B2 Deutsch: Verb Vocabulary Quiz

Basic B2 German Verb Vocabulary

• Common B2 Verbs: These verbs are frequently used in everyday life, in more advanced conversations and formal settings, and are vital for tasks like asking questions or presenting arguments. This category includes verbs signifying opinion, suggesting, and providing examples as well as more nuanced versions of previously learned verbs.

• Verbs of Opinion and Suggestion:

• meinen (to think/believe): expressing personal opinions; example: "Ich meine, dass..." (I think that...)

• glauben (to believe): expressing conviction; e.g., "Ich glaube an dich." (I believe in you)

• empfehlen (to recommend): suggesting something; e.g., "Ich empfehle dir, das Buch zu lesen." (I recommend that you read the book)

• vorschlagen (to suggest): proposing an idea; e.g., "Ich schlage vor, dass wir..." (I suggest that we...)

• erwarten (to expect): anticipating something; e.g., "Ich erwarte, dass..." (I expect that...)

• Verbs Implying Evaluation and Judgment:

• bewerten (to evaluate): assessing something's value; e.g., "Wir müssen die Situation bewerten." (We have to evaluate the situation)

• beurteilen (to judge): forming an opinion about something; e.g., "Ich habe das Buch positiv beurteilt." (I have judged the book positively)

• kritisieren (to criticize): expressing negative judgment; e.g., "Er hat den Plan kritisiert." (He criticized the plan)

• ablehnen (to reject): refusing something; e.g., "Der Vorschlag wurde abgelehnt." (The proposal was rejected)

• prüfen (to check/examine): evaluating accurately; e.g., "Bitte prüfen Sie die Dokumente." (Please check the documents)

• Verbs of Planning and Organization:

• organisieren (to organize): arranging or scheduling; e.g., "Wir müssen die Konferenz organisieren." (We need to organize the conference)

• planen (to plan): creating a schedule or program; e.g., "Wir haben einen Plan für die Zukunft geplant." (We have planned a plan for the future)

• vorbereiten (to prepare): getting ready for something; e.g., "Bereiten Sie sich gut auf die Prüfung vor." (Prepare well for the exam.)

• entscheiden (to decide): reaching a conclusion; e.g., "Sie mussten sich entscheiden." (They had to decide)

• anwenden (to apply): using something in a practical way; e.g., "Wir müssen diese Prinzipien anwenden." (We need to apply these principles)

• Nuanced Verb Usage (Examples):

• verstehen (to understand): at B2 level, this requires a deeper understanding and critical interpretation of a subject not just immediate comprehension.

• erklären (to explain): a more nuanced explanation involving reasoning and justification, not merely stating facts.

• diskutieren (to discuss): demonstrating more in-depth arguments and counterarguments.

• argumentieren (to argue): presenting logical deductions and backing up opinions, not just stating personal viewpoints.

• Important Considerations for B2 Level:

• Verb Tenses: Mastering various tenses like the present perfect, past perfect and future perfect is crucial for expressing a range of actions that happened in the past, are still affecting the present or will affect the future.

• Verb Conjugations: Understanding irregular verbs and complex conjugations for every mood is essential for constructing grammatically correct sentences.

• Verb Prepositions: Recognizing and using different prepositions accurately is critical because they influence verb meaning and usage, especially in complex sentences.

Further Vocabulary Development

• Learning through authentic German material (news, literature, conversation) broadens verb usage.
• Focusing on specific contexts (business, academic, social) improves fluency in those areas.
• Consistent practice in exercises, writing, and conversation builds comprehension and speed in using target verbs.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Incorrect verb conjugation hinders sentence clarity. Reviewing conjugation patterns is vital.
• Confusing similar-sounding verbs needs careful differentiation based on tense and context.
• Incorrect verb prepositions alter meaning and should be learned in context.
• Misunderstanding auxiliary verbs, which complete the verb phrase and are essential for precise sentence structure, should be avoided.