learn the full phrase (verb + reflexive pronoun + preposition + article).

Questions – Indirect Questions and Embedded Clauses

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At A2 level, learners begin using more complex questions in conversation. These are called indirect questions because they are embedded within a statement or another question.

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Direct: Wo wohnst du? → Where do you live? Indirect: Kannst du mir sagen, wo du wohnst? → Can you tell me where you live?

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Word order: In indirect questions, the verb is placed at the end of the clause. This is different from direct questions, where the verb comes second.

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More examples:

Ich weiß nicht, wann der Kurs beginnt. → I don’t know when the course starts.

Können Sie mir sagen, wie spät es ist? → Can you tell me what time it is?

Ich frage mich, ob er morgen kommt. → I wonder if he is coming tomorrow.

Common introductory phrases:

Ich weiß nicht, ... → I don’t know...

Können Sie mir sagen, ... → Can you tell me...

Ich frage mich, ... → I wonder...

Weißt du, ... → Do you know...

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Tip: Practice turning direct questions into indirect ones by focusing on correct word order and choosing suitable introductory phrases.

Verb + Preposition Combinations

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Some verbs in German require specific prepositions, which often differ from English. These verb + preposition combinations are idiomatic – they don’t always follow the same logic as in English, so they need to be memorised as fixed pairs.

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Examples:

• warten auf + Akkusativ → Ich warte auf den Bus. → I’m waiting for the bus.

• sprechen mit + Dativ → Wir sprechen mit dem Lehrer. → We are speaking with the teacher.

• denken an + Akkusativ → Ich denke an dich. → I’m thinking of you. sich

• interessieren für + Akkusativ → Sie interessiert sich für Kunst. → She is interested in art.

• sich freuen auf + Akkusativ → Ich freue mich auf den Urlaub. → I’m looking forward to the holiday.

• bestehen aus + Dativ → Die Gruppe besteht aus zehn Personen. → The group consists of ten people.

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Tip: Always learn these as a full chunk – verb + preposition + article – and make flashcards to reinforce them.

Two-Object Verbs – Dative + Accusative

Some German verbs take both a direct and an indirect object.

Example: Ich gebe dem Mann (dative) das Buch (accusative). → I give the man the book.

Common verbs that use two objects:

• geben – to give

• schicken – to send

• zeigen – to show

• bringen – to bring

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Pattern: Subject + verb + dative (person) + accusative (thing)

​Infinitive with "zu"

The "zu + infinitive" structure is used when one verb depends on another. In English, this often translates to "to do something".

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Structure: Main clause + "," (Komma) + zu + verb (at the end)

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Examples:

Ich habe vergessen, die Hausaufgaben zu machen. → I forgot to do the homework.

Sie versucht, pünktlich zu sein. → She tries to be on time.

Wir planen, im Sommer nach Deutschland zu fahren. → We are planning to go to Germany in summer.

Er hat keine Zeit, mitzukommen. → He has no time to come along.

Du hast Angst, einen Fehler zu machen. → You are afraid of making a mistake.

Wir hoffen, bald eine Wohnung zu finden. → We hope to find a flat soon.

Er bittet mich, ihm zu helfen. → He asks me to help him.

Sie hat vergessen, ihren Bruder anzurufen. → She forgot to call her brother.

Ich habe beschlossen, mehr Sport zu machen. → I decided to do more sport.

Wir versuchen, leise zu sein. → We are trying to be quiet.

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Note:

• The "zu" is placed directly before the infinitive.

• With separable verbs, "zu" goes between the prefix and the verb: "mitzukommen", "anzurufen", "aufzustehen".

Common verbs that require "zu":

• anfangen (to start)

• aufhören (to stop)

• versuchen (to try)

• planen (to plan)

• vergessen (to forget)

• hoffen (to hope)

• bitten (to ask)

• empfehlen (to recommend)

• beschließen (to decide)

Tip: Always look up if the first verb requires "zu". Some verbs (like "möchten", "können") do not use "zu". Practise building full sentences, especially with separable verbs.

Indefinite Pronouns – Something, Nothing, Someone, Nobody

Indefinite pronouns are used to refer to people or things in a general or non-specific way. They are great for talking about unknown people or general situations.

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Here are the most common ones:

• etwas → something

• nichts → nothing

• jemand → someone

• niemand → no one, nobody

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Examples:

Ich habe etwas gegessen. → I ate something.

Niemand ist gekommen. → Nobody came.

Ich suche jemand, der mir hilft. → I’m looking for someone to help me.

Nichts ist passiert. → Nothing happened.

Etwas stimmt nicht. → Something isn’t right.

Jemand ruft dich an. → Someone is calling you.

Niemand war zu Hause. → Nobody was home.

Nichts interessiert ihn. → Nothing interests him.

Hast du etwas gesehen? → Did you see something?

Ich möchte etwas Neues lernen. → I’d like to learn something new.

Jemand hat die Tür geöffnet. → Someone opened the door.

Niemand wollte antworten. → Nobody wanted to answer.

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Notes:

• These pronouns do not change for gender or number.

• "jemand" and "niemand" can take case endings in formal or written language:

  • jemanden (accusative of jemand): Ich sehe jemanden. → I see someone.

  • niemandem (dative of niemand): Ich helfe niemandem. → I help no one.

  • etwas Neues (something new): Ich habe etwas Neues gelernt. → I learned something new.

Tip: Use indefinite pronouns to speak in general terms - perfect for everyday conversations when details are unknown or unimportant. Create short example sentences with them and practise switching between subject, object, and prepositional uses.