Speaking Practice - Picture Task and Conversation: Studying and My Future

Ready to speak

In the speaking exam you describe a picture and hold a conversation. This module prepares you for the theme Studying and My Future (Ausbildung und meine Zukunft). You will build the key vocabulary, master the future tense for talking about your plans, and practise structuring a good spoken answer. Everything here is in real German - umlauts, ß and capital letters for every noun - because in speaking and writing that accuracy is marked.

School words in German

Learn these with their articles - the gender and the capital letter both matter.

Match the German to the English

What Ich werde an der Universität studieren means in German

What does "Ich werde an der Universität studieren" mean?

• I am going to study at university
• I studied at university last year
• I would like to leave university
• I never study at university

Talking about the future

The clearest way to talk about plans is the future tense (das Futur): werden (conjugated) + an infinitive at the end: ich werde studieren (I will study), du wirst arbeiten, wir werden reisen. For ongoing study use seit + the present tense: ich lerne seit drei Jahren Deutsch (I have been learning German for three years). At Higher tier, Konjunktiv II (ich würde reisen, ich möchte Arzt werden) expresses aspirations.

Complete the plan

Nach dem _____ werde ich die _____ studieren, die ich mag. In der _____ werde ich Lehrer _____. Meine Freundin macht eine _____.

Two ways to say the future

Both talk about what is to come, but they do slightly different jobs.

Which use the future tense?

Select the TWO sentences that use the future tense (werden + infinitive).

• Ich werde in Deutschland arbeiten
• Wir werden im Sommer reisen
• Ich möchte Ärztin werden
• Ich lerne seit drei Jahren Deutsch

Match each phrase to its meaning

Build a strong answer

Put these German sentences into a sensible order to build a developed picture-task answer.

• Auf dem Bild sehe ich Schüler in einem Klassenzimmer
• Meiner Meinung nach lernen sie für ihre Prüfungen
• Ich mag Fächer wie Naturwissenschaften
• In der Zukunft werde ich an der Universität studieren

Describing the photo

In the picture task, what does "Auf dem Bild sehe ich..." mean?

• In the picture, I see...
• In the future, I will...
• In my opinion, I think...
• Yesterday, I saw...

Hold the conversation

Three moments in the speaking exam. Choose the strongest German response each time.

• The examiner asks: "Was wirst du nach dem Gymnasium machen?" Which answer is best?
• You must describe a photo of students in a library. Which opening is best?
• How do you turn a basic future answer into a higher-mark one?

Your turn: prepare an answer

Prepare a short spoken answer in German. Imagine a photo of students at school, then talk about your own future. Write four or five sentences in German.

• Describe the photo: use "Auf dem Bild sehe ich..." or "Es gibt..."
• Give an opinion: use "Meiner Meinung nach..."
• Talk about your subjects: "Ich lerne Fächer wie..."
• Talk about your future with werden: "In der Zukunft werde ich..."

Umlauts and eszett, every time

Top speaking answers do three things. First, they get the accuracy right - umlauts and ß (Fächer, Universität), and a capital letter on every noun (die Zukunft, der Beruf) - because that is marked. Second, they use the future tense confidently (werden + infinitive at the end) and, at Higher tier, reach for Konjunktiv II (ich würde, ich möchte) for ambitions. Third, they develop every answer: describe, give an opinion with a reason (weil...), and link it to yourself and your future - never a bare one-word reply.