CEFR A1 · step 1 of 12
German A1.1: the words, the grammar and the mock exams
Sogda's step A1.1 teaches 637 German words and 11 grammar topics, the first half of CEFR level A1. It ends with 3 mock exams, each with 40 questions plus a writing and a speaking task, generated from the step's own words and grammar.
What A1 means
At A1 you understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases. You can introduce yourself, and ask and answer simple questions about where you live, people you know and things you have, as long as the other person speaks slowly and clearly.
These are the levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), which the Goethe-Zertifikat and telc exams follow. Each step's words and grammar are Sogda's selection for its level.
The 11 grammar topics of A1.1
- Pronunciation & Sie vs du
- Personal pronouns + sein
- haben & regular present tense
- Vowel-change verbs
- W-questions & yes/no questions
- Word order: verb second (V2)
- Clock time & dates
- Nouns, gender & articles
- Plural forms
- Accusative (direct object)
- Negation: nicht vs kein
The 3 mock exams
Each mock exam for A1.1 has 40 questions and two tasks, 48 points in all, with a result for each section. Like the real exams, they test listening, writing and speaking, plus vocabulary and grammar; there's no reading-comprehension part. They're generated from the step's words and grammar, not official Goethe or telc papers.
- Vocabulary: 10 questions
- Reverse (from the meaning to German): 8 questions
- Articles: 6 questions
- Word forms: 4 questions
- Gap fill: 6 questions
- Grammar: 4 questions
- Listening: 2 questions
- Writing: a text of at least 30 words
- Speaking: up to 60 seconds
25 of the 637 words
A sample from step A1.1: each word with its article and forms where it has them, its meaning in English and a pronunciation guide. The app has all 637, with examples.
- teuer
- expensive — /TOY-er/
- der Regenschirm · Regenschirme
- umbrella — /RAY-gen-sheerm/
- fünf
- five — /FEWNF/
- langsam
- slow / slowly — /LANG-zahm/
- drei
- three — /DRAI/
- null
- zero — /NOOL/
- der Finger · Finger
- finger — /FING-er/
- die
- the — /DEE/
- normalerweise
- normally / usually — /nor-MAH-ler-vai-zuh/
- kurz · kürzer · am kürzesten
- short / brief — /KOORTS/
- die Tüte · Tüten
- bag — /TEW-tuh/
- die Bauchschmerzen
- stomach ache — /BOWKH-shmair-tsen/
- ausschalten · schaltet aus · hat ausgeschaltet
- to switch off — /OWSS-shal-ten/
- Ihnen
- you / to you — /EE-nen/
- sehr
- very — /ZAIR/
- die Liebe
- love — /LEE-buh/
- das Gleis · Gleise
- platform / track — /GLAISS/
- woher
- from where — /voh-HAIR/
- möchten · möchte
- would like — /MURHY-ten/
- das Wohnzimmer · Wohnzimmer
- living room — /VOHN-tsim-mer/
- das Kind · Kinder
- child — /KINT/
- vielleicht
- maybe / perhaps — /fil-LAIHYT/
- dritte
- third — /DRIT-tuh/
- das Wetter
- weather — /VET-ter/
- der Moment · Momente
- moment — /mo-MENT/
Questions, answered.
Is this the official Goethe or telc word list for A1?
No. These are the words of Sogda's step A1.1, chosen for CEFR A1. The mock exams test listening, writing and speaking like the real exams, plus vocabulary and grammar, but they're generated from the course, not official Goethe or telc papers.
How many words does Sogda teach for A1?
1,315 words and 22 grammar topics, across its two steps, A1.1 and A1.2.
What comes after A1.1?
Step A1.2, with 678 more words. Already know some German? A short placement check starts you at the right step.