review & speak
You made the effort of going through the story — this is what makes it stick before the next one washes it out: engage with the words and patterns, then produce them out loud.
Intermediate · en→de
1 · Vocabulary — the story's new words
The words this story used that are new at its level, sorted by meaning (Ctrl/Cmd+F to search). Save any of them to your word list — 36 new words here.
2 · Grammar — patterns from the story
morphology — Präteritum of regular verbs (-te ending)stem + [-te / -test / -ten]
Er «kaufte» gestern Blumen.
He bought flowers yesterday.
morphology — noun plural forms (-e / -er / -en / -s / umlaut)noun + [plural ending]
Zwei «Kinder» spielen draußen.
Two children are playing outside.
coordination — und / aber / oder (and / but / or)clause + und/aber/oder + clause
Ich mag Kaffee, «aber» er mag Tee.
I like coffee, but he likes tea.
process passive — werden + past participlewerden (conjugated) + … + Partizip II (end)
Das Haus «wird» gerade «gebaut».
The house is being built right now.
existence — es gibt (there is / there are)es gibt + noun (accusative)
«Es gibt» frisches Brot hier.
There is fresh bread here.
relative clause — der/die/das as relative pronounnoun + , + der/die/das + … + verb (end)
Das ist der Mann, «der» nebenan wohnt.
That is the man who lives next door.
morphology — present tense 3rd-person singular (-t ending)stem + [-t]
Sie «kocht» jeden Abend.
She cooks every evening.
subordinate clause — dass (that), verb-finalmain verb + dass + … + verb (final)
Ich denke, «dass» Deutsch schwer ist.
I think that German is difficult.
word order — verb-second (verb in position 2)[element] + verb (pos. 2) + subject + …
Heute «kommt» mein Bruder.
Today my brother is coming.
volition — wollen + infinitive (want to)wollen (conjugated) + … + infinitive
Sie «will» morgen ins Kino gehen.
She wants to go to the cinema tomorrow.
ability/permission — können + infinitive (can)können (conjugated) + … + infinitive
Er «kann» gut Deutsch sprechen.
He can speak German well.
obligation — müssen + infinitive (must / have to)müssen (conjugated) + … + infinitive
Wir «müssen» jetzt gehen.
We have to leave now.
conjunctional adverb — deshalb / trotzdem (V2 inversion)…. Deshalb + verb + subject + …
Es ist spät, «deshalb» gehen wir nach Hause.
It is late, therefore we are going home.
split — separable verb (prefix detaches to end)[verb stem conjugated] + … + [prefix (end)]
Er «ruft» mich morgen «an».
He will call me tomorrow.
verb + fixed preposition — warten auf, denken anverb + fixed preposition + object
Wir warten «auf» den Bus.
We are waiting for the bus.
indirect question — ob / w-word, verb to end… ob/W-Wort + … + verb (end)
Ich weiß nicht, «ob» er heute kommt.
I don't know whether he is coming today.
morphology — adjective ending after definite article (-e / -en)der/die/das + [adj. + -e / -en] + noun
Der «alte» Mann liest.
The old man is reading.
present perfect auxiliary — haben + participle (Perfekt with haben)haben (conjugated) + … + Partizip II
Ich «habe» das schon gemacht.
I have already done that.
future — werden + infinitive (will do)werden (conjugated) + … + infinitive
Es «wird» morgen regnen.
It will rain tomorrow.
3 · Practice A — build your own sentence
Use each pattern on your own life. Say it out loud, then peek at one valid version.
Die Brüder Grimm haben … gesammelt
Say what the Brothers Grimm did.
In den Märchen gibt es …
Say who is in the fairy tales.
Ich denke, dass …
Give an opinion with dass.
Kinder lieben …, weil …
Give a reason with weil.
4 · Practice B — translate, then check
Your language → the language you're learning, using the story's words and patterns.
5 · The speech — say it out loud
A ~1-minute speech, not a monologue — the arc (open → explain → example → opinion → contrast → close) is what makes it sound human. Study the one help bank first; then pick an angle and say each line in the language you're learning, out loud — no cues next to the lines on purpose. ✨ = new for these speeches; everything else is review from the story.
help bank · key vocabulary
help bank · connectors — the glue, in talk order
help bank · grammar patterns
THEY COLLECTED (perfect)Die Brüder Grimm haben … gesammelt
Die Brüder Grimm haben Märchen gesammelt.— The Brothers Grimm collected fairy tales.
MANY CHILDREN KNOW (plural)Viele Kinder kennen diese + plural
Viele Kinder kennen diese Geschichten.— Many children know these stories.
THERE ARE … AND … (es gibt)In den Märchen gibt es … und …
In den Märchen gibt es Könige und Hexen.— In the fairy tales there are kings and witches.
THE … ARE OFTEN (plural)Die Geschichten sind oft sehr + adj
Die Geschichten sind oft sehr alt.— The stories are often very old.
I THINK THAT (dass)Ich denke, dass … + verb.
Ich denke, dass Märchen wichtig sind.— I think that fairy tales are important.
… BECAUSE … (weil)Kinder lieben Märchen, weil … + verb.
Kinder lieben Märchen, weil sie spannend sind.— Children love fairy tales because they are exciting.
now perform it — pick an angle · all 5 use the one bank above, no new words
German fairy tales overall.
the speech — say each line in the language you're learning
① Open — say what your topic is
1.Today I'll talk about German fairy tales.
2.The Brothers Grimm collected fairy tales.
② Explain — what they are
3.Many children know these stories.
4.In the fairy tales there are kings and witches.
③ Example — what they are like
5.The stories are often very old.
6.Children love fairy tales because they are exciting.
④ My opinion — why it is good
7.I think that fairy tales are important.
8.Many children know these stories.
⑤ But — the other side
9.But some stories are scary.
10.Children love fairy tales because they are exciting.
⑥ Close — a question and thanks
11.So, do you know German fairy tales?
12.Thank you very much!
⚠ stuck? model answers — try first, peek last