German · A1 · Family moment
After School Plans in German
Talk about small adventures and everyday plans after school. German often uses the present tense for future plans when the context is clear.
What you'll learn
- Talk about simple after-school plans.
- Ask your child about homework and play.
- Use the German present tense to express English “going to.”
- Recognize a simple future form with werden.
German phrases for after school plans
Wir gehen zu Fuß nach Hause.
We are going to walk home.
Zu Fuß means “on foot.” Here, gehen describes walking; it is not a future marker.
Wir essen eine Kleinigkeit.
We are going to have a snack.
Eine Kleinigkeit essen means “to have something small to eat.” The present tense expresses the plan.
Machst du deine Hausaufgaben?
Are you going to do your homework?
In a conversation about plans, this present-tense question asks about a future action. Hausaufgaben is plural.
Ich lese mit dir.
I am going to read with you.
Mit dir means “with you” when speaking to one child.
Dein Freund kommt zu Besuch.
Your friend is going to come over.
Zu Besuch kommen means “to come over for a visit.” For a female friend, use deine Freundin.
Spielst du Fußball?
Are you going to play football?
The plans context gives this question its future meaning. Fußball means football or soccer.
Wir packen deine Sporttasche.
We are going to pack your sports bag.
Deine means “your” here because Sporttasche is a feminine noun.
Du wirst Spaß haben.
You are going to have fun.
This reassuring prediction uses wirst, a form of werden, plus haben at the end.
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
nach Hause
home; towards home
Use this for movement home. Zu Hause means “at home.”
eine Kleinigkeit essen
to have a snack; to eat something small
A natural everyday expression for a small amount of food.
die Hausaufgaben
homework
German normally uses the plural: Hausaufgaben machen means “to do homework.”
zu Besuch kommen
to come over; to come for a visit
Useful when talking about friends or family visiting.
die Sporttasche
sports bag
Use deine Sporttasche for “your sports bag” when speaking to your child.
Spaß haben
to have fun
German uses haben, meaning “to have,” just as English does.
nachher
later
A useful word for making it clear that you mean a plan for later.
Expressing “going to” with the present tense
German does not normally translate future “going to” with gehen. Use the present tense when the plan is clear from context. Add a time word such as nachher (“later”) if needed.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| We | wir + verb ending in -en | Wir packen deine Sporttasche. |
| I | ich + verb usually ending in -e | Ich lese mit dir. |
| One friend | singular subject + verb usually ending in -t | Dein Freund kommt zu Besuch. |
| Make the time clear | subject + verb + nachher + rest | Wir essen nachher eine Kleinigkeit. |
Asking about plans
For a yes/no question, put the conjugated verb first, followed by the subject. Use du when speaking to one child.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Statement | du + verb + rest | Du machst deine Hausaufgaben. |
| Question | verb + du + rest? | Machst du deine Hausaufgaben? |
| Question about later | verb + du + nachher + rest? | Spielst du nachher Fußball? |
A future prediction with werden
German can also express the future with werden plus an infinitive. With du, use wirst. Put the infinitive at the end. This works well for a reassuring prediction.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| You are going to have fun | du + wirst + rest + infinitive | Du wirst Spaß haben. |
More examples
Wir gehen nachher zu Fuß nach Hause.
We are going to walk home later.
Nachher makes the future timing clear.
Ich lese nachher mit dir.
I am going to read with you later.
After mit, use dir rather than du.
Deine Freundin kommt nachher zu Besuch.
Your female friend is going to come over later.
Use deine Freundin for a female friend.