My German Journey: Navigating Education and the Future – A Focus on Clauses

Okay, so here I am, six months in Berlin, and let’s be honest, German is hard. It’s not just hard to understand – it’s hard to build sentences that actually make sense. I’m studying at the Volkshochschule (VHS) – the adult education center – and it’s amazing, but I’m constantly battling with the grammar. Today, I want to talk about two things that keep tripping me up: future tense and infinitive clauses. They feel so crucial to actually talking about plans and possibilities, and I’m starting to get a little better at using them.

The Future Tense – “Ich werde…” (I will…)

The other day, I was talking to my classmate, Lars, about my German course. I wanted to say I would be continuing my studies. It was embarrassing, but I completely butchered it.

“Ich werde… ich werde… lernen… immer weiter lernen!” I blurted out, gesturing wildly.

Lars blinked at me. “Du meinst, ‘Ich werde weiter lernen’,” he corrected patiently. “’Weiter’ is the adverb. ‘Ich werde lernen’ means ‘I will learn’ – it’s a general future.”

He was totally right, of course. It highlighted how easily I can get lost in the nuances. The future tense with “werden” is definitely a bit strange to me. It’s not just about predicting something; it’s almost like a statement of intent.

For example, a more natural way to say I was continuing my studies was: “Ich werde meinen Kurs weiter belegen.” (I will continue my course). I’m trying to replace “wird lernen” with “wird belegen” – it feels much more solid.

Infinitive Clauses – “Um … zu…” (In order to…)

This is where things really get complicated. I keep running into these clauses, and I still don’t entirely get them. They’re used to express purpose – what someone wants to do. It’s used after verbs like “möchten” (to want) and “sollen” (to be supposed to).

I had a huge misunderstanding at the bakery yesterday. I went to order a Brötchen (bread roll) and I wanted to say, “I want to buy one.” I instinctively said: “Ich möchte essen!”

The baker, a very kind woman named Frau Schmidt, looked confused. “Du möchtest einen Brötchen kaufen,” she explained slowly. “’Um einen Brötchen zu kaufen’ – it’s ‘in order to buy a bread roll.’”

It suddenly clicked. I realized I was using the infinitive form of “essen” (to eat) instead of the correct infinitive form of “kaufen” (to buy). I felt so silly!

Here’s a simple example: “Ich möchte ein Buch lesen, um mich zu entspannen.” (I want to read a book in order to relax.) It’s a useful phrase for explaining why I’m doing something.

Applying it in the VHS – Future Plans for my Education

My German teacher, Herr Müller, keeps pushing us to use these clauses when talking about our future learning goals. He gave us a small assignment: “Schreiben Sie einen kurzen Text, in dem Sie Ihre Pläne für die Zukunft beschreiben und die Zukunft mit ‘ich werde’ und ‘um … zu…’ formuliere.” (Write a short text in which you describe your plans for the future and formulate the future using ‘ich werde’ and ‘um … zu…’).

I ended up writing something like this: “Ich werde in Zukunft mehr Deutsch lernen, um eine bessere Arbeitsstelle zu finden. Ich möchte auch einen Sprachkurs für den Italienischen lernen, um mit den Leuten in Italien zu kommunizieren.” (I will learn more German in the future in order to find a better job. I also want to take a language course for Italian in order to communicate with people in Italy).

It’s still awkward, and I definitely stumble, but I’m practicing. I’m starting to recognize the patterns. I’m also trying to hear them more, not just read about them.

Resources and Next Steps

Here are a few things I’m doing to help me understand:

• Flashcards: I’ve started making flashcards for common phrases using “ich werde” and “um… zu…”
• Conversation Practice: I’m trying to force myself to use these clauses in conversations, even if I mess up. Lars has been a huge help with this.
• Online Resources: There are some great websites and apps that focus on German grammar. I’m checking them out regularly.

Most importantly, I’m reminding myself that mistakes are part of the learning process. I’m not aiming for perfect German; I’m aiming to communicate effectively. And honestly, even just understanding these clauses a little bit better makes a huge difference in my ability to talk about my future in Germany.

“Weiter lernen!” – Let’s keep going!