You can already say your name in German. Imagine a visiting pupil from Hamburg has just joined your class for the week. What else do they want to know about you?
Age? Where you live? Something you like? Today you will build three short sentences about yourself so you can chat with that guest.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Give your age in German
- Share one simple personal fact
- Practise a short about-me exchange with a partner
Here are today's eight about-me phrases on the cards. Listen to each German line first, then repeat it together with the class before anyone checks the English. Listen for the soft ch in Ich (like a gentle breath, not a hard k) and the long ah in Jahre (YAH-ruh).
After the set, thumbs up if the card was about age, home, likes, or something else: sort with your hands, not your books.
A full chat with our Hamburg visitor sounds like this:
Wie heißt du? (What is your name?)
Ich heiße … (My name is …)
Wie alt bist du? (How old are you?)
Ich bin zehn Jahre alt. (I am ten years old.)
Was magst du? (What do you like?)
Ich mag Fußball. (I like football.)
A short introduction from our Hamburg visitor is about to play. Before it starts, hold these two jobs in your head:
- How old is the speaker?
- What do they like (or what other fact do they share)?
You will hear it twice on the class speakers before anyone answers.
Keep the full age line
In German you say your age with every part of the phrase: 'Ich bin zehn Jahre alt' (I am ten years old). Leaving out Jahre alt sounds unfinished to a German ear, even though English speakers often just say "I'm ten".
- Say your age the English short way, then the full German way with your partner. Which feels more finished?
- Try both aloud once each, then stick with the full German line from now on.
After that, be ready to answer about yourself out loud with the class: your real age and one true fact.
First, whisper your three lines to yourself using the board model. Then open your copy and write the same three sentences about you: your name, your age, and one thing you like.
Board model (copy the pattern, swap in your details):
Ich heiße ______.
Ich bin ______ Jahre alt.
Ich mag ______.
Word bank: zehn · elf · Fußball (or Fussball) · lesen · Musik · Dublin · Hamburg
Capital letter on Ich, on Jahre, and on any noun like Fußball — copy the board model exactly.
You are chatting with a visiting pupil from Hamburg. Work with a partner. Partner A asks, Partner B answers with name, age and one more fact, then swap. Keep the frame on the board and stay in German.
Keep this strip visible (only these three questions for A):
A: Wie heißt du?
B: Ich heiße ______.
A: Wie alt bist du?
B: Ich bin ______ Jahre alt.
A: Was magst du?
B: Ich mag ______.
Extension answers B may swap in if ready (point at the stem, then say it): Ich wohne in ______. · Meine Lieblingsfarbe ist ______.
Ich wohne in Dublin — und du? Ich wohne in Hamburg.
Unlock the full learning experience
You're previewing this lesson. Get full access to this lesson and hundreds more — each one ready to teach, with interactive activities, printable resources and pupil progress tracking built in.
This lesson is copyright of Coding Ireland 2017 - 2025. Unauthorised use, copying or distribution is not allowed.