We’re back with another edition of the Coffee Break Spanish Magazine. In this episode:
In this lesson we’re looking at the irregular verb devoir meaning “must” or “to have to”, or in some situations “to owe”. Devoir is another irregular verb so we need to learn each part of the verb as it does not follow the regular patterns.
If you’re getting to grips with German, you’ve probably come across the word ‘when’ quite a few times. But did you know that there are actually three different ways to say ‘when’ in German, and each has its specific usage?
Don’t worry, though—it’s not as tricky as it sounds, and we’re here to guide you through it! By the end of this post, you’ll know exactly when to use wann, wenn, and als in German. So, let’s get started and don’t forget to listen to the podcast to hear how the knowledge of this word can help when travelling on public transport in a German-speaking country!
As we mentioned previously, ‘when’ in German can be translated into three different words. The terms are – wann, als and wenn and knowing the difference between them is very helpful if you want to prove you speak a little German.
The first form of saying ‘when’ in German is wann. It’s used when asking a question about time. Think of it as the German version of ‘when’ in English, when you’re trying to find out at what time something happened or will happen.
Let’s see some examples:
In both of these cases, you’re asking for specific information about time. Simple, right? The tip here is: If you can replace ‘when’ with ‘at what time’ in your sentence, you’ll use wann in German!
Next up, we have wenn, which is super versatile. You’ll use wenn when you’re talking about something that could happen in the future or something that happens repeatedly.
Let’s break it down:
As you can see, wenn is the word to use when talking about hypothetical or recurring situations. It’s used for things that can happen or usually happen.
Lastly, we have als. This variation is used when you’re talking about events in the past. Here are a few examples:
Notice how in both examples, the action happened in the past for a specific period of time, not a regularly recurring event. That’s why we use als.
Now that you know the difference between wann, wenn, and als, you’re well on your way to mastering the use of ‘when’ in German! The best way to get comfortable with these is to practice, so try using them in your conversations or jot down a few sentences to reinforce your learning.
And remember, learning a language is all about small steps. So don’t stress if you mix them up at first, just keep practising, and you’ll get the hang of it. And if you would like to review vocabulary and grammar in German, don’t miss the blog post and podcast episode we prepared to help you with that!
In this lesson we’re looking at the irregular verb vouloir meaning “to want”. Vouloir is another irregular verb so we need to learn each part of the verb as it does not follow the regular patterns.
A lot of German-speaking countries are famous for their öffentlichen Nahverkehr public transport, and especially Switzerland has an amazing network of trains. So let’s have a look today at how to navigate public transport in German.
We are going to have a look at departure and arrival times and some other essential phrases to make your journey smoother. As always, remember you can listen to even more examples and explanations in our podcast.
Let’s start with a very helpful phrase that you can use in almost any situation: Können Sie mir bitte sagen. This means ‘Can you please tell me’ and can be followed by any specific question. It’s a polite way to ask for information, and it’s perfect for asking about public transport schedules.
Notice the structure of the sentence. After Können Sie mir bitte sagen, a question word is used (wann, um wie viel Uhr) and the verb is put to the end of the clause. Also, keep in mind that you can use this phrase for almost all other questions that we covered in previous lessons.
Now that you know the key phrase, let’s look at some essential vocabulary for public transport in German:
Knowing these few basic words for public transport in German, you can find out all relevant information für deine nächste Reise.
Just remember you can of course also use this construction with any other form of public transport like die Straßenbahn tram or die U-Bahn subway. Make sure to try and ask for information the next time you are in a German-speaking country, just to practise your speaking and build your confidence, even if you have already found all the information online before.
To keep your learning journey on track, why not understand three different ways of asking when in German? This way, you’ll be able to ask when people are departing for a trip and schedule a coffee with friends.
In this lesson we’re looking at the irregular verb pouvoir meaning “to be able”. Pouvoir is another irregular verb so we need to learn each part of the verb as it does not follow the regular patterns.
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