My Weekend Plans – And Why I’m Struggling with This German Writing Task

Okay, so here I am, six months in Berlin, and I’m officially starting to feel… settled. Not completely, obviously. There are still days where I feel like a giant, confused tourist, but things are getting easier. One of the biggest hurdles, and honestly, it’s making me incredibly frustrated, is this TELC B1.2 Writing exam. Specifically, the task about organizing a weekend activity. They want me to suggest one for a friend, and frankly, I’m bombing.

The Task: “Ein Wochenendausflug für einen Freund”

The prompt is always the same: “Schreiben Sie einen kurzen Text (ca. 100-150 Wörter) an einen Freund, in dem Sie ihm/ihr einen Wochenendausflug vorschlagen. Geben Sie den Ort, die Aktivitäten und die Kosten an.” (Write a short text (approx. 100-150 words) to a friend, suggesting a weekend trip. Give the location, activities, and costs.) Sounds simple, right? Wrong.

I keep getting stuck. I can understand what they’re asking, I can even brainstorm ideas, but when I sit down to write, it just… falls apart. I end up with sentences that don’t quite make sense, or that are just weird and confusing.

My First Attempt – A Hilarious Disaster

Last week, I tried to write to Steven, a colleague I’ve been trying to befriend. I started with enthusiasm, wanting to show off my German skills. What I produced was… well, embarrassing.

“Hallo Steven! Ich schlage vor, wir fahren nach Potsdam! Es ist schön! Wir können Schloss Sanssouli besichtigen. Und wir essen Pizza! Es kostet vielleicht 80 Euro. Sehr gut, ja?”

Steven replied with a laughing emoji and said, “That’s… very direct! Maybe a little more explanation?”

It was awful. “Besichtigen” felt so formal. And the pizza bit felt totally random. It was too short, too blunt, and lacked any of the friendly conversation I was aiming for. I realized I was focusing too much on the words and not enough on the communication.

Useful Vocabulary – Let’s Talk About Options

Okay, let’s get practical. Here’s some vocabulary that’s actually useful for this task. Don’t just memorize it, try to imagine yourself using it in a conversation.

• Aktivitäten: Wandern (hiking), Radfahren (cycling), Museumsbesuch (museum visit), Kino (cinema), Konzert (concert), Stadtrundgang (city tour), Schäfchen spinnen (to suggest something casually)
• Orte: Potsdam, Heidelberg, München, die Eifel (the Eifel region), der Bodensee (Lake Constance)
• Kosten: Die Unterkunft (the accommodation – ca. 50 Euro), Essen (food – ca. 30 Euro), Transport (transport – ca. 20 Euro)
• Phrases: “Wie wäre es mit…?” (How about…?); “Ich denke, es wäre schön, wenn…” (I think it would be nice if…); “Was hältst du davon?” (What do you think of that?)

For example, instead of just saying “Wir essen Pizza!”, you could say, “Ich dachte, wir könnten in einem gemütlichen Restaurant essen und vielleicht ein bisschen Deutsch üben.” (I thought we could eat in a cozy restaurant and maybe practice a little German.)

Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

I’ve made a few really obvious mistakes. It’s a good reminder to everyone learning German, and honestly, it’s mortifyingly obvious to the Germans I talk to.

• Overusing Formal Language: As I saw with “besichtigen.” Try to use more informal verbs like “schauen” (to look) or “erfahren” (to experience).
• Not Including Details: Just saying “Wir essen” (we eat) isn’t helpful. Where? What? When?
• Forgetting “Wie wäre es mit…?”: This is a key phrase for suggesting something politely. It’s much better than directly suggesting.

A Better Attempt – A Realistic Conversation

Okay, let’s see if I can actually do this. This is what I might write to Steven now:

“Hallo Steven,

Wie geht es dir? Ich habe eine Idee für ein Wochenende! Was hältst du davon, wenn wir nach Potsdam fahren? Wir könnten das Schloss Sanssouli besuchen und vielleicht ein bisschen durch die Altstadt schlendern. Es gibt dort viele nette Cafés, wo wir einen Kaffee trinken könnten.

Die Unterkunft könnte etwa 50 Euro kosten, und wir könnten zusammen Essen machen. Vielleicht ein bisschen Pasta? Ich schätze, das ganze würde so um die 80 Euro werden.

Wie wäre es mit einem Samstagvormittag, um 10 Uhr?

Viele Grüße,

Max”

(Hello Steven, How are you? I have an idea for a weekend! What do you think about going to Potsdam? We could visit Sanssouli Castle and maybe wander around the old town. There are many nice cafes there where we could have a coffee. The accommodation could cost around 50 euros, and we could cook food together. Maybe some pasta? I estimate that the whole thing would cost around 80 euros. How about a Saturday morning at 10 am? Best regards, Max)

It’s still not perfect, but it’s better. It’s more conversational, and I’ve included more details.

Next Steps – Keep Practicing!

Seriously, keep writing. Even if it’s terrible at first, it will get better. Try to actually talk through the suggestions with someone – a German friend, a tutor, even a patient colleague. Don’t just focus on getting the words right, focus on the flow of the conversation. And remember, it’s okay to make mistakes – that’s how you learn! Viel Erfolg! (Good luck!)