18 nouns: remember article and plural together
Read one row, cover it and retrieve both forms. The singular article tells you the noun’s grammatical gender; die marks the plural in these dictionary-style pairs. A plural can change the vowel, the ending, both or neither. Do not turn one pattern into a rule for every noun.
| Singular | Plural | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| der Name | die Namen | name |
| die Adresse | die Adressen | address |
| die Sprache | die Sprachen | language |
| der Kurs | die Kurse | course |
| die Frage | die Fragen | question |
| die Antwort | die Antworten | answer |
| der Tag | die Tage | day |
| die Woche | die Wochen | week |
| der Termin | die Termine | appointment |
| der Preis | die Preise | price |
| das Zimmer | die Zimmer | room |
| die Wohnung | die Wohnungen | flat/apartment |
| der Beruf | die Berufe | occupation |
| der Weg | die Wege | way/route |
| der Bus | die Busse | bus |
| das Ticket | die Tickets | ticket |
| die Flasche | die Flaschen | bottle |
| das Brot | die Brote | bread/loaf |
12 verbs: start with the form you can actually say
The ich forms below let you make a first statement. They are not full conjugation tables. Combine one with a real detail: Ich wohne in Bonn or Ich brauche ein Ticket. Use the grammar catalogue when you need the rest of a verb pattern.
| Infinitive | With ich | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| heißen | ich heiße | be called |
| wohnen | ich wohne | live/reside |
| lernen | ich lerne | learn |
| brauchen | ich brauche | need |
| haben | ich habe | have |
| sein | ich bin | be |
| kommen | ich komme | come |
| gehen | ich gehe | go/walk |
| fahren | ich fahre | travel by vehicle |
| kaufen | ich kaufe | buy |
| fragen | ich frage | ask |
| verstehen | ich verstehe | understand |
12 chunks: choose a message for the situation
These entries overlap in words because communication is the goal. 42 entries does not mean 42 unique words or a full syllabus. Retrieve the whole question or reply for a specific job, and change the detail that belongs to you.
| Chunk | Job |
|---|---|
| Guten Morgen. | Greet someone in the morning. |
| Ich heiße … | Give your name. |
| Ich wohne in … | Say where you live. |
| Ich lerne Deutsch. | Say what you are learning. |
| Ich habe eine Frage. | Introduce a question. |
| Was bedeutet das? | Ask for a meaning. |
| Bitte langsam. | Ask for slower speech. |
| Können Sie das bitte wiederholen? | Ask someone formally to repeat. |
| Wie viel kostet das? | Ask the price. |
| Wann beginnt der Kurs? | Ask when the course starts. |
| Ich brauche ein Ticket. | Say you need a ticket. |
| Vielen Dank. | Thank someone. |
Connect the entries in an original mini-task
Read once: Minh wohnt in Bonn. Er lernt Deutsch. Sein Kurs beginnt am Montag um neun Uhr. Now cover the text. Say where Minh lives and ask when the course starts. After checking, replace Minh’s details with your own. This checks whether you can use the selection rather than only recognise it.
- Task I want to manage: ______
- Five entries I can recall without looking: ______
- Article/plural pair to check: ______
- My own question: ______
- My own answer: ______
- Next review: try again without the table.
Six tasks to practise
Try each task before opening the answer. Open tasks show one model; equivalent appropriate answers are also possible.
Give the plural of die Frage.
Answer and explanation
die Fragen
The plural adds -n.
Complete: “Ich ___ eine Frage.”
Answer and explanation
habe
Haben fits the meaning have a question, with ich habe.
Ask someone formally to repeat.
Answer and explanation
Können Sie das bitte wiederholen?
The complete chunk expresses the request clearly.
Where does Minh live in the mini-task?
Answer and explanation
In Bonn.
The first sentence supplies the location.
Ask when the course starts.
Answer and explanation
Wann beginnt der Kurs?
Wann asks for the time; the finite verb follows it.
Write two truthful sentences about yourself using the study set.
Answer and explanation
Ich wohne in Bonn. Ich lerne Deutsch.
Replace the location with your own. This is a model, not a requirement to share Minh’s details.
Questions learners ask
How many German words do I need for A1?
There is no single universal CEFR word total. Use the requirements of your specific course or exam and practise what you can do with the vocabulary.
Is this the full official A1 vocabulary list?
No. It is an original selective 42-entry workbook. It combines 18 nouns, 12 verbs and 12 chunks, with repeated words where useful.