This deep dive covers The Translation Rules within German to English translation technique for GCSE German. Revise German to English translation technique in Reading and Translation into English for GCSE German with 15 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 2 of 4 in this topic. Use this deep dive to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
📋 The Translation Rules
| Rule | German example | English translation |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning not word-for-word | Es macht Spaß. | It's fun. (NOT "It makes fun.") |
| Reorder verb-final clauses | ..., weil ich müde bin | ...because I am tired (verb after subject, not at the end) |
| Keep the verb bracket together | Ich habe das Buch gelesen. | I read the book. / I have read the book. (NOT "I have the book read.") |
| Watch false friends | Ich bekomme ein Geschenk. | I get/receive a present. (NOT "I become a present.") |
| Keep the tense | Ich habe gespielt. / Ich werde spielen. | I played / I have played. / I will play. (match the German tense) |
| Separable verbs as a whole | Ich stehe um sieben Uhr auf. | I get up at seven o'clock. (prefix + stem = one verb) |
| Account for every element | Meine Schwester wohnt in Köln. | My sister lives in Cologne. (do not drop any noun or time phrase) |
⭐ German Word Order → English Word Order
In a weil / dass / wenn clause the verb goes to the END in German — but in English it comes right after the subject:
Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil ich krank bin.
→ "I stay at home because I am ill."
Reorder the clause: subject → verb → rest. Do not carry the German end-position into English.
⭐ Common Phrases — Translate as a Unit
Es gibt → "there is / there are" (NOT "it gives")
Es macht Spaß → "it's fun" (NOT "it makes fun")
Ich habe … gemacht → "I did / I have done / I made" (context decides)
Ich stehe … auf → "I get up" (separable verb — prefix belongs with the stem)
Meine Schwester wohnt in Köln.
My sister lives in Cologne.
- Köln = Cologne in English — use the English place name where one exists.
- wohnt = present tense (lives, not lived or will live) — keep the tense.
- Account for every element: "my sister", "lives", "in Cologne" — nothing dropped.
Higher Am Wochenende gehe ich ins Kino, weil ich Filme mag.
At the weekend I go to the cinema because I like films.
- V2 rule: in the main clause am Wochenende is the first element, so the verb gehe comes second — "At the weekend I go" (not "I go at the weekend go").
- weil ich Filme mag — verb at the end in German. In English: "because I like films" — reorder: subject → verb → object.
Practice questions for German to English translation technique
On AQA German Paper 3, how is the German-to-English translation task marked?
Translate this sentence into English: **Meine Schwester wohnt in Köln und sie spielt gern Fußball.**