Reading German
Reading is one of the best ways to expand your vocabulary and internalise grammar patterns. German text follows predictable structures once you know what to look for.
Recognising word types
German capitalises all nouns, making them easy to spot:
Ich sehe den Mann auf der Straße. (I see the man on the street.)
The articles (den, der) tell you the case and gender, while the capitalised words are the nouns.
Breaking down compound words
German creates long compound words by joining smaller words together. The key to reading them is breaking them apart:
| Compound | Components | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Krankenhaus | Kranken + Haus | sick + house = hospital |
| Handschuhe | Hand + Schuhe | hand + shoes = gloves |
| Kühlschrank | kühl + Schrank | cool + cupboard = refrigerator |
| Flugzeug | Flug + Zeug | flight + thing = aeroplane |
| Frühstück | früh + Stück | early + piece = breakfast |
| Autobahn | Auto + Bahn | car + track = motorway |
| Geburtstag | Geburt + s + Tag | birth + day = birthday |
The last component determines the gender and basic meaning; earlier components modify it.
Extremely long compounds:
Rechtsschutzversicherung — legal protection insurance
- Recht + s + Schutz + Versicherung (law + protection + insurance)
Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzung — speed limit
- Geschwindigkeit + s + Begrenzung (speed + limitation)
Recognising verb positions
In main clauses, look for the verb in second position:
Jeden Morgen trinke ich Kaffee. (Every morning I drink coffee.)
In subordinate clauses, the verb goes to the end:
Ich weiß, dass er morgen kommt. (I know that he is coming tomorrow.)
In the perfect tense, the auxiliary verb (haben/sein) is in second position, and the past participle is at the end:
Sie hat das Buch gestern gelesen. (She read the book yesterday.)
Common prefixes
Recognising prefixes helps decode unfamiliar words:
Verb prefixes
| Prefix | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| an- | at, on, beginning | anfangen (to begin), ankommen (to arrive) |
| auf- | up, open | aufstehen (to get up), aufmachen (to open) |
| aus- | out | ausgehen (to go out), aussteigen (to get off) |
| ein- | in, into | einladen (to invite), einsteigen (to get on) |
| mit- | with, along | mitkommen (to come along), mitmachen (to join in) |
| vor- | before, forward | vorstellen (to introduce), vorschlagen (to suggest) |
| zu- | closed, toward | zumachen (to close), zuhören (to listen) |
| zurück- | back | zurückkommen (to come back) |
Noun/adjective prefixes
| Prefix | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| un- | not, opposite | unglücklich (unhappy), unmöglich (impossible) |
| ur- | original, very | uralt (ancient), Urlaub (holiday) |
Common suffixes
Suffixes often indicate word type and meaning:
Noun suffixes
| Suffix | Gender | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| -ung | feminine | action/result | Übung (exercise), Wohnung (apartment) |
| -heit | feminine | state/quality | Freiheit (freedom), Gesundheit (health) |
| -keit | feminine | state/quality | Möglichkeit (possibility), Höflichkeit (politeness) |
| -schaft | feminine | group/state | Freundschaft (friendship), Gesellschaft (society) |
| -er | masculine | person who does | Lehrer (teacher), Spieler (player) |
| -in | feminine | female person | Lehrerin (female teacher), Spielerin (female player) |
| -chen | neuter | diminutive | Mädchen (girl), Häuschen (little house) |
| -lein | neuter | diminutive | Büchlein (little book), Fräulein (miss) |
Adjective suffixes
| Suffix | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -lich | -ly, having quality | freundlich (friendly), täglich (daily) |
| -ig | having quality | sonnig (sunny), lustig (funny) |
| -isch | -ish, pertaining to | europäisch (European), kindisch (childish) |
| -bar | -able | essbar (edible), machbar (doable) |
| -los | -less | arbeitslos (unemployed), hoffnungslos (hopeless) |
| -voll | full of | wundervoll (wonderful), hoffnungsvoll (hopeful) |
Reading strategies
1. Identify the main verb
Find the verb in second position (main clause) or at the end (subordinate clause). This anchors your understanding.
2. Find the subject
Who or what is performing the action? Look for the nominative case.
3. Decode compounds
Break long words into their components.
4. Use context
If you don't know a word, keep reading. The context often clarifies meaning.
5. Look for cognates
Many German words resemble English words:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Wasser | water |
| Haus | house |
| Garten | garden |
| Butter | butter |
| Finger | finger |
| Hand | hand |
| Arm | arm |
| Fisch | fish |
| Bier | beer |
Be careful of false friends:
| German | Meaning (NOT English) |
|---|---|
| Gift | poison (not gift) |
| Chef | boss (not chef) |
| aktuell | current (not actual) |
| bekommen | to receive (not become) |
| Rat | advice (not rat) |
| sensibel | sensitive (not sensible) |
Practice text: Simple story
Mein Tag
Ich stehe jeden Morgen um sieben Uhr auf. Zuerst dusche ich und ziehe mich an. Dann frühstücke ich in der Küche. Ich esse meistens Brot mit Käse und trinke eine Tasse Kaffee.
Um acht Uhr fahre ich mit dem Fahrrad zur Arbeit. Mein Büro ist in der Stadtmitte, etwa zwanzig Minuten von meiner Wohnung entfernt. Ich arbeite von neun bis fünf Uhr.
Nach der Arbeit gehe ich manchmal einkaufen oder treffe mich mit Freunden. Abends koche ich gern. Um elf Uhr gehe ich ins Bett.
Translation:
My Day
I get up every morning at seven o'clock. First I shower and get dressed. Then I have breakfast in the kitchen. I usually eat bread with cheese and drink a cup of coffee.
At eight o'clock I cycle to work. My office is in the city centre, about twenty minutes from my apartment. I work from nine to five.
After work I sometimes go shopping or meet with friends. In the evening I like to cook. At eleven o'clock I go to bed.
Practice text: News style
Neue Bibliothek eröffnet
Die Stadt hat gestern eine neue Bibliothek in der Hauptstraße eröffnet. Das moderne Gebäude hat drei Stockwerke und bietet Platz für mehr als 50.000 Bücher. Besucher können auch Computer benutzen und an Veranstaltungen teilnehmen.
Der Bürgermeister sagte bei der Eröffnung: "Diese Bibliothek ist ein wichtiger Ort für unsere Gemeinde. Hier können Menschen jeden Alters lernen und sich treffen."
Die Bibliothek ist von Montag bis Samstag geöffnet. Der Eintritt ist kostenlos.
Translation:
New library opens
The city opened a new library on the main street yesterday. The modern building has three floors and offers space for more than 50,000 books. Visitors can also use computers and participate in events.
The mayor said at the opening: "This library is an important place for our community. Here people of all ages can learn and meet."
The library is open from Monday to Saturday. Entry is free.