Holiday plans
Urlaubspläne
- Describe different types of holidays and activities.
- Discuss the modes of transportation used to reach your travel destination
- Know common holiday destinations in your guest country.
In this A2 German lesson, you will explore common vocabulary and expressions related to holiday plans and travel activities. Learn how to discuss your weekend trips, such as "wandern" (hiking), "Schwimmen" (swimming), and different "Verkehrsmittel" (means of transport) like "Auto" (car) or "Zug" (train). The dialogues also cover popular German vacation destinations such as die Ostsee (the Baltic Sea) and der Schwarzwald (the Black Forest), including activities like "Segeln" (sailing) and "Ski fahren" (skiing). You will practice planning your travel with phrases such as "Ich plane, nach München zu fahren" (I plan to go to Munich) and use verbs like "verreisen" (to travel) and "packen" (to pack), with focus on their present and perfect tense forms. These real-life conversations help build confidence in talking about your recreational plans, transport options, and preferences. Prepare to improve both your vocabulary and verb conjugations while discussing meaningful topics about vacations and travel in Germany.
Vocabulary (13) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Übung 1: Conversation exercise
Anleitung:
- What holiday type do you see in each picture? (What holiday type do you see in each picture?)
- What transportation are you going to use to travel and why? (What transportation are you going to use to travel and why? )
- How long will your next holiday be? (How long will your next holiday be?)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
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Ich mache eine Städtereise nach Italien. I am going to Italy for a city trip. |
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Ich mache mit meiner Familie Camping in den Bergen. I am going camping with my family in the mountains. |
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Ich werde mit dem Zug fahren, statt das Flugzeug zu nehmen. I will travel by train instead of taking the plane. |
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Ich fahre nach Mallorca, um Museen zu besichtigen. I am going to Mallorca to visit museums. |
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Wir machen mit dem Wohnmobil eine Familienreise. We’re taking the motorhome on a family journey. |
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Ich reise sechs Monate lang um die Welt. I’m travelling around the world for six months. |
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Wir fahren in ein Strandresort in Tunesien. We are going to a beach resort in Tunisia. |
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Ich mache im Mai eine Kreuzfahrt. I am going on a cruise in May. |
| ... |
Exercise 2: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 3: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Ich ___, nächste Woche an die Ostsee zu verreisen.
(I ___ to travel to the Baltic Sea next week.)2. Wir ___ oft in die Berge, um zu wandern.
(We ___ often travel to the mountains to hike.)3. Letztes Jahr ___ ich mit dem Zug verreist.
(Last year ___ I traveled by train.)4. Er hat seine Koffer schon ___, weil er morgen verreist.
(He has already ___ his suitcases because he is traveling tomorrow.)Exercise 4: Vacation Plans in Germany
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Verreisen - Travel
Präsens
- ich verreise
- du verreist
- er/sie/es verreist
- wir verreisen
- ihr verreist
- sie/Sie verreisen
Verreisen - Travel
Perfekt
- ich bin verreist
- du bist verreist
- er/sie/es ist verreist
- wir sind verreist
- ihr seid verreist
- sie/Sie sind verreist
Planen - Plan
Präsens
- ich plane
- du planst
- er/sie/es plant
- wir planen
- ihr plant
- sie/Sie planen
Packen - Pack
Präsens
- ich packe
- du packst
- er/sie/es packt
- wir packen
- ihr packt
- sie/Sie packen
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Holiday Plans: Your Guide to Discussing Travel in German
This lesson focuses on everyday conversations about holiday and weekend plans. You'll learn key vocabulary and expressions that help you discuss destinations, activities, and transportation options in German at an A2 level. It's designed to build your confidence in talking about your travel intentions, preferences, and arrangements.
Key Topics Covered
- Weekend Holiday Plans: Phrases to talk about how you want to spend your free time, such as hiking, swimming, or relaxing at the beach.
- Popular Destinations in Germany: Vocabulary related to well-known travel spots like the Baltic Sea (Ostsee), the mountains (Berge), the Black Forest (Schwarzwald), and cities you might visit.
- Modes of Transport: Discussing different options for getting to your destination, including the train (Zug) and car (Auto), with advantages and common expressions.
- Verb Usage: Core verbs like planen (to plan), verreisen (to travel), and packen (to pack) are presented with conjugations in the present tense (Präsens) and perfect tense (Perfekt) to describe ongoing or completed actions.
Useful Expressions and Vocabulary
- Was machst du am Wochenende im Urlaub? – What are you doing on the weekend during your holiday?
- Ich möchte gern wandern gehen und die Natur genießen. – I would like to go hiking and enjoy nature.
- Ich nehme den Zug, das ist bequem und umweltfreundlich. – I take the train, it is comfortable and environmentally friendly.
- Wir planen einen Städtetrip nach Rostock. – We are planning a city trip to Rostock.
Conjugation Highlights
Verbs related to travel are essential to describe your plans clearly. For example, the verb verreisen (to travel) conjugates in the present tense as: ich verreise, du verreist, er/sie/es verreist, wir verreisen, ihr verreist, sie/Sie verreisen. In the perfect tense it pairs with the auxiliary verb sein: ich bin verreist, du bist verreist, etc. Similarly, planen and packen are regular verbs and useful for discussing preparations.
Comparing German with English in Travel Discussions
Unlike English, German commonly uses separable verbs and specific prefixes when discussing travel. For example, the verb verreisen means "to travel away" and changes auxiliary verbs depending on the context (sein instead of haben in the perfect tense), reflecting motion. Additionally, German places verbs at the end of subordinate clauses and uses modal verbs for intentions, such as möchte (would like), which can be directly compared with English modal constructions but require particular word order.
Common phrases include Ich plane, ... zu ... (I plan to ...), which uses an infinitive clause with zu, unlike English which uses "to" plus base verb. It's useful to remember these structural differences when forming sentences.
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