essay on daily routine in german

How to Express Your Daily Routine in German

by  fredo21  

January 27, 2021

0  Comments

When you get up in the morning, what’s the first thing you do? Have coffee, brush your teeth, turn your computer on? Can you say it in German?

This article will explain the most-used German verbs for talking about your daily routine. You use them to tell someone how your day was or explain to your spouse why you were late from work. What is more, our German vocabulary for daily routine carries important grammar lessons that can improve your language skills.

Divisible Verbs

Our first choices are both divisible verbs, which play a key role in describing the beginning of your day.

Examples 

Both verbs express a transition from one state to another (ex. from asleep to awake, from lying to standing), which is why they both take the auxiliary verb sein in the past tense:

Reflexive Verbs 

Our list goes on with reflexive verbs. These verbs act on the subject itself. They always have sich in the infinitive form. Sich rasieren (to shave oneself) is another common daily routine verb that’s reflexive. In English, we wouldn’t say, “Shave yourself!” to someone, only “shave!” but in German, it would be “Rasiere dich!” 

LEARN GERMAN WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS NOW!

SIGN UP NOW TO GET THESE FOR FREE!

• 100 Days of German Words and Expressions E-book
• 300 Useful German Adjectives

Let’s go back to “sich die Zähne putzen” for a second because it’s slightly different.

While the infinitive also has sich , the reflexive verb takes the dative in the first and second person singular. These are the only exceptions.

When there is a direct object, the verb takes the dative in the first and second person singular. When there isn’t, it takes the accusative.

In addition, waschen takes the umlaut in the second and third person singular:

This verb is extra-hard because it is both divisible and reflexive. Other than that, it’s just like our previous example.

Same rule: when there is a direct object, the verb takes the dative in the first and second person singular. When there isn’t, it takes the accusative. It doesn’t matter what clothing item or accessory you use.

Quite a few reflexive verbs offer much needed convenience, for example fernsehen – to watch TV. You don’t need to use the word for television because the verb expresses the entire action of watching television.Enter your text here...

In keeping with the rule, the verb sehen (to see) takes second position. The most common prefixes in divisible verbs are: an-, auf-, mit-, vor–, zu-, aus–, ab-, and ein-.

Another example is frühstücken (frue-shtuek-en) - to have breakfast. Like with fernsehen , you don’t need to use the word for breakfast (das Fruhstuck ) to express the action. Unlike fernsehen , this verb is not divisible.

Many daily routine verbs are a mix of reflexive and divisible verbs, such as sich ausruhen (to relax). It is not reflexive in English (few English verbs are), but it is in German.

Other Common Daily Routine Vocab

Example , weekend and free time vocab .

Das Wochenende (the weekend) is the time to relax ( sich entspannen , sich ausruhen ) for people who work a lot during the week. It’s also the time when they have more things to do around the house or other chores. The following is a list of some typical activities and chores people do at the weekend. 

Quiet Time and Other Laws 

The laws in Germany are pretty strict when it comes to stores’ business hours. Most stores close up Saturday afternoon and don’t reopen until Monday morning. This means you need to stock up for that extra day. Only gas stations are open on Sundays and they have a limited food product range, mostly junk food, which is overpriced to make up for being open on Sunday.

After doing some chores and shopping on Saturday morning, some Germans enjoy cycling ( Fahrrad fahren ), taking a Spaziergang or spazieren gehen (walk), or joggen (going jogging).

Traditionally, people rest on Sundays. Many go to church and socialize. Families enjoy a home-cooked meal at noon, after which they might go for a stroll. In the afternoon, people share Kaffee and Kuchen (coffee and cake) or a slice of delicious Apfelstrudel (apple pie). 

You are not allowed to partake in loud activities like playing music loudly, mowing your lawn, vacuuming, or doing any home improvement on Sundays and holidays and between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. on weekdays and Saturdays.

There you have it, a list of German words and phrases for daily routine. What about you? Can you write your routine in German and share it with us in the comments?

About the author 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked

You might also like

Learning Method

Sentence Structure and Word Order in German

German declension: the four grammatical cases in detail, prepositions with dative, accusative, and mixed, learn all about german two-way prepositions: what they are and how to use them, just one more step  and you'll get access to the following:.

• The German Learning Package: 100-Day German Vocabulary and Phrases Pack.

Sign Up Below ... and Get Instant Access to the Freebie

Find Study Materials for

• Business Studies
• Combined Science
• Computer Science
• Engineering
• English Literature
• Environmental Science
• Human Geography
• Macroeconomics
• Microeconomics
• Social Studies
• Browse all subjects
• Read our Magazine

Create Study Materials

Learning about daily routines in German is essential for developing your language skills and integrating smoothly into German-speaking environments. By mastering phrases such as "Ich stehe um 7 Uhr auf" (I wake up at 7 o'clock), you enrich your vocabulary and gain insight into everyday life in Germany. This foundational knowledge not only enhances your conversational abilities but also deepens your understanding of German culture and customs.

Explore our app and discover over 50 million learning materials for free.

• Daily Routines In German
• Explanations
• StudySmarter AI
• Textbook Solutions
• German Grammar
• German Social Issues
• Adjective List In German
• Animal Names In German
• Animals German
• Architecture Vocabulary In German
• Art Vocabulary In German
• Asking Directions In German
• Beach Vocabulary In German
• Biology Vocabulary In German
• Body Parts German
• Body Parts In German
• Book Vocabulary In German
• Chemistry Vocabulary In German
• Cinema Vocabulary In German
• City Vocabulary In German
• Clothes German
• Clothing Vocabulary In German
• Colours In German
• Communication Verbs In German
• Computer Vocabulary In German
• Construction Vocabulary In German
• Contract Vocabulary In German
• Country Names German
• Court Vocabulary In German
• Cultural Expressions In German
• Date German
• Dining Out In Germany
• Disaster Vocabulary In German
• Economic Terms In German
• Electrical Appliances In German
• Emergency Vocabulary In German
• Emotion Vocabulary In German
• Emotions German
• Engineering Vocabulary In German
• Essay Writing In German
• Family German
• Family Relationships In German
• Family Terms In German
• Festival Vocabulary In German
• Figurative Language In German
• Fitness Vocabulary In German
• Food And Drink German
• Food Vocabulary In German
• Fractions German
• Furniture German
• Furniture Vocabulary In German
• Gardening Terms In German
• Geographical Terms In German
• Geography Vocabulary In German
• Geometry Vocabulary In German
• German Academic Vocabulary
• German For Humanities
• German For Math And Science
• German Internet Slang
• German Numbers
• German Phrases
• German Public Transportation Vocabulary
• German Question Words
• German Questions
• German School Vocabulary
• German Technology Vocabulary
• German Travel Vocabulary
• German University Vocabulary
• Grocery Shopping In Germany
• Health Vocabulary In German
• History Vocabulary In German
• Hobbies German
• Holidays List In German
• Idiomatic Expressions In German
• Informatics Vocabulary In German
• Insurance Vocabulary In German
• Internet Vocabulary In German
• Investment Vocabulary In German
• Kitchen Utensils In German
• Legal Document Vocabulary In German
• Legal Vocabulary In German
• Letter Writing In German
• Library Vocabulary In German
• Listening German
• Literary Terms In German
• Loan Vocabulary In German
• Math Vocabulary In German
• Medical Terms In German
• Museum Vocabulary In German
• Music Terminology In German
• Narrative Techniques In German
• Nationalities In German
• Nature Words In German
• Newspaper Vocabulary In German
• Noun List In German
• Number Vocabulary In German
• Occupation German
• Occupations List In German
• Office Vocabulary In German
• Ordinal Numbers German
• Party Vocabulary In German
• Percentages German
• Personal Hygiene In German
• Phrasal Verbs In German
• Physics Vocabulary In German
• Places German
• Police Vocabulary In German
• Political Vocabulary In German
• Programming Vocabulary In German
• Pronoun List In German
• Proofreading Techniques In German
• Quantities German
• Reading German
• Repair Vocabulary In German
• Report Writing In German
• Restaurant Terms In German
• School Supplies In German
• Scientific Vocabulary In German
• Shopping German
• Shopping Vocabulary In German
• Slang Terms In German
• Social Media Vocabulary In German
• Speaking German
• Spelling Rules In German
• Sport Terms In German
• Tax Vocabulary In German
• Technology Terms In German
• Theatre Vocabulary In German
• Time Data German
• Time Expressions In German
• Time German
• Transport Vocabulary In German
• Verb List In German
• Weather German
• Writing German
• Years German

Lerne mit deinen Freunden und bleibe auf dem richtigen Kurs mit deinen persönlichen Lernstatistiken

Nie wieder prokastinieren mit unseren Lernerinnerungen.

Daily Routines in German: A Beginner's Guide

Learning about daily routines in German can significantly enhance your ability to communicate effectively in everyday situations. Whether you are a beginner or looking to brush up on your skills, understanding how to describe and talk about your day is essential. This guide will introduce you to the vocabulary and phrases needed to talk about your daily routine, offering insights into structuring sentences and mastering the basics at the A1 level.

Understanding German Vocabulary for Daily Routines

To begin discussing daily routines in German, it’s crucial to familiarize yourself with key vocabulary. Terms related to time, activities, and frequencies are the building blocks for expressing your daily schedule. Here’s a basic list of words to get you started:

• aufstehen - to get up
• frühstücken - to have breakfast
• zur Arbeit gehen - to go to work
• zu Mittag essen - to have lunch
• zur Schule gehen - to go to school
• lernen - to study
• zu Abend essen - to have dinner
• schlafen gehen - to go to bed

Remember, verb conjugations are key to making your sentences make sense according to the subject (I, you, he/she/it, we, you all, they).

How to Talk About Your Daily Routine in German

Discussing your daily routine in German requires not only knowing the vocabulary but also how to structure your sentences. You’ll typically start with the time you do an activity, followed by the activity itself. Here’s a simple template to follow: Um [time], [activity]. For example: Um acht Uhr, gehe ich zur Arbeit. - At eight o’clock, I go to work.For routines that happen regularly, you can use phrases like jeden Tag (every day), jede Woche (every week), or am Montag (on Monday) to express frequency. Combining these elements allows for a more detailed and interesting recount of your daily routine.

Consider the following sentence to describe a part of a daily routine: Ich stehe um sieben Uhr auf und frühstücke um halb acht. - I get up at seven o’clock and have breakfast at half-past seven.This sentence shows how you can connect different activities and times to provide a clear picture of your morning routine.

Mastering Daily Routine in German A1 Level

At the A1 level, mastering daily routines in German is about simplicity and repetition. Focus on the core vocabulary and basic sentence structures to build your confidence. Here are some tips to help:

• Practice with flashcards to memorize vocabulary.
• Use simple, present tense verbs to describe activities.
• Listen to recordings or watch videos in German focused on daily routines to enhance comprehension and pronunciation.
• Engage in role-play scenarios with peers to practice speaking.

Understanding the importance of verb position in German sentences can greatly impact your ability to express your daily routine clearly. In a main clause, the conjugated verb typically is in the second position, while in a subordinate clause, the conjugated verb goes to the end. This rule is key when expanding your sentences to include reasons, conditions, or additional information about your daily activities. For example, Ich gehe jeden Tag um sechs Uhr zur Arbeit, weil ich früh anfangen muss. - I go to work at six o’clock every day because I have to start early. This deeper understanding of sentence structure will be invaluable as you progress.

Crafting Your Daily Routine Essay in German

When it comes to writing an essay about your daily routine in German, the right structure and engaging content are key to creating an effective piece. This guide will offer insights into organizing your paragraph on daily routines and share valuable tips to make your essay more engaging to readers.

Structuring a Daily Routine Paragraph in German

A well-structured paragraph about daily routines in German should follow a clear and logical order. Begin by introducing the topic, followed by detailed sentences about your routines, and conclude with a summary or closing remark. Here is the basic structure to follow:

• Introduction: Start with a sentence that introduces the topic of your daily routine. It can be a general statement about the importance of having a routine or a brief overview of what your routine consists of.
• Body: In the body of your paragraph, detail your daily activities. Begin with the morning and progress through to the evening, describing what you do and when. Make sure to use transition words for a smooth flow of ideas.
• Conclusion: End your paragraph with a statement that wraps up your daily routine, possibly reflecting on how it impacts your life or productivity.

Introduction: Meine tägliche Routine spielt eine große Rolle in meinem Leben und hilft mir, produktiv zu bleiben. Body: Ich stehe jeden Tag um 6 Uhr morgens auf, frühstücke um 6:30 Uhr und gehe um 8 Uhr zur Arbeit. Nach der Arbeit gehe ich dreimal pro Woche ins Fitnessstudio. Conclusion: Durch diese tägliche Routine fühle ich mich ausgeglichener und erfüllter in meinem täglichen Leben.

Using varied vocabulary and different time expressions will make your paragraph more interesting and give it a natural flow.

Tips for Writing an Engaging Daily Routine Essay in German

Writing an engaging essay about your daily routine in German goes beyond merely listing activities. Here are tips to enhance your essay:

• Include sensory details: Describe not just what you do, but also involve the senses by mentioning how things smell, sound, or feel to bring your routine to life.
• Use varied vocabulary: Avoid repetition by using synonyms and varied expressions. This will keep the reader's interest and showcase your command of the language.
• Integrate idiomatic expressions: Incorporating idioms can make your essay feel more authentic and engaging.
• Reflect on your routine: Don’t just list activities; reflect on how they contribute to your goals or well-being. This adds depth to your essay.

A deeper look into the use of temporal adverbs and conjunctions can significantly improve the flow of your essay. Temporal adverbs such as morgens (in the morning) and abends (in the evening) specify when activities happen, while conjunctions like nachdem (after) and bevor (before) explain the sequence. For instance, Nachdem ich frühstücke, gehe ich zur Arbeit. This means 'After I have breakfast, I go to work.' Understanding how to effectively use these linguistic tools will help you write a more coherent and engaging daily routine essay.

The Importance of Daily Routine in German Translation

Translating daily routines into German plays a crucial role for learners to immerse in the language and culture effectively. It helps bridge the gap between understanding basic vocabulary and applying it in real-world contexts. This section delves into the nuances of translating daily routine phrases from English to German and identifies common challenges learners may encounter.Understanding daily routines in German not only enhances language proficiency but also aids in cultural assimilation, making interactions more meaningful and authentic.

Navigating Daily Routine Phrases in German and Their English Equivalents

When learning German, familiarizing yourself with daily routine phrases and their English equivalents is fundamental. This not only builds your vocabulary but also improves your conversational skills. Below is a table highlighting some common daily routine phrases in both languages:

Consider the phrase 'Ich frühstücke um acht Uhr' , which translates to 'I have breakfast at eight o'clock' . This example highlights how specific times can be integrated with daily routines, offering a practical context for language use.

Incorporate time expressions like 'um acht Uhr' (at eight o'clock) or 'vor dem Mittagessen' (before lunch) to provide more details about your routines.

Common Challenges in Translating Daily Routine Vocabulary

Translating daily routine vocabulary between English and German presents several challenges:

• Verb Position: German sentence structure often places the verb in the second position, which might differ from the typical English construction, leading to confusion.
• Reflexive Verbs: German uses reflexive verbs frequently in daily routines (e.g., sich anziehen - to get dressed), which have no direct equivalent in English and require special attention.
• Time Expressions: German time telling uses a 24-hour format commonly, and expressions relating to time can differ significantly from English, necessitating careful translation.
• Prepositions: Certain prepositions used with daily activities in German might not align directly with their English counterparts, adding another layer of complexity.

Delving deeper into the challenge of verb positions, it's worth noting the structure of modal verbs in German sentences. For instance, when expressing a desire or necessity within a daily routine, the modal verb occupies the second position while the main verb goes to the end in the infinitive form. This significantly differs from English and requires a nuanced understanding to accurately translate phrases. For example, 'Ich möchte um zehn Uhr schlafen gehen.' translates to 'I would like to go to sleep at ten o'clock.' Recognizing and mastering these structural differences is key to fluent translation and language use.

Incorporating German Vocabulary for Daily Routines Into Your Language Practice

Incorporating German vocabulary for daily routines into your language practice is a pivotal step in achieving fluency. Focusing on daily routines not only enriches your vocabulary but also equips you with phrases and sentences that are applicable in real-life situations. This section explores practical exercises and strategies to enhance your conversational skills by integrating daily routine vocabulary effectively into your study routine.Becoming proficient in using daily routine vocabulary in German allows for more natural and authentic conversations, making it easier to connect with native speakers and understand the culture more deeply.

Practical Exercises to Improve Your Usage of Daily Routine in German

To effectively incorporate daily routine vocabulary into your German language practice, engaging in practical exercises is key. Below are some activities that can help reinforce your learning:

• Writing a journal entry in German detailing your day from morning to night.
• Creating flashcards with daily routine vocabulary and phrases, then testing yourself or a study partner.
• Listening to German podcasts or watching videos focused on daily activities, noting down new vocabulary and phrases used.
• Role-playing different scenarios, such as describing your morning routine to a friend or discussing weekend plans, using the target vocabulary.

Try to narrate your daily activities out loud in German as you perform them. This can significantly boost your memory retention and ability to recall vocabulary spontaneously.

Enhancing Your Conversational Skills With Daily Routine Vocabulary

Daily routine vocabulary serves as an excellent basis for enhancing your conversational skills in German. To make your conversations more engaging and fluent, consider the following strategies:

• Use varied sentence structures to talk about your routines, incorporating both simple and compound sentences to add depth to your conversations.
• Practise asking and answering questions about daily routines with a partner, focusing on using different tenses to speak about past, present, and future activities.
• Incorporate adjective and adverb usage to describe your routines more vividly, such as emotions felt or weather conditions experienced.
• Engage in language exchange with native speakers, where you can discuss your daily activities and habits, providing a realistic context for using the vocabulary.

For instance, instead of simply stating 'Ich frühstücke.' (I have breakfast.) , you might say 'Normalerweise frühstücke ich um 7 Uhr mit meiner Familie. Wir essen Brot mit Marmelade und trinken Kaffee.' (Usually, I have breakfast at 7 AM with my family. We eat bread with jam and drink coffee.) This provides a more detailed and interesting insight into your daily routine.

Understanding the cultural significance behind certain daily habits can also enrich your conversational skills. For example, the German practice of 'Kaffee und Kuchen' (coffee and cake), typically enjoyed in the afternoon, is more than just a snack; it's a cultural tradition that fosters socializing and relaxation. Discussing such traditions in conversations can offer deeper insights into daily routines and enhance your understanding of the culture, making your use of daily routine vocabulary more nuanced and engaging.

Daily Routines In German - Key takeaways

• Daily Routines in German: Essential for effective communication in everyday situations and fundamental at the A1 level of language proficiency.
• German Vocabulary for Daily Routines: Includes terms like aufstehen (to get up), frühstücken (to have breakfast), and schlafen gehen (to go to bed) to describe one's daily activities.
• Sentence Structure in German: Often starts with the time followed by the activity, using templates such as Um [time], [activity] .
• Daily Routine Essay in German: Should follow a clear structure with introduction, body paragraphs detailing the routine, and a conclusion reflecting on the routine's impact.
• Translation Challenges: Includes differences in verb position, reflexive verbs, time expressions, and prepositions requiring careful translation from English to German.

Frequently Asked Questions about Daily Routines In German

--> how do you describe your daily routine in german, --> what are common verbs used to talk about daily routines in german, --> what are the phrases for morning and evening routines in german, --> how can you incorporate time expressions into describing your daily routines in german, --> what vocabulary is essential for discussing meals and food in your daily routine in german, test your knowledge with multiple choice flashcards.

What is the first step in discussing daily routines in German?

How should you structure sentences when talking about your daily routine in German?

What is a key grammatical rule to remember when expanding sentences about your daily routine in German?

Your score:

Join the StudySmarter App and learn efficiently with millions of flashcards and more!

Learn with 12 daily routines in german flashcards in the free studysmarter app.

Already have an account? Log in

Starting with advanced verb conjugations.

Begin with the activity, and then mention the time indirectly at the end.

Adjectives describing the daily routine always precede the noun and the verb.

What is the basic structure for crafting a paragraph about daily routines in German?

Write a single long paragraph without division, mixing introduction, body, and conclusion together.

How can one make a daily routine essay in German more engaging?

By extensively using complex grammatical structures that make the essay difficult to follow for the reader.

What linguistic tools can improve the flow of a daily routine essay in German?

Temporal adverbs like 'morgens' and 'abends', and conjunctions such as 'nachdem' and 'bevor' help specify when activities happen and explain sequences.

• German Vocabulary

of the users don't pass the Daily Routines In German quiz! Will you pass the quiz?

How would you like to learn this content?

Free german cheat sheet!

Everything you need to know on . A perfect summary so you can easily remember everything.

Join over 22 million students in learning with our StudySmarter App

The first learning app that truly has everything you need to ace your exams in one place

• Flashcards & Quizzes
• AI Study Assistant
• Study Planner
• Smart Note-Taking

Sign up to highlight and take notes. It’s 100% free.

This is still free to read, it's not a paywall.

You need to register to keep reading, create a free account to save this explanation..

Save explanations to your personalised space and access them anytime, anywhere!

By signing up, you agree to the Terms and Conditions and the Privacy Policy of StudySmarter.

Entdecke Lernmaterial in der StudySmarter-App

30 German sentences for daily routine

At various stages of life, our daily routine forms the backbone of a language. These routines, which we repeat every day, form the most basic sentences when learning a language.

As a German learner, you can gain the fluency and naturalness of this language by translating your daily routine into German. During this learning process, you will learn how to use 30 sentences in German daily routine. German daily routine sentences will improve your sentence building skills in this language. So, how about taking a journey on how to create German daily routine sentences in this article?

In our article, we will present you German sentences suitable for every hour of your daily life, starting from morning routines until you go to bed at night. We divided these 30 sentences describing your daily routine in German into four different time periods: morning, noon, evening and night.

In this way, you will have sentences that you can practice with German daily sentences for every hour of your daily life. If you are ready, let’s start this interesting and fun journey that will take your German language skills to the next level!

Sure, here are 30 German sentences and their English translations for different parts of the daily routine:

German daily routine 30 sentences

• Ich wache um 7 Uhr auf. (I wake up at 7 o’clock.)
• Ich putze meine Zähne. (I brush my teeth.)
• Ich dusche mich jeden Morgen. (I take a shower every morning.)
• Ich trinke einen Kaffee zum Frühstück. (I drink a coffee for breakfast.)
• Ich fahre um 8 Uhr zur Arbeit. (I go to work at 8 o’clock.)
• Ich esse um 12 Uhr zu Mittag. (I have lunch at 12 o’clock.)
• Ich gehe in der Mittagspause spazieren. (I take a walk during my lunch break.)
• Ich trinke nach dem Essen einen Tee. (I drink tea after dinner.)
• Ich arbeite bis 17 Uhr. (I work until 17 o’clock.)
• Ich mache nach der Arbeit einen kurzen Einkauf. (I do a short shopping trip after work.)
• Ich komme um 18 Uhr nach Hause. (I come home at 18 o’clock.)
• Ich koche das Abendessen. (I cook dinner.)
• Ich sehe nach dem Essen fern. (I watch TV after dinner.)
• Ich lese ein Buch vor dem Schlafengehen. (I read a book before going to bed.)
• Ich gehe um 22 Uhr ins Bett. (I go to bed at 22 o’clock.)
• Am Wochenende schlafe ich aus. (I woke up late on the weekend.)
• Ich treffe mich am Samstag mit Freunden. (I meet my friends on Saturday.)
• Ich gehe am Sonntag ins Kino. (I go to the movies on Sunday.)
• Ich mache am Wochenende einen Ausflug. (I take a trip at the weekend.)
• Ich besuche meine Familie am Sonntag. (I visit my family on Sunday.)
• Ich trainiere dreimal pro Woche. (I exercise three times a week.)
• Ich lerne jeden Tag Deutsch. (I learn German every day.)
• Ich rufe meine Eltern einmal pro Woche an. (I call my parents once a week.)
• Ich gehe einmal im Monat zum Friseur. (I go to the hairdresser once a month.)
• Ich mache jeden Abend Yoga. (I do yoga every evening.)
• Ich lese jeden Tag Nachrichten. (I read the news every day.)
• Ich gehe jeden Tag zur Arbeit. (I go to work every day.)
• Ich spiele am Wochenende Fußball. (I play soccer at the weekend.)
• Ich gehe einmal pro Woche ins Kino. (I go to the movies once a week.)
• Ich mache einmal pro Woche einen Großeinkauf. (I make a big purchase once a week.)

Use of Sentences

The use of these daily sentences in German improves both your speaking and writing skills. In this process, you can practice making sentences in German. Repetition and practice are important, especially when learning a language. When learning German , consider repeating these sentences several times a day and using them in different contexts. Here are a few suggestions:

• Daily Records: At the end of each day, try writing down in German what you did that day. Using the sentences above and sentences of your own creation, you will start to feel more comfortable in German.
• Speaking Practice : Every morning when you wake up, try speaking out loud in German about your plan for the day. This helps you to feel the sound and rhythm of the language.
• Use on Social Media : Make your learning process fun by using German phrases on social media. Try using these phrases when sharing a photo or telling a story.
• Communicating with German Speakers : If you have the opportunity to communicate with German speakers, try using these phrases in conversation with them. This will give you a chance to observe the real-life use of the language.

What you should always remember is that the most important thing when learning a language is courage and persistence. You may make mistakes in the beginning, but this is normal and part of the learning process. Keep practicing with these sentences and don’t be afraid to create your own.

Practicing German Daily Routine Sentences

One of the most effective ways to improve your language skills in German is to practice daily routine sentences. These sentences help you learn the structure and grammar of the language in a natural way. The use of German daily routine words and sentences is also important.

Here are a few ways to practice daily routine sentences in German:

• Role Play Role-playing is an excellent way to improve your speaking skills in a language. Imagine yourself in different situations and try speaking using these phrases. For example, you can use these phrases during a morning routine, in a meeting or when talking to a friend.
• Use flashcards: Try writing daily sentences in German on flashcards and reviewing them regularly. This helps to commit the sentences to memory.
• Write Dialogues: Try writing your own German dialogues so that you can practice with these sentences. Try creating small scenes that you can play for yourself or others.
• Language Exchange Partners: Find a German-speaking language exchange partner. This will not only improve your speaking skills but also give you the opportunity to exchange cultural knowledge.
• Online Language Learning Platforms: Various online platforms offer interactive exercises, tests and games to support your language learning process. Using these platforms, you can practice your everyday sentences in German.

The important thing to remember is that language learning is an individual journey. Everyone progresses at their own pace and the important thing is that you enjoy the learning process and continue to develop your language skills.

You can use these 30 sentences to create your German daily routine. These may come across as German daily routine sentences.

But remember, every person’s daily routine is different and it is important to reflect this diversity when learning a language. So try creating German sentences that describe your own daily routine.

Moreover, practicing German with sentences you use in everyday life will improve your language skills and give you more insight into the actual uses of the language.

What are your most frequently used daily phrases? Which sentences describe your daily routine? Share with us in the comments!

We have a lot to learn and be inspired by everyone’s experiences. We look forward to you sharing your experiences with other readers. We wish you success on your German learning journey!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Before you go!

Subscribe to our newsletter and don’t miss out on innovations and opportunities for learning German!

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience.

Daily Routine in German: 10 Useful Verbs

There are a ton of interesting German verbs you can learn for talking about your daily routine. Mastering them is important whether you want to tell your friends a story about your day, or need to explain to your boss why you’re late for work.

But there’s another reason to learn them beyond vocabulary building .

The German words used to describe a daily routine carry some hidden grammar lessons that can seriously boost your language skills.

In this post, we’ll provide practical guidance on German verbs and grammar , using daily routine vocabulary as a vehicle.

Essential Grammar for Your Daily Routine

Reflexive verbs, what are the accusative and dative cases, separable verbs, daily routine verbs, 1. aufstehen (to wake up), 2. ausgehen (to go out).

• 3. Spazierengehen (To Go for a Stroll/Walk)

4. Einkaufen (To Go Grocery Shopping)

5. sich die zähne putzen (to brush one’s teeth), 6. sich duschen (to bathe oneself), 7. sich rasieren (to shave oneself), 8. sich anziehen (to dress oneself/to wear something onto oneself), 9. sich schminken (to apply makeup on oneself), 10. sich ausruhen (to relax oneself), time phrases in german, example daily routine, and one more thing....

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Reflexive verbs are those that act on the subject itself. In English, this is demonstrated in the usage of the word “oneself.” For example: to look at oneself , to apply makeup on oneself, etc.

In German, the word “oneself” is equivalent to the word “ sich. ” So in the pure or infinitive form, the verbs that are reflexive would always have sich .  If you look up the verb, the indication of sich  in the infinitive is a clue that it’s reflexive.

Example: Sich rasieren (to shave oneself)

Let’s have a closer look at reflexive verbs with a noteworthy example from our daily routine:  sich rasieren  (to shave oneself). The reflexive verb is composed of sich  along with  rasieren  (to shave).

When used in context,  sich  changes to respective reflexive components such as mich  (myself), dich  (yourself, informal), sich  (himself, herself, itself, themselves or yourself, formal), uns  (ourselves) or  euch  (yourselves).

The rasieren  would get conjugated like a usual German verb. In effect, this is how it would look:

ich rasiere mich (I shave myself)

du rasierst dich (you shave yourself)

er/sie/es rasiert sich (he/she/it shaves him/her/itself)

wir rasieren uns (we shave ourselves)

ihr rasiert euch (you all shave yourselves)

Sie/sie rasieren sich (you/they shave yourself/themselves)

A case in general defines the relationship between the subject and object in a sentence.

If the object is a direct object (i.e. an action is being done to it) then it’s accusative. Common akkusativ verbs  (verbs that require the accusative case, a.k.a. verbs that take direct objects) in German are haben (to have), trinken (to drink ) , essen (to eat) and  sehen (to see).

When the verb makes the subject perform an indirect action, the sentence takes a dative case in German . For example:

Ich gebe meinem Bruder einen Kuli . (I give my brother a pen.)

Here, the subject is Ich (I), the indirect object is meinem Bruder  (my brother) because he’s receiving the pen, while  Kuli (the pen) is the direct object. Without the indirect object, my sentence isn’t complete because there needs to be a dative noun that receives the accusative object Kuli .

Common dativ verbs in German that act this way are  schicken (to send) and  schenken (to gift/give as a gift).

There is a second group of dative verbs though. The objects of these verbs are always in the dative. This isn’t because the object is receiving anything; these verbs just take dative objects because of how they act.

Verbs that act this way include helfen (to help) and danken (to thank). For example:

Der Lehrer hilfst meiner Schwester . (The teacher helps my sister.)

Now here’s where things get tricky. Reflexive verbs can work either as accusative or dative entities. This depends on whether there’s a body part indicated or not.

When there’s a body part, it acts as the indirect object of the sentence, giving it a dative case. If there’s no body part, it gives the accusative effect of a direct action.

The Accusative Case vs. the Dative Case: In Practice

Sich waschen  (to wash oneself) alone would be accusative. The conjugation would work as follows:

sich waschen (to wash oneself)

ich wasche mich (I wash myself)

du wäschst dich (you wash yourself)

er/sie/es wäscht sich (he/she/it washes him/her/itself)

wir waschen uns (we wash ourselves)

ihr wascht euch (you all wash yourselves)

Sie/sie waschen sich (you was yourself/they wash themselves)

But if I were to say sich die Hände waschen  (to wash one’s hands), this would be dative, as the body part Hände (hands)   acts as an indirect object.

sich die Hände waschen (to wash one’s hands)

ich wasche mir die Hände (I wash my hands)

du wäschst dir die Hände (you wash your hands)

er/sie/es wäscht sich die Hände (he/she/it washes his/her/its hands)

wir waschen uns die Hände (we wash our hands)

ihr wascht euch die Hände (you all wash your hands)

Sie/sie waschen sich die Hände (you wash your hands/they wash their hands)

As you’ll notice between these two examples,  mich (me) changes to mir in the dative case, and  dich (you) changes to dir in the dative case. The other reflexive pronouns are pretty much the same, except that the body part is the extra component in there.

Verbs with Clothing

A similar case of deciding between the accusative and dative cases occurs with verbs that include a piece of clothing.

When there’s a piece of clothing included for verbs like sich anziehen (to dress), it becomes dative,   as the piece of clothing acts as an indirect object. So “I wear a dress” becomes  “Ich ziehe mir ein Kleid an.”

But if the piece of clothing weren’t present, it would turn into an accusative case, such as I dress myself ( Ich ziehe mich an ). Similar verbs that follow this pattern are sich umziehen (to change clothes) and  sich ausziehen (to undress).

There are certain breakable verbs that play a fundamental role in describing your daily routine. Many of these verbs allow you to express your daily chores without involving too many words.

For example: if you consider the verb fernsehen  (to watch television), it encapsulates the entire action of watching television, without actually having a separate word for “television” in it. The verb breaks into fern  and sehen , where fern  acts like a prefix and is placed usually at the end of the sentence.

The verb sehen  (to see) takes the second place in the sentence, conjugated according to the subject depending on whether it’s ich  (I), du  (you), etc. It would look something like this:

Ich sehe jeden Tag fern . (I watch television every day.)

Du siehst jeden Tag fern. (You watch television every day.)

Er/sie/es sieht jeden Tag fern . (He/she/it watches television every day.)

And so on…

The most common prefixes in breakable verbs are: an- (at, being, onward, on, toward, to) , auf- (on, open, out, up, un-) , vor – (before, forward, pre-, pro) and  aus – (out, outward, extended, completely, missing). You could find most prefixes and their interpretations with examples here .

Example: Sich ausruhen (to relax/rest oneself)

There are quite a few words in the daily routine that could be a mix of reflexive and breakable verbs . For example, let’s look at  sich ausruhen (to relax/rest oneself).

ich ruhe mich aus (I relax myself)

du ruhst dich aus (you relax yourself)

er/sie/es ruht sich aus (he/she/it relaxes him/her/itself)

wir ruhen uns aus (we relax ourselves)

ihr ruht euch aus (you all relax yourselves)

Sie/sie ruhen sich aus (you relax yourself/they relax themselves)

We’ll now take a look at the top ten most commonly used verbs that a native German would use to describe his or her daily routine.

Ich stehe normalerweise um 6 Uhr auf . (I usually/normally wake up at 6:00.)

Whether you’re off to the mall, grocery shopping, a romantic dinner date or a visit to your sick aunt, and don’t want to give out too much detail, this is the perfect verb to use to indicate you’re going to be out of your nest!

Wir gehen heute Abend aus. (We are going out this evening.)

3. Spazierengehen  (To Go for a Stroll/Walk)

This verb can be used to say specifically that you’re taking a relaxing stroll in the park. This is a common daily routine activity among Germans, given many are physically active people who love nature.

Wir gehen täglich nach dem Mittagessen spazieren . (Every day we go for a walk after lunch.)

As you’ll notice, the complete activity has been fit into this handy verb. Without actually using the word “grocery” anywhere, it’s possible to explicitly convey the action of going to the supermarket and buying all that you need for your grub and your home!

Peter kauft jeden Samstag bei Lidl ein . (Peter goes grocery shopping every Saturday at Lidl .)

Here you can notice how the verb can be used in a dative and accusative manner by including and excluding the body part, which is the teeth in this case.

Usage (dative, includes body part):   Ich putze mir die Zähne nach dem Frühstück . (I brush my teeth after breakfast.)

Usage (accusative, without body part):   Ich putze mich nach der Arbeit . (I clean myself after work.)

Ich dusche mich nicht täglich im Winter . (I don’t bathe every day in winter)

This verb can also be used in a non-reflexive manner. I could also say “ Ich dusche nicht täglich nicht im Winter ,” giving “ mich ” a miss, and it would still not be wrong.

Usage (dative,   includes body part):   Ich rasiere mir die Beine für eine romantische Verabredung . (I shave my legs for a romantic date.)

Usage (accusative, without body part):   Ich rasiere mich für eine romantische Verabredung . (I shave myself for a romantic date.)

This is a classic case where all the three aspects come together—the reflexive nature along with it being breakable and by bringing in a piece of clothing (which is the jacket in this case), that acts as the indirect object, making it dative.

When the piece of clothing doesn’t come into the picture, it becomes an accusative sentence, making the action direct.

Usage (dative, includes piece of clothing):   Du ziehst dir eine Jacke an . (You wear a jacket.)

Usage (accusative, without piece of clothing):   Du ziehst dich sehr schick an . (You dress yourself very fashionably.)

Usage (dative,   includes body part):   Ich schminke mir die Augen vor der Party . (I apply makeup to my eyes before the party.)

Usage (accusative, without body part):   Ich schminke mich vor der Party . (I put makeup on before the party.)

Ich ruhe mich am Ende des Tages aus . (I relax at the end of the day.)

To see how this daily routine vocabulary is used in practice, you could try using a language learning platform such as FluentU.

FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.

P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

Try FluentU for FREE!

Let’s take a look at how daily routine vocabulary can be used in real life! Before we dive in, let’s go over a few “add-ons” necessary to hold everything together, some of which you saw demonstrated in the examples above.

• Zeitadverbien (Temporal/Narration Adverbs):  These important adverbs include Zuerst (first), Dann (then) and  Danach (after that). Using these adverbs gives structure to your sentences. They begin the sentence and are followed by a verb.

Zuerst stehe ich um 6 Uhr auf. (First, I wake up at 6:00.)

Dann dusche ich mich. (Then, I bathe.)

Danach putze ich mir die Zähne. (After that I brush my teeth.)

• Time Phrases: Time phrases can be positioned anywhere in the sentence, either at the beginning, at the end or even in the middle. The common practice is citing it at the beginning. Some common phrases are:

Um “x” Uhr (At X:00, where X could be any number)

Nächste Woche (Next week)

Jedes Wochenende (Every weekend)

Jeden Montag, Dienstag … (Every Monday, Tuesday…)

Morgen (Tomorrow)

Übermorgen (Day after tomorrow)

Here’s an example of native speakers using some of the above phrases to talk about their daily routines.

Consider Susie’s routine. She’s one busy woman! Let’s take a look at her busy life that pulls the above concepts together:

Susie steht um 6 Uhr auf. Zuerst putzt sie sich die Zähne, und dann duscht sie sich. Danach frühstückt sie, und zieht sich an. Sie geht um 8 Uhr aus, kauft um 9 Uhr ein. Danach kommt sie zurück nach Hause, und wäscht sich. Sie schminkt sich an, und geht auf einer Party um 20 Uhr.

Susie wakes up at 6:00. First she brushes her teeth and then takes a bath. Then, she has her breakfast and gets dressed. She goes out at 8 a.m. and does her grocery shopping at 9 a.m. After that she returns home and washes herself. She then applies makeup and leaves for a party at 8 p.m.

Phew! As you can see, learning your daily routine involves a lot of essential vocabulary and grammar. It’s hard work, but it’s worth the effort, as you’ll be able to express yourself commendably in German.

Want to know the key to learning German effectively?

It's using the right content and tools, like FluentU has to offer ! Browse hundreds of videos, take endless quizzes and master the German language faster than you've ever imagine!

Watching a fun video, but having trouble understanding it? FluentU brings native videos within reach with interactive subtitles.

You can tap on any word to look it up instantly. Every definition has examples that have been written to help you understand how the word is used. If you see an interesting word you don't know, you can add it to a vocabulary list.

And FluentU isn't just for watching videos. It's a complete platform for learning. It's designed to effectively teach you all the vocabulary from any video. Swipe left or right to see more examples of the word you're on.

The best part is that FluentU keeps track of the vocabulary that you're learning, and gives you extra practice with difficult words. It'll even remind you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned.

Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

Enter your e-mail address to get your free PDF!

We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe

How to Speak about your DAILY ROUTINE in German

Willkommen bei Spring German (Welcome to Spring German). Ich bin Denisa . In this video, you will learn how to speak about your Tagesablauf (daily routine) in German. Are you ready? Los geht’s!

1. Mein Tagesablauf (my daily routine)

DENISA Ich wache um acht Uhr auf . (I wake up at 8 a.m.)

Als Erstes putze ich mir die Zähne . Dann dusche ich mich. (First, I brush my teeth. Then I shower.)

Ich frühstücke und trinke oft einen Tee dazu. (I eat breakfast and often drink tea with it.)

• Ich fahre zur Universität . (I drive to university.)

Ich arbeite ein bisschen am Laptop. (I work on my laptop a bit.)

Dann esse ich zu Mittag. Guten Appetit! (Afterwards, I eat lunch. Enjoy your meal!)

Ich chille auf dem Sofa und erhole mich. (I chill on my sofa and recover.)

Ich räume meine Wohnung endlich mal wieder auf. (I finally clean my apartment again.)

Ich lese noch ein bisschen im Bett. Ich gehe um 23 Uhr schlafen . (I read a bit in bed. I go to sleep at 11 p.m.)

Chunk alert!

Of course, all of these sentences are important, but a chunk you can learn by heart is “***Guten Appetit! ” (Enjoy your meal!) It’s always said first in Germany when eating breakfast, lunch or dinner. A short form is “ Guten!*** ” (Have a good one!).

To learn more about chunks in German, check the link in the description to our free essential German chunking kit.

Here you have seen and learned a lot of phrases for your Tagesablauf (daily routine).

Here are some phrases to remember:

• Ich frühstücke . (I eat breakfast.)
• Ich putze mir die Zähne . (I brush my teeth.)
• Ich fahre zur Arbeit . (I drive to work.)
• Ich gehe ins Bett . (I go to bed.)

What’s your Tagesablauf (daily routine)? Write it in the comments below.

2. Wichtige trennbare Verben (important separable verbs)

Maybe you realized that there are some necessary separable verbs when talking about your daily routine. One example:

The prefixes auf- and an- need to be separated from the main part of the verb in a sentence.

Some examples are:

• aufwachen: Ich wache um acht Uhr auf . (to wake up: I wake up at 8 a.m.)
• aufräumen: Ich räume meine Wohnung auf . (to clean up: I clean up my apartment)
• anschauen: Ich schaue mir einen Film an . (to watch: I watch a movie)

Stay tuned because at the end of this video, I will show you how to ask questions about daily routines.

3. Wichtige Reflexivverben (Important reflexive verbs)

DENISA Wann duschst du dich normalerweise? (When do you normally shower?)

VANESSA Zweimal die Woche dusche ich mich,. Iimmer in der Früh. (I shower twice a week,. Alalways early in the morning.)

DENISA Musst du dich dann nicht beeilen? (Don’t you have to hurry then?)

VANESSA Doch. Manchmal verspäte ich mich auch deswegen. Aber ich will mich frisch fühlen. (I do. Because of that, I am sometimes late. But I want to feel fresh.)

DENISA Ja. Das verstehe ich. (Yes. I understand that.)

Some reflexive verbs for your daily routine are:

• sich duschen (to shower)
• sich beeilen (to hurry)
• sich verspäten (to be late)

The reflexive pronouns are:

Reflexive pronouns

I also used the reflexive verb “ sich erholen ” (to recover) in my Tagesroutine (daily routine):

DENISA Ich chille auf dem Sofa und erhole mich. (I chill on my sofa and recover.)

4. Fragen nach Tagesabläufen (Questions about daily routines)

In a conversation, people will tell you about their daily routine, vielleicht um über ihren Tag zu erzählen oder weil ihr euch treffen wollt (maybe because this person wants to talk about their day or because you want to meet up). Why so ever, here’s a dialogue to show how situations like this can look like:

VANESSA Was machst du morgens normalerweise? (What do you usually do in the morning?)

DENISA Ich dusche mich und frühstücke. Und du? (I shower and eat breakfast. And you?)

VANESSA Ich frühstücke nie. Ich jogge morgens. (I never eat breakfast. I jog in the morning.)

DENISA Das ist cool. Wann fängst du immer an, zu arbeiten? (That’s cool. When do you start working?)

VANESSA Ich arbeite vonab neun (9) Uhr bis siebzehn (17) Uhr. (I work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

DENISA Hast du morgen ab siebzehn (17) Uhr Zeit? (Do you have time tomorrow from 5 p.m.?)

VANESSA Ja. Ich esse um achtzehn (18) Uhr zu Abend um achtzehn Uhr. Danach habe ich Zeit. (Yes. I’m having dinner at 6 p.m. After that, I have some time.)

DENISA Perfekt! (Perfect!)

So, phrases that you can use, are:

• Was machst du morgens? (What are you doing in the morning?)
• Was machst du abends? (What are you doing in the evening?)
• Hast du morgen Zeit? (Do you have time tomorrow?)

Studying "German as a foreign language and intercultural communication" and giving German lessons, Denisa is not only a pro in German grammar but also familiar with teaching young adults. As a daughter of two immigrants, she had to learn how to communicate between cultures at a young age. With her mom she speaks Slovakian, with her dad Turkish, in university English and French and at home German. Speaking 5 languages, she really is a polyglot! Besides learning and speaking languages, she is also an actress.

Similar Posts

This is the German at home: you will hear this in a German-speaking household!

MUTTERKinder!(Kids!) KINDJa?(Yes?) MUTTERKommt, das Essen ist fertig!(Come, the food is ready!) KINDWir kommen!(We’re coming!) Hallo! Ich bin Spring German Lehrerin Denisa (Hello! I’m Spring German teacher Denisa), and in this video, you will learn all the chunks you will hear when in a German-speaking household. Be it as a guest or a family member. Los…

The MONTHS in German (and Seasons)

The good news is, even the German year only has twelve months, whose names are super similar to English! The bad news is… you know what! There are no bad news! It’s really super easy, so let’s get started! Ich bin Spring German Lehrerin Brunhild und hier kommen die vier Jahreszeiten und ihre Monate! (I…

This is How you DESCRIBE PEOPLE in German (German Adjectives)

Denisa waves to someoneVANESSAWer ist das?(Who is that?) DENISADas ist Marcel. Ich kenne ihn von der Arbeit.(That’s Marcel. I know him from work.) VANESSAEr ist echt groß und … was ist das Wort?(He is really tall and… what is the word?) DENISAIch weiß nicht, was du meinst.(I don’t know what you mean.) Hallo und Willkommen…

How to SPEAK about YOUR JOB in German

SAGAWas ist dein Beruf?(What is your occupation?) MRS. SCHMIDTWomit verdienen Sie Ihr Geld?(What are you earning money with?) MONIKAWomit arbeiten Sie?(What’s your work?) KIMWas hast du für eine Ausbildung?(What is your education?) ELSAWas hast du studiert?(What did you study?) These are all questions aiming at one thing: To get an outline of you as a…

Where are you from? Speak about your Origin In German

DENISA(filming a video about herself)Hallo. Mein Name ist Denisa. Ich bin in Deutschland geboren. Meine Mutter kommt aus der Slowakei. Mein Vater kommt aus der Türkei.(Hello. My name is Denisa. I am born in Germany. My mother is from Slovakia. My father is from Turkey.) In this video we will learn how to talk about…

How to ASK for HELP in German (and get people to help)

MARIEEntschuldigung? Mein Auto springt nicht an! Können Sie mir sagen, woran das liegt?(Excuse me? My care won’t jump. Could you tell me, why that is?) VIBEKETut mir Leid, mit Autos kenne ich mich nicht aus.(I’m sorry, I’m not good with cars.) MARIEOkay. Danke trotzdem.(Okay. Thanks anyway.) Whether you got lost, your car broke down or…

Request Your Essential Spanish Chunking Kit Here!

54 Essential Spanish Chunks, Bonus Cheat Sheets and a Bonus Spanish Class waiting for you 👇

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

Request Your Essential German Chunking Kit Here!

Cheat Sheets with essential German chunks waiting for you👇

¡Vamos! Start now

Register for the Free Beginner Course, get your companion workbook and start with the first video lesson right away! 👇

¡Vamos! I’m a Serious Spanish Student

Unlock the Conversation Based Chunking Demo Walkthrough With Spanish Dialogue Now 🙂 👇

I want to learn…

Request your free workshop materials here, privacy overview.

Start Learning German in the next 30 Seconds with a Free Lifetime Account

• Free Resources
• 1-800-567-9619
• Subscribe to the blog Thank you! Please check your inbox for your confirmation email. You must click the link in the email to verify your request.
• Explore Archive
• Explore Language & Culture Blogs

Change Of Routine (German Simple Past Tense) Posted by Constanze on Apr 15, 2020 in Language

Guten Tag! How is life looking for you lately? I think it’s true for the majority of people at the moment that routines have changed. Certain things that we used to do, we aren’t doing any more, and new habits and routines have formed in their place. In this post I’d like to show you how to express in German that you used to do something, but not any more – either because you don’t do it any more at all, or because the way you do it has changed.

Ich wache um 6 Uhr auf. I wake up at 6 am.

Sound familiar? Writing about your Alltag (daily routine) is one of the first things you do in German lessons. It is effective because it teaches you several things at once, including verbs, times, and how to use the present tense. In fact, most people I’ve met who studied German at school can remember at least one sentence from their ‘daily routine’ school lesson!

Image: Pixabay

But humans (hopefully) don’t have the same routine for their entire lives. So what happens when aspects of your routine change, like they have done lately, and you want to express that?

In English, you’d say something like:

I used to wake up at 6am, but now I wake up at 8am (or: I always woke up at 6am, but now I wake up at 8am).

In German, this would translate to:

Ich wachte immer um 6 Uhr auf, aber jetzt wache ich um 8 Uhr auf.

Let’s break this sentence down in German. It uses the separable verb aufwachen – to wake up.

Ich wachte immer um 6 Uhr auf,

This sentence uses the simple past tense (called Präteritum in German). This tense is mainly used in written German, such as in novels and reports, to talk about something which started and finished in the past. But it is also used to talk about things that used to happen regularly, and don’t any more – as is the case with our daily routine!

The word immer (always) makes it clear that this is something you did regularly in the past.

Now for the second part of the sentence:

…aber jetzt wache ich um 8 Uhr auf.

‘Aber jetzt’ is the linking phrase. It means ‘but now’ and tells us that what you do now is different to what you used to do.

This part of the sentence is in the present tense because it describes what you do now.

Here is another example, using the verb essen – to eat :

Ich aß immer mit Kollegen, aber jetzt esse ich mit meiner Familie. I always ate/used to eat with colleagues, but now I eat with my family .

In this instance the simple past tense verb – essen – is irregular, so it looks a little different. Ich aß is ‘I ate’ in the simple past tense. See the end of this post for the full verb conjugation.

As you can see, the rest of the sentence follows the same structure as in the first example.

Here is one more example, using the verb lesen – to read :

Ich las immer eine Stunde pro Tag, aber jetzt lese ich zwei Stunden pro Tag. I always read/used to read one hour per day, but now I read two hours per day.

I hope this makes sense! How has your Alltag (daily routine) changed? How would you express that in German?

Here are the conjugations of the above verbs (aufwachen, essen and lesen) in the German simple past tense:

essen – to eat

ich aß – I ate du aß(es)t – You ate er/sie/es aßt – He/she/it ate wir aßen – We ate ihr aß(e)t – You (plural) ate Sie/sie aßen – You (formal)/they ate

lesen – to read

ich las – I read du las(es)t – You read er/sie/es las – He/she/it read wir lasen – We read ihr las(e)t – You (plural) read sie/Sie lasen – You (formal)/they read

aufwachen – to wake up

ich wachte auf – I woke up du wachtest auf – You woke up er/sie/es wachte auf – He/she/it woke up wir wachten auf – We woke up ihr wachtet auf – You (plural) woke up Sie/sie wachten auf – You (formal)/they woke up

Click here for a post from the archives about this tense, if you’d like to read more.

Build vocabulary, practice pronunciation, and more with Transparent Language Online. Available anytime, anywhere, on any device.

About the Author: Constanze

Servus! I'm Constanze and I live in the UK. I'm half English and half German, and have been writing about German language and culture on this blog since 2014. I am also a fitness instructor & personal trainer.

Akemi Kobayashi:

Hi, Thank you for providing us a great lessons. I have been enjoying them a lot. I’m wondering if your online page can add ‘Sounds’ to each German sentence or word as it stays in my memory bank more through hearing than reading… Thanks and regards Akemi

@Akemi Kobayashi Hi Akemi! Thank you for the comment. I’ll keep it in mind when writing future language-based posts. We do occasionally add audio, but not frequently. You might be interested in our German ‘Word of the day’ feature, which you can view on the right hand-side of the blog. Each day it comes up with a different German word, and you can listen to how it’s pronounced, too. 🙂

Simon Beattie:

Doesn’t ‘mit meiner Familie’ need an r?

@Simon Beattie Oops, just missed off the r! Apologies for the confusion – I’ve now edited the text. Well done for spotting it!

Why do you say “jetzt esse ich mit meine Familie” as opposed to “jetzt esse ich mit meiner Familie”? Isn’t that a situation where the dative case is required or is that some sort of slang?

@Jeff Oops, just missed off the r! Apologies for the confusion – I’ve now edited the text. Well done for spotting it!