German - Goals

Lesson 75 of 158

Learner writing goals in a notebook while practicing German phrases about progress and motivation.

Goal: Talking about progress, obstacles, and plans

Free German lessons with guided practice, audio, and speaking support.

Ready to talk about your goals? In this short B1 lesson we'll focus on natural, useful phrases for describing progress, difficulties, motivation, and plans. Playful practice makes steady progress—just like your goals!

Level B1: In this lesson you'll practice eight practical German chunks for talking about goals: saying you are making progress, naming the hardest part, explaining why you’re doing something, noting that something may take time, and asking and answering about goals and plans. This CEFR-aligned set helps you speak confidently about personal projects and next steps.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Practice saying you are making progress and describing obstacles in German.
  • Ask and answer questions about personal goals and timelines.
  • Explain your motivation and a practical strategy for reaching goals.
  • Use these phrases naturally in short conversations (Level B1).
Two friends discuss goals and plans in German, one describing progress and the other asking questions.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

Ich mache Fortschritte bei ___.

I'm making progress with ___.

Meaning: I'm making progress with ___.

When to use: Report steady improvement in a skill or project (learning, work, a hobby). Use 'bei' + dative: bei Deutsch, beim Lernen, bei der Arbeit.

Tip: Don't say *in Deutsch* here — use 'bei' + dative (bei Deutsch / beim Lernen).

Ich mache Fortschritte bei meinem Deutsch.
I'm making progress with my German.
Ich mache Fortschritte bei der Arbeit an meinem Projekt.
I'm making progress on my project at work.

Das Schwierigste ist ___.

The hardest part is ___.

Meaning: The hardest part is ___.

When to use: Name the main difficulty or obstacle when talking about a goal or task.

Tip: You can use a noun or an infinitive clause. Avoid incorrect word order when adding more words after 'ist'.

Das Schwierigste ist die Grammatik.
The hardest part is the grammar.
Das Schwierigste ist früh aufzustehen.
The hardest part is getting up early.

Ich mache das, weil ich ___ möchte.

I'm doing this because I want to ___.

Meaning: I'm doing this because I want to ___.

When to use: Explain your motivation for an action or plan; follow with an infinitive phrase (e.g., 'besser Deutsch sprechen').

Ich mache das, weil ich besser Deutsch sprechen möchte.
I'm doing this because I want to speak German better.
Ich mache das, weil ich in Deutschland arbeiten möchte.
I'm doing this because I want to work in Germany.

Es kann eine Weile dauern, aber ich glaube, ich kann ___.

It may take a while, but I think I can ___.

Meaning: It may take a while, but I think I can ___.

When to use: Express that progress or success might need time, followed by a verb phrase like 'mein Ziel erreichen'.

Es kann eine Weile dauern, aber ich glaube, ich kann mein Ziel erreichen.
It may take a while, but I think I can reach my goal.
Es kann eine Weile dauern, aber ich glaube, ich kann fließender sprechen.
It may take a while, but I think I can speak more fluently.

Auf welche Ziele arbeitest du gerade hin?

What goals are you working toward?

Meaning: What goals are you working toward?

When to use: Ask a friend or colleague about their current personal or professional goals. Informal 'du' form.

Auf welche Ziele arbeitest du gerade hin? Ich will meine Ausdauer verbessern.
What goals are you working toward? I want to improve my endurance.
Auf welche Ziele arbeitest du gerade hin? Bei der Arbeit oder privat?
What goals are you working toward? At work or privately?

Wie willst du das erreichen?

How are you going to achieve that?

Meaning: How are you going to achieve that?

When to use: Ask about someone's plan or strategy for reaching a specific goal.

Wie willst du das erreichen? Mit einem Lernplan?
How are you going to achieve that? With a study plan?
Wie willst du das erreichen? Trainierst du jeden Tag?
How are you going to achieve that? Do you train every day?

Was möchtest du in den nächsten ___ erreichen?

What would you like to achieve in the next ___?

Meaning: What would you like to achieve in the next ___?

When to use: Ask about a goal within a future timeframe (weeks, months, years). Use plural: 'in den nächsten Monaten'.

Tip: For plural time spans use 'in den nächsten ...' (e.g. 'in den nächsten Monaten'); for a single period use 'im nächsten' (e.g. 'im nächsten Jahr').

Was möchtest du in den nächsten sechs Monaten erreichen?
What would you like to achieve in the next six months?
Was möchtest du in den nächsten Jahren erreichen?
What would you like to achieve in the next years?

Ich setze mir kleine Ziele, damit ich ___ kann.

I'm setting small goals to help me ___.

Meaning: I'm setting small goals to help me ___.

When to use: Explain a practical strategy: why you break a big goal into smaller steps. Finish with a verb phrase (e.g., 'dranbleiben').

Tip: Remember 'damit' pushes the verb to the end: 'damit ich ... kann.'

Ich setze mir kleine Ziele, damit ich dranbleiben kann.
I set small goals so I can keep going.
Ich setze mir kleine Ziele, damit ich mein Ziel erreichen kann.
I set small goals so I can reach my goal.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Two friends compare notes on learning and personal goals.

Anna and David talk about learning German, obstacles, and how they plan to reach their goals.

What are Anna and David mainly talking about?

Portrait of Anna in a German lesson dialogue

Anna

Auf welche Ziele arbeitest du gerade hin?

What goals are you working toward?

Portrait of David in a German lesson dialogue

David

Ich mache Fortschritte bei meinem Deutsch.

I'm making progress with my German.

Portrait of Anna in a German lesson dialogue

Anna

Das Schwierigste ist was für dich?

What's the hardest part for you?

Portrait of David in a German lesson dialogue

David

Das Schwierigste ist die Grammatik.

The hardest part is the grammar.

Portrait of Anna in a German lesson dialogue

Anna

Wie willst du das erreichen?

How are you going to achieve that?

Portrait of David in a German lesson dialogue

David

Ich mache das, weil ich in Deutschland studieren möchte. Es kann eine Weile dauern, aber ich glaube, ich kann mein Ziel erreichen.

I'm doing this because I want to study in Germany. It may take a while, but I think I can reach my goal.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which German sentence says "I'm making progress with my German."?

Which sentence means "The hardest part is getting up early."?

Which question asks "How are you going to achieve that?"?

Which sentence means "I set small goals so I can keep going."?

I'm doing this because I want to study in Germany.

I'm doing this because I want to study in Germany: Ich mache das, weil ich ___.

What would you like to achieve in the next six months?

What would you like to achieve in the next six months? __

It may take a while, but I think I can reach my goal.

It may take a while, but I think I can ___.

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

Ich mache Fortschritte bei ___.

I'm making progress with ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

Das Schwierigste ist ___.

The hardest part is ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

Ich mache das, weil ich ___ möchte.

I'm doing this because I want to ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

Es kann eine Weile dauern, aber ich glaube, ich kann ___.

It may take a while, but I think I can ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

Auf welche Ziele arbeitest du gerade hin?

What goals are you working toward?

Say this phrase out loud:

Wie willst du das erreichen?

How are you going to achieve that?

Say this phrase out loud:

Was möchtest du in den nächsten ___ erreichen?

What would you like to achieve in the next ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

Ich setze mir kleine Ziele, damit ich ___ kann.

I'm setting small goals to help me ___.