This exam tips covers Exam Tips & Common Errors within Numbers, dates and times by ear for GCSE German. Revise Numbers, dates and times by ear in Listening Traps for GCSE German with 10 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This topic shows up very often in GCSE exams, so students should be able to explain it clearly, not just recognise the term. It is section 4 of 4 in this topic. Treat this as a marking guide for what examiners are looking for, not just a fact list.
💡 Exam Tips & Common Errors
- For two-digit numbers: hold the first (units) digit in your head, then add the ten when you hear it.
- Listen carefully for -zehn (teen) vs -zig (ty) — they sound similar at normal speech speed.
- Remember: halb X = X minus 30 minutes. Say it out loud every time you practise.
- Write down the full time once you have heard both parts — do not commit to a digit before the number is complete.
❌ Common error: Hearing einundzwanzig and writing 12.
✓ Correct: 21 — German says the units digit first (ein-und-zwanzig = one-and-twenty).
Why it costs marks: German two-digit numbers are said units-first. Writing the digits in the order you hear them gives the mirror image of the correct number. Hold the first digit, wait for the und, then add the ten.
Practice questions for Numbers, dates and times by ear
You hear 'einundzwanzig'. What number is this?
Which German word means 30?