I’m Ewa, your German teacher. I hope this morning has given you the energy you need to learn. This morning, looking out the window at the chirping birds and feeling the warm rays of sunshine on my face, I remembered how important it is to enjoy the moment. Just like these little joys of everyday life, so significant is every lesson that brings us closer to our goals.
In our ninth lesson on the Hrily platform, we will focus on German for carers – family members. This is a key aspect of senior care work, where understanding and communication with care recipients and their families plays a central role.
Key German vocabulary for carers
We will learn 10 words that will help you in everyday communication.
Here they are:
- Family – die Familie
- Mother – die Mutter
- The Father – der Vater
- Brother – der Bruder
- Sister – die Schwester
- Grandfather – der Großvater
- Grandmother –die Großmutter
- Grandson – der Enkel
- Granddaughter – die Enkelin
- Relatives – der Verwandter
I encourage you to actively participate in the lessons and use the newly learned words in practical exercises. Remember that every word is indispensable in building your language proficiency. Please keep in mind that we are already on 9 lessons with over 300, which means you are gradually approaching the advanced level. By using Ewa’s communication-based teaching methods, you are sure to achieve your goal.
Example dialogues – everyday phrases and expressions
Dialogue 1: Memories of Family
Ewa: Erzählen Sie mir von Ihrer Familie, Herr Martin.(Tell me about your family, Mr. Martin.)
Martin: Ich habe zwei Kinder und vier Enkelkinder. Sie besuchen mich oft. (I have two children and four grandchildren. They visit me often.)
Dialogue 2: Common interests
Ewa: Was machen Sie gerne in Ihrer Freizeit? (What do you like to do in your spare time?)
Martin: Ich liebe Gartenarbeit und klassische Musik hoeren. (I love working in the garden and listening to classical music.)
Dialogue 3: Daily Routine
Ewa: Wie sieht Ihr typischer Tag aus, Herr Martin? (What does your typical day look like, Mr. Martin?)
Martin: Ich stehe früh auf, lese die Zeitung und verbringe Zeit im Garten. (I get up early, read the paper and spend time in the garden.)
Interactive Exercises: Strengthening Language Skills
Task 1: Creating Dialogs
Objective: Practice using new vocabulary in practical situations.
Description: Imagine you are talking to your ward about his family. Using the words learned in this lesson, create a short dialogue in which you ask each other about family members. Ask questions like Do you have brothers or sisters? or Tell me something about your grandchildren.
Example:
- Caregiver: Do you have Geschwister? (Do you have any siblings?)
- Mentee: Ja, ich habe einen Bruder und eine Schwester. (Yes, I have a brother and sister.)
Task 2: Description of the Family
Objective: To develop the ability to describe people.
Description: Write a short text describing your family or fictional family using the vocabulary from this lesson. Focus on details such as family relationships, names, age, professions, or characteristics.
Example: Meine Familie ist nicht sehr groß. Meine Mutter heißt Anna und ist 60 Jahre alt. Sie ist Lehrerin von Beruf. Mein Vater, Thomas, ist 65 Jahre alt und bereits im Ruhestand. Er war Ingenieur. Ich habe auch einen älteren Bruder, der Markus heißt und 40 Jahre alt ist. Er arbeitet als Arzt.
Discover with us: Fascinating aspects of German
Dear students, at every opportunity I try to share with you not only knowledge, but also interesting facts that may interest you and inspire you to continue learning German. Today I want to share with you something I recently discovered, which is directly related to the topic of our lesson today – “German for carers – family members”.
Recently, while reading a book about German culture, I came across an interesting fact about the names of family members in German. Many of these names have their roots in ancient Germanic words that have evolved over the centuries. For example, Mutter (mother) comes from the Old Germanic word Modar, and Vater (father) from Fadar. Interestingly, these ancient words are similar to their counterparts in other Indo-European languages, which shows how ancient cultural and linguistic ties connect different peoples.
This knowledge not only shows the beauty and history of the German language, but also reminds us how important family relationships are in the life of every person, regardless of culture. As caregivers of the elderly, we often become part of their family stories and memories. Knowledge of German allows us to better understand and appreciate these stories.
This curiosity reminds us that learning German is more than just vocabulary and grammar – it’s about discovering the rich culture and history present in every word.
Summary of Lesson 9: German for caregivers – family members
We hope that today’s lesson, dedicated to family members in German, was both informative and inspiring for you. During today’s session, you learned keywords and phrases that will help you communicate with German-speaking seniors and their families, helping you to build a stronger bond with your caregivers.
Remember that every new word you learn is a step closer to fluency in German and a more profound understanding of the culture you work with. By using dialogues, hands-on exercises and delving into language curiosities, you will not only broaden your knowledge of German, but also develop the empathy and understanding necessary to work as a caregiver.
We cordially invite you to our next lesson, which will be held on the Hrily platform. In the next meeting, entitled Health, we will focus on vocabulary and phrases related to health and healthcare. These are key issues for anyone who works in the care of seniors. You will learn important words and phrases that will help you in everyday communication related to 24-hour care for seniors. In your work there will be more understanding of the needs of your mentees and in establishing an even better relationship with them.
See you at the next lesson and remember – every lesson is another step towards achieving your goal!
Ewa, your German teacher