15 common mistakes German learners make (and how to fix them before your exam)

Part 1: Grammar mistakes (the silent point killers)

1. Dativ vs. Akkusativ with Wechselpräpositionen

The mistake:

• ❌ "Ich gehe in dem Park" (when you mean you're going INTO the park)

• ❌ "Das Bild hängt an die Wand" (when describing where it IS)

Why it happens: Learners forget that Wechselpräpositionen (an, auf, in, über, unter, vor, hinter, neben, zwischen) change cases based on motion vs. location.

The fix:

• Wohin? (where to?) = Akkusativ → "Ich gehe in den Park"

• Wo? (where?) = Dativ → "Ich bin in dem Park"

Exam tip: In telc and Goethe writing tasks, this error appears in descriptions of rooms, locations, and activities. Examiners specifically look for correct case usage.

2. False friends with Präpositionen

The mistake:

• ❌ "Ich warte auf dich" (correct) BUT ❌ "Ich warte für den Bus" (wrong!)

• ❌ "Ich denke über dich" (wrong) → Correct: "Ich denke an dich"

Common false friends:

English	❌ wrong German	✅ correct German
wait for	warten für	warten auf
think of	denken über	denken an
depend on	abhängen auf	abhängen von
look for	suchen für	suchen nach

The fix: Create flashcards specifically for Verb + Präposition combinations. Don't translate directly from English.

3. Adjektiv endings in the Genitiv case

The mistake:

• ❌ "Das Auto eines reiche Mannes"

• ✅ "Das Auto eines reichen Mannes"

Why it matters: Genitiv appears heavily in B2/C1 formal writing tasks (complaints, applications, reports).

The fix: Remember the Genitiv endings pattern:

• Maskulinum/Neutrum: -en (des reichen Mannes)

• Femininum: -en (der reichen Frau)

• Plural: -en (der reichen Leute)

4. Konjunktiv II formation errors

The mistake:

• ❌ "Wenn ich mehr Zeit habe, würde ich..."

• ✅ "Wenn ich mehr Zeit hätte, würde ich..."

Exam context: Konjunktiv II is MANDATORY in telc B2 and Goethe B2 for opinion pieces and hypothetical scenarios.

The fix:

• Regular verbs: würde + Infinitiv ("würde machen")

• Haben/sein/Modalverben: Use Konjunktiv form ("hätte," "wäre," "könnte")

5. "Als" vs. "wenn" vs. "wann" confusion

The mistake:

• ❌ "Wann ich Kind war..." (wrong)

• ❌ "Als du nach Hause kommst..." (wrong)

The rule:

• Als = one-time past event ("Als ich 10 war")

• Wenn = repeated past, future, or conditional ("Wenn ich Zeit habe" / "Immer wenn er kam")

• Wann = questions ("Wann kommst du?")

Part 2: Speaking mistakes (what examiners actually notice)

6. Monotonous sentence starters

The mistake: Starting every sentence with "Ich denke, dass..." or "Meiner Meinung nach..."

What examiners want: Varied discourse markers showing B2/C1 fluency.

Better alternatives:

• "Aus meiner Sicht..."

• "Einerseits... andererseits..."

• "Was mich betrifft..."

• "Im Gegensatz dazu..."

• "Darüber hinaus..."

7. Overusing "sehr"

The mistake: "Das ist sehr gut, sehr interessant, sehr wichtig..."

The fix: Use intensifiers that sound more advanced:

• sehr gut → ausgezeichnet, hervorragend

• sehr interessant → äußerst spannend, faszinierend

• sehr wichtig → von großer Bedeutung, entscheidend

8. Wrong word order after Konjunktionen

The mistake:

• ❌ "Ich glaube, dass ich habe keine Zeit."

• ✅ "Ich glaube, dass ich keine Zeit habe."

Quick rule: After subordinating Konjunktionen (dass, weil, obwohl, wenn), the Verb goes to the END.

9. False fluency fillers

The mistake: Using English fillers ("uhm," "like," "you know") or awkward German ones.

Better German fillers:

• "Also..." (so/well)

• "Na ja..." (well...)

• "Sagen wir mal..." (let's say...)

• "Wie soll ich sagen..." (how should I say...)

10. Pronunciation: "ch" sound inconsistency

The mistake: Not distinguishing between "ich" [ç] and "ach" [x] sounds.

Examples:

• Ich, nicht, mich = soft [ç] (like "huge")

• Ach, auch, Buch = hard [x] (like Scottish "loch")

Practice pairs:

• "Ich mache" (soft + hard)

• "Nicht auch" (soft + hard)

Part 3: Writing mistakes (the grade killers)

11. Register inconsistency

The mistake: Mixing formal and informal language in the same email/letter.

Example:

• ❌ "Sehr geehrter Herr Schmidt, ich wollte mal fragen... LG, Anna"

The fix:

• Formal opening → formal throughout → formal closing

• Formal: "Sehr geehrte/r," "Mit freundlichen Grüßen"

• Informal: "Liebe/r," "Viele Grüße" or "Liebe Grüße"

12. Missing connectors between ideas

The mistake: Writing choppy sentences without logical flow.

B2/C1 connectors you need:

• Contrast: jedoch, dennoch, allerdings

• Cause/effect: daher, deshalb, infolgedessen

• Addition: außerdem, darüber hinaus, ferner

• Conclusion: folglich, somit, abschließend

13. Comma errors with Infinitiv clauses

The mistake:

• ❌ "Ich habe keine Zeit das Buch zu lesen"

• ✅ "Ich habe keine Zeit, das Buch zu lesen"

Rule: Always use a comma before "zu + Infinitiv" constructions.

14. Overusing Passiv voice

The mistake: Trying to sound formal but making sentences confusing.

Example:

• ❌ "Es wird von mir gedacht, dass..."

• ✅ "Ich denke, dass..."

When to use Passiv:

• When the actor is unknown: "Das Fahrrad wurde gestohlen"

• In formal reports: "Es wurde festgestellt, dass..."

When NOT to use: Personal opinions and narratives.

15. Generic conclusions

The mistake: Ending with "Das ist meine Meinung" or "Danke für Ihre Aufmerksamkeit."

Better exam conclusions:

• "Zusammenfassend lässt sich sagen..."

• "Abschließend möchte ich betonen..."

• "Meines Erachtens überwiegen die Vorteile/Nachteile..."

How to fix these before your exam

Week 1-2: diagnostic phase

• Record yourself speaking for 3 minutes on an exam topic

• Write a sample email/essay

• Identify which 5 of these 15 mistakes you make most

Week 3-4: targeted practice

• Focus on your top 5 mistakes

• Do 2-3 exercises daily on those specific points

• Get feedback (teacher, language partner, or AI tools)

Week 5-6: exam simulation

• Practice under timed conditions

• Use official Goethe/telc practice materials

• Check specifically for your previous mistakes

Conclusion

The difference between B1 and B2, or between 60% and 80% on your exam, often comes down to these "small" mistakes. Native speakers might overlook them in conversation, but exam graders are specifically trained to identify them.

The good news? Unlike vocabulary memorization or complex grammar learning, fixing these mistakes is straightforward - you just need awareness and targeted practice.