Welcome to your German language adventure! Learning a new language is an exciting journey of discovery, and memorizing vocabulary is a huge part of it. This guide uses a powerful and fun technique called mnemonic associations to help you lock new words into your memory. By creating silly or memorable stories, we'll connect the sound of a German word to its meaning, making it much easier to recall. Let's begin building your vocabulary, one story at a time!

Each "card" below is designed to help you connect a German verb to its meaning through a memorable tip and a real-world example. You'll notice some verbs are marked with (sich). This indicates they are often used as "reflexive" verbs in German, a concept you'll master as you advance. For now, focus on the core meaning!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(sich) erweitern

to expand, to broaden

Mnemonic Association: Imagine a pilot saying, "Air vider!" (erweitern) as they get clearance to expand their flight path.

🇩🇪 Example: Mein Wortschatz erweitert sich mit jedem neuen Text.

🇬🇧 Translation: My vocabulary expands with every new text.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

leichtfallen

to be easy

Mnemonic Association: When "light falls in" (leichtfallen) through the window, it's easy to see and work.

🇩🇪 Example: Deutsch lernen fällt mir mit guter Erklärung leicht.

🇬🇧 Translation: Learning German is easy for me with a good explanation.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(sich) knüpfen

to tie, to establish

Mnemonic Association: The new horse can hoof in (knüpfen) to the stable and establish its territory.

🇩🇪 Example: Auf der Reise knüpft er viele neue Kontakte.

🇬🇧 Translation: He establishes many new contacts on the trip.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

schaffen

to create, to manage

Mnemonic Association: You have to shove fin-gers (schaffen) into the soil to get the work done.

🇩🇪 Example: Ich schaffe die Arbeit heute trotz wenig Zeit.

🇬🇧 Translation: I will manage the work today despite little time.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

auswandern

to emigrate

Mnemonic Association: People who emigrate often feel like their "house is wanderin'" (auswandern) to a new country.

🇩🇪 Example: Viele Menschen wandern aus wirtschaftlichen Gründen aus.

🇬🇧 Translation: Many people emigrate for economic reasons.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

bereuen

to regret

Mnemonic Association: You will "be ruined" (bereuen) if you make choices you'll later regret.

🇩🇪 Example: Er bereut seine Entscheidung nach kurzer Zeit.

🇬🇧 Translation: He regrets his decision after a short time.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

empfinden

to feel, to perceive

Mnemonic Association: A detective might say, "I'm findin'" (empfinden) it hard to feel out the truth in this case.

🇩🇪 Example: Ich empfinde große Freude bei dieser Arbeit.

🇬🇧 Translation: I feel great joy in this work.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(sich) einleben

to settle in

Mnemonic Association: To start a new life "in leben" (einleben), you must first settle in and adapt.

🇩🇪 Example: Nach ein paar Wochen lebt sie sich gut ein.

🇬🇧 Translation: After a few weeks, she is settling in well.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

zerschneiden

to cut up

Mnemonic Association: His "chair-snide-N" (zerschneiden) comments really cut up my feelings.

🇩🇪 Example: Sie zerschneidet das Papier in kleine Stücke.

🇬🇧 Translation: She cuts the paper into small pieces.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

trösten

to comfort, to console

Mnemonic Association: Offering someone warm "toastin'" (trösten) is a simple way to comfort them.

🇩🇪 Example: Die Mutter tröstet das Kind nach dem Unfall.

🇬🇧 Translation: The mother comforts the child after the accident.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

voraussetzen

to presuppose, to require

Mnemonic Association: "For our set, son," (voraussetzen) the director said, "we require you to learn these lines."

🇩🇪 Example: Der Kurs setzt gute Sprachkenntnisse voraus.

🇬🇧 Translation: The course requires good language skills.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

beherrschen

to master, to dominate

Mnemonic Association: The bear hair shone (beherrschen) after it learned to master the use of conditioner.

🇩🇪 Example: Sie beherrscht die Sprache auf hohem Niveau.

🇬🇧 Translation: She masters the language at a high level.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

beschriften

to label, to inscribe

Mnemonic Association: The "best griftin'" (beschriften) con artists label all their equipment carefully.

🇩🇪 Example: Bitte beschriften Sie alle Ordner deutlich.

🇬🇧 Translation: Please label all the folders clearly.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

betreffen

to concern, to affect

Mnemonic Association: If you bet Raven (betreffen) will lose, it will concern all her fans.

🇩🇪 Example: Diese Änderung betrifft viele internationale Studenten.

🇬🇧 Translation: This change affects many international students.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

missverstehen

to misunderstand

Mnemonic Association: They will miss fair stayin' (missverstehen) at this hotel if they misunderstand the checkout time.

🇩🇪 Example: Man kann diese Aussage leicht missverstehen.

🇬🇧 Translation: One can easily misunderstand this statement.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Congratulations on working through these new words! You've taken another important step on your path to fluency. Remember, consistency is the key to success. Try to use these new words in your own practice sentences this week. Keep up the fantastic work!

Viel Erfolg!

If you are looking for structured German vocabulary organized by levels from A1 to B2, download our VocaGo app: