Skip to content

📕 Lesson 20: Erinnerungen und Wünsche — Memories & Wishes

Memories are treasure, and wishes give us hope. Learn how to talk about childhood memories and future wishes in German!

🎬 Lesson Video

1. 🗣️ Erinnerungen und Wünsche — Memories and Wishes

Deutsch Pronunciation English
die Erinnerung [diː ɛɐˈɪnəʁʊŋ] the memory
sich erinnern an (+ Akk) [zɪç ɛɐˈɪnɐn an] to remember
vergessen [fɛɐˈɡɛsən] to forget
der Wunsch [deːɐ vʊnʃ] the wish / desire
sich wünschen [zɪç ˈvʏnʃən] to wish (for)
träumen von (+ Dat) [ˈtʁɔʏmən fɔn] to dream of
die Kindheit [diː ˈkɪnthaɪt] childhood
früher [ˈfʁyːɐ] earlier / in the past
damals [ˈdaːmaːls] back then / at that time
die Vergangenheit [diː fɛɐˈɡaŋənhaɪt] the past
die Zukunft [diː ˈtsuːkʊnft] the future
das Erlebnis [daːs ɛɐˈleːpnɪs] the experience (event)
die Erfahrung [diː ɛɐˈfaːʁʊŋ] the experience (life / work)
das Gefühl [daːs ɡəˈfyːl] the feeling
die Sehnsucht [diː ˈzeːnzʊxt] longing / nostalgia
vermissen [fɛɐˈmɪsən] to miss (someone/something)
zurückdenken an (+ Akk) [tsuˈʁʏkˌdɛŋkən an] to look back on

💡 Tip: "Erfahrung" means life or work experience, while "Erlebnis" means an enjoyable experience or specific event.

2. 📖 Vocabulary: Childhood and Family

Deutsch Pronunciation English
aufwachsen [ˈaʊfˌvaksən] to grow up
das Spielzeug [daːs ˈʃpiːltsɔʏk] toy
der Lieblings... [deːɐ ˈliːplɪŋs...] favourite... (prefix)
der beste Freund / die beste Freundin [deːɐ ˈbɛstə fʁɔʏnt] / [diː ˈbɛstə ˈfʁɔʏndɪn] best friend (m/f)
gemeinsam [ɡəˈmaɪnzɑm] together / joint
das Abenteuer [daːs aˈbɛntɔʏɐ] adventure
das Fest [daːs fɛst] celebration / festival
das Geschenk [daːs ɡəˈʃɛŋk] gift / present
der Geburtstag [deːɐ ɡəˈbʊʁtsˌtaːk] birthday
Weihnachten [ˈvaɪnaxtən] Christmas
feiern [ˈfaɪɐn] to celebrate
die Schule [diː ˈʃuːlə] school
der Lehrer / die Lehrerin [deːɐ ˈleːʁɐ] / [diː ˈleːʁəʁɪn] teacher (m/f)
die Hausaufgabe [diː ˈhaʊsʔaʊfˌɡaːbə] homework
die Note [diː ˈnoːtə] grade / mark (school)
streng [ʃtʁɛŋ] strict

💡 Tip: "Lieblings..." attaches directly to the following word without a space! For example: Lieblingsessen (favourite food), Lieblingsfach (favourite subject).

3. 📝 Grammar: Subordinate Clauses with "als" (Past)

"als" for One-Time Events in the Past

⚠️ Note: We use als for single/one-time events in the past (NOT wenn). Use wenn for repeated events or in the present/future tense.

The Rule

Main Clause Subordinate Clause with "als"
I was happy als ich ein Kind war — when I was a child
We drove to the sea als ich zehn Jahre alt war — when I was ten
She cried als der Film endete — when the film ended
He called me als er zu Hause ankam — when he arrived home

Verb Position

In subordinate clauses with als, the verb goes to the end of the clause!

Example Structure
Als ich klein war, spielte ich gern draußen. als + subject + ... + verb at the end
I felt free als ich im Urlaub war. Main clause + als + subject + ... + verb at the end

Comparison: als vs. wenn

als (Past — one time) wenn (Repeated or Present/Future)
Als I was a child, I had a dog. (single continuous phase) Wenn you are sick, stay home. (if — repeated)
Als I turned 18, I got a car. (specific moment) Wenn I have time, I like to read. (habit)
Als we were in Paris, we visited the Eiffel Tower. (one specific trip) Wenn we travel, we are always happy. (repeated)

More Examples

Deutsch English
Als ich klein war, hatte ich Angst im Dunkeln. When I was little, I was afraid of the dark.
Als der Unterricht endete, gingen wir nach Hause. When the lesson ended, we went home.
Als ich das erste Mal flog, war ich sehr aufgeregt. When I flew for the first time, I was very excited.
Als er die Wahrheit erfuhr, war er traurig. When he learned the truth, he was sad.
Als wir uns kennenlernten, waren wir 20. When we met, we were 20.

4. 💬 Dialogue: Sharing Memories

Anna: Do you remember when we were children?

Ben: Yes, I remember fondly. We always played in the park.

Anna: True! When I was little, I often went for walks with my grandpa.

Ben: I remember our bike tours. Those were great experiences.

Anna: Yes, and when we were 15, we went on our first trip — without parents!

Ben: That was exciting! I wish I could be that free again.

Anna: What do you wish for the future?

Ben: I wish for a trip around the world. And you?

Anna: I dream of my own house with a big garden.

Ben: That sounds lovely! I hope our wishes come true.

Anna: I hope so too!

5. ✏️ Exercises

Exercise 1: "als" or "wenn"?

Decide!

Sentence als / wenn
_____ I was little, I had a red ball. _____
_____ I have time, I read a book. _____
_____ we were on vacation, it rained a lot. _____
_____ he is sick, he stays in bed. _____
_____ the film was over, we went home. _____
_____ it's my birthday, I invite friends. _____
_____ I turned 16, I got my first phone. _____

Exercise 2: Form sentences with "als"

Connect the sentences!

Two Sentences Sentence with "als"
I was 10. I got a dog. _ ich 10 , __ ich einen Hund.
Summer was over. We drove home. _ der Sommer vorbei , __ wir nach Hause.
I met my friend. We hugged. _ ich meinen Freund , __ wir uns.
I was little. I was afraid of dogs. _ ich war, __ ich Angst vor Hunden.

Exercise 3: Wishes

Write sentences with "Ich wünsche mir..." or "Ich träume von..."!

Wish Sentence
a new car Ich wünsche _____
world peace Ich träume _____
a good job _____
a trip to Japan _____
health for the family _____

Exercise 4: Memories

Answer the questions!

Question Answer (with "als")
What did you like to play when you were little? _____
How was your first day of school? _____
What did you do on your last birthday? _____

6. 🔄 Review: Präteritum (Simple Past)

When telling memories, the simple past (Präteritum) appears constantly — it is already used in this lesson's "als" clauses: als ich klein war ... It is the preferred tense for sein, haben, and modal verbs.

sein and haben in the Präteritum

Pronoun sein haben
ich war hatte
du warst hattest
er/sie/es war hatte
wir waren hatten
ihr wart hattet
sie/Sie waren hatten

In the singular (ich / er / sie / es) a modal verb has one single form with no ending:

Modalverb Präteritum Example English
können konnte Als Kind konnte ich stundenlang spielen. As a child, I could play for hours.
wollen wollte Früher wollte ich Pilot werden. I used to want to become a pilot.
müssen musste Damals mussten wir früh ins Bett gehen. Back then we had to go to bed early.

🔗 The full review of modal verbs in the simple past is in Lesson 10: Lesson 10: Durch die Stadt — and on the grammar pages: Präteritum and The Simple Past of Modal Verbs

7. 🔗 Review: Relative Clauses (Relativsätze)

A relative clause adds information about a noun in the main clause. The relative pronoun matches the gender and number of that noun, while its case (Nominativ or Akkusativ) depends on its role inside the relative clause itself — and the verb always stays at the end.

One Compound Example Step by Step

Die Erinnerungen, die uns glücklich machen, kosten kein Geld. (Memories that make us happy cost no money.)

Part Role
Die Erinnerungen The described noun — plural
die Relative pronoun — plural, subject of the relative clause (Nominativ)
uns glücklich machen Rest of the relative clause — verb at the end

The Relative Pronoun in the Akkusativ

Das Lied, das meine Mutter immer sang, kenne ich noch heute. (I still know the song my mother always sang.) — here das is the object inside the relative clause (sang das Lied).

Reference noun Nominativ Akkusativ
der Opa der den
die Oma die die
das Kind das das
die Freunde die die

💡 Tip: Don't forget the comma before the relative pronoun — and remember that the verb goes to the end of the relative clause, just like in "als" clauses.

🔗 All details on the grammar page: Relative Clauses — Relativsätze

Übungen / Additional Interactive Exercises

Exercise 5: "als" or "wenn"? Choose the Correct Connector 🎯

Choose "als" or "wenn" according to the rule: one-time past event vs. repeated event:

# Sentence a) b) c)
1 ______ ich ein Kind war, hatte ich viele Spielzeuge. Als Wenn Ob
2 ______ ich Zeit habe, besuche ich meine Oma. Als Wenn Ob
3 ______ wir uns kennenlernten, waren wir 20. Wenn Ob Als
4 ______ es regnet, bleiben wir zu Hause. Als Wenn Denn
5 ______ ich 18 wurde, bekam ich den Führerschein. Als Wenn Wann

✅ Solution:

Sentence Correct Answer
1 a) Als ich ein Kind war, ... (one single event in the past)
2 b) Wenn ich Zeit habe, ... (repeated, present tense)
3 c) Als wir uns kennenlernten, ... (a specific moment in the past)
4 b) Wenn es regnet, ... (a repeated habit)
5 a) Als ich 18 wurde, ... (a specific moment in the past)

Exercise 6: Fill in the Childhood and Memories Vocabulary 🖊️

Complete the sentences with the correct word from the lesson:

# Sentence Answer
1 In meiner Kindheit spielte ich jeden Tag mit meinem ______. __
2 An Weihnachten bekamen wir immer viele ______. __
3 Meine Oma kocht bis heute mein ______essen. __
4 Der Lehrer war sehr ______, wenn wir die Hausaufgaben nicht gemacht hatten. __
5 Die Fahrradtouren mit meinem Vater waren tolle ______. __

✅ Solution:

Sentence Answer
1 Spielzeug (toy / toys)
2 Geschenke (presents)
3 Lieblings (favorite — connects directly to the next word!)
4 streng (strict)
5 Erlebnisse or Abenteuer (great experiences / adventures)

Exercise 7: Match the Memory or Wish Verb to Its Meaning 🔗

Match each verb to its correct meaning:

Deutsch Meaning Match
1. sich erinnern an a. to dream of
2. träumen von b. to miss
3. vermissen c. to remember
4. sich wünschen d. to think back on
5. zurückdenken an e. to wish for

✅ Solution:

Word Meaning
1 c (to remember)
2 a (to dream of)
3 b (to miss)
4 e (to wish for)
5 d (to think back on)
🔤 Temporal Subordinate Clauses 🔤 Plusquamperfekt 🔤 Doppelkonnektoren 🔤 Relative Clauses (Relativsätze) in German 🔤 The Simple Past (Prateritum) in German 🔤 Tense usage (Tempus)

💡 Homework: Write a paragraph (50-60 words) about your childhood memories. Use "als" in at least 3 sentences and talk about your wishes for the future.