A collocation is a pair of words that naturally go together in a language. In German, certain verbs combine with certain nouns — and learning these fixed pairs is one of the fastest ways to expand your active vocabulary at A2 level and beyond.
What are noun-verb collocations?
Unlike grammar rules, collocations are a matter of usage. You cannot always predict them logically — you simply have to learn them. For example:
| Noun | Collocates with… | Does NOT collocate with… |
|---|---|---|
| einen Brief | schreiben, lesen, schicken | |
| eine Frage | haben, sagen, machen | |
| einen Vertrag | unterschreiben, abschließen, verfassen |
The best way to learn collocations is in context — reading, listening, and practising with exercises like the one below. For a broader vocabulary workout, try the als oder wie exercise, which also trains lexical precision. At B2 level, collocations become even more important — see the B2 Konjunktionen exercise for a taste of what's ahead.
For systematic vocabulary building, the DW Learn German vocabulary section and the Goethe-Institut free exercises are excellent free resources.
Exercise – Find the odd one out
Each row shows a noun and four verbs. Click the one verb that does not collocate with the noun. Only one answer per row is correct.
