German A2.1: the words, the grammar and the mock exams

What A2 means

At A2 you understand sentences and frequent expressions about things that matter to you every day, such as family, shopping, where you live and work. You can handle simple, routine tasks that need a direct exchange of information.

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 10 grammar topics of A2.1

• Adjective endings (nominative)
• Subordinate clauses: weil, dass, wenn
• Reflexive verbs
• Comparative & superlative
• sollen, advice & modals in Präteritum
• Adjective endings (accusative & dative)
• Konjunktiv II: polite requests & wishes
• Two-way prepositions (Wechselpräpositionen)
• Genitive
• Infinitive with zu

The 3 mock exams

Each mock exam for A2.1 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 60 words
• Speaking: up to 60 seconds

25 of the 538 words

A sample from step A2.1: each word with its article and forms where it has them, its meaning in English and a pronunciation guide. The app has all 538, with examples.

der Anfang

beginning / start — /AN-fang/

der Bürgermeister · Bürgermeister

mayor — /BEWR-ger-mais-ter/

der Kindersitz · Kindersitze

child seat — /KIN-der-zits/

der Arbeitgeber · Arbeitgeber

employer — /AR-bait-gay-ber/

wechseln · wechselt · hat gewechselt

to change / to switch — /VEK-seln/

sich melden · meldet sich · hat sich gemeldet

to get in touch / to report — /zihy MEL-den/

die Kündigung · Kündigungen

termination / notice / resignation — /KEWN-di-goong/

denn

because / for — /DEN/

heiraten · heiratet · hat geheiratet

to marry — /HAI-rah-ten/

enden · endet · hat geendet

to end — /EN-den/

danken · dankt · hat gedankt

to thank — /DANK-en/

der Mittagsschlaf

afternoon nap — /MIT-tahks-shlahf/

der Vorteil · Vorteile

advantage — /FOHR-tail/

intelligent

intelligent — /in-tel-li-GENT/

der Alltag

everyday life / daily routine — /AL-tahk/

das Unternehmen · Unternehmen

company / enterprise — /oon-ter-NAY-men/

besichtigen · besichtigt · hat besichtigt

to visit / to view (a place) — /buh-ZIHY-ti-gen/

die Funktion · Funktionen

function / feature — /foonk-TSYOHN/

verantwortlich

responsible — /fair-ANT-vort-lihy/

erreichbar

reachable / available — /air-RAIHY-bahr/

streamen · streamt · hat gestreamt

to stream — /STREE-men/

gewinnen · gewinnt · hat gewonnen

to win — /guh-VIN-nen/

bearbeiten · bearbeitet · hat bearbeitet

to process / to edit — /buh-AR-bai-ten/

bestätigen · bestätigt · hat bestätigt

to confirm — /buh-SHTEH-ti-gen/

die Unterlagen

documents / paperwork — /OON-ter-lah-gen/

Questions, answered.