Colours

Lesson Overview: Colours and Preferences in German (A1 Level)

This lesson introduces you to essential vocabulary related to colours (Farben) and how to express likes and dislikes using common verbs such as gefe4llt (to please/like) and mag (to like). You will learn to describe colours and share your opinions about them, which is very useful in everyday conversations, for example when shopping or discussing interior design.

Key Vocabulary: Basic Colours and Shades

The lesson divides colours into two categories:

• Grundfarben (Basic Colours): das Blau (blue), das Gelb (yellow), das Rot (red), das Grfcn (green), das Weidf (white)
• Farbtf6ne (Shades): das Grau (grey), das Lila (purple), das Orange (orange), das Rosa (pink)

Expressing Likes and Dislikes

You will practice phrases like:

• Mir gefe4llt das rote Kleid sehr gut. (I really like the red dress.)
• Uns gefallen die gelben Schuhe nicht so gut. (We don't like the yellow shoes that much.)
• Magst du die blauen Schuhe? (Do you like the blue shoes?)

Note how the verbs gefe4llt and gefallen change depending on the subject and object.

Practical Dialogues to Practice

The lesson includes dialogues set in realistic contexts such as clothing stores, living rooms, and hair salons, helping you describe colours and express preferences naturally. For example:

• Wie findest du das rote T-Shirt?
  Das rote T-Shirt gefe4llt mir sehr gut.
• Die schwarze Haare gefallen ihr, sie sieht schf6n aus.

Verb Conjugations Highlighted

The verbs Mf6gen (to like) and Gefallen (to please, to appeal) are introduced in the present tense, with multiple-choice exercises helping you master their correct forms, for instance:

• Ich mag, du magst, er/sie/es mag, wir mf6gen, ihr mf6gt, sie/Sie mf6gen
• Es gefe4llt mir/dir/ihm/ihr/uns/euch/ihnen and sie gefallen mir/dir/ihm/ihr/uns/euch/ihnen

Important Notes on Language Differences

Unlike English, which uses "like" broadly, German differentiates between "mögen" (to like) and "gefallen" (to please, often used like "to be pleasing to someone"). For example, "Mir gefe4llt das Kleid" literally means "The dress is pleasing to me," and is used similarly to "I like the dress." The verbs require dative pronouns (mir, dir, ihm, etc.) which indicate to whom something is pleasing. Remember to notice the verb conjugations based on the subject (gefe4llt for singular, gefallen for plural).

Useful phrases to try:

• Gefe4llt dir das blaue Hemd? – Do you like the blue shirt?
• Ich mag den grfcnem Pullover. – I like the green sweater.
• Die gelben Schuhe gefallen mir nicht. – I don't like the yellow shoes.