MOST CHALLENGING ASPECTS OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR FOR GERMAN SPEAKERS
For German-speaking learners, several areas of English grammar tend to be challenging. These include fixed English word order (especially in questions and negatives), the use of articles, phrasal verbs and prepositions, tense-aspect distinctions (such as the use of the progressive), and auxiliary verbs like do. Relative clauses and the limited system of verb agreement in English can also cause difficulty, as they differ from German patterns. Some common trouble spots are:
ARTICLES
German has definite and indefinite articles, but the rules don't always match English, especially with generic references.
Examples:
❌ The love is important.
✅ Love is important.
❌ I need the information. (to mean “some information”)
✅ I need information.
VERB TENSE & ASPECT
German uses simple past and present perfect differently from English, so learners often overuse the present perfect in spoken English or confuse past tenses.
Examples:
❌ I have seen him yesterday.
✅ I saw him yesterday.
❌ I knew him for five years.
✅ I have known him for five years.
WORD ORDER (V2 / SOV IN SUBORDINATE CLAUSES)
German has verb-second (V2) in main clauses and verb-final in subordinate clauses, leading to English word order mistakes.
Examples:
❌ I tomorrow go to the cinema.
✅ I will go to the cinema tomorrow.
❌ I think that he is smart really.
✅ I think that he is really smart.
PREPOSITIONS
German prepositions often don't match English usage, and German cases affect learners' choices.
Examples:
❌ Interested about sports
✅ Interested in sports
❌ Married with her
✅ Married to her
COUNTABLE VS. UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS
German has many different ways to form plurals, but learners sometimes transfer patterns incorrectly, especially with uncountable nouns.
Examples:
❌ Two furnitures
✅ Two pieces of furniture
❌ I need advices
✅ I need advice
ARTICLES WITH PROPER NOUNS & COUNTRIES
German often uses definite articles with countries (e.g., die Schweiz, die USA), which English usually omits. There are also a few (The Netherlands, for example) that don't use the definite article in German, but do in English.
Example:
❌ I live in the Switzerland.
✅ I live in Switzerland.
AUXILIARY 'DO' IN QUESTIONS & NEGATIVES
German forms questions by inversion, so learners often omit “do” in English.
Examples:
❌ You like coffee?
✅ Do you like coffee?
❌ I not know.
✅ I do not know.
ADJECTIVE ENDINGS & PLACEMENT
German adjectives carry case/gender endings, leading to either over-marking or missing plural agreements in English.
Example:
❌ She has three red dress.
✅ She has three red dresses.
WORD ORDER IN “WH-” QUESTIONS
German keeps verb-second for main clauses; learners often misorder wh-questions.
Examples:
❌ Where you are going?
✅ Where are you going?
❌ What he wants to do?
✅ What does he want to do?
BACK TO LANGUAGE-SPECIFIC ISSUES HOME
