We turn again to Sylvie in this episode and listen to her email in which she responds to her mother’s email. As usual Mark and Pierre-Benoît are on hand to discuss the language contained in the email. After presenting Sylvie’s email, Mark gives a summary of the main narrative points of the text, and then Pierre-Benoît discusses the four language points he has chosen from the text. Through examples and explanations, Mark and Pierre-Benoît will help you to understand the French used by our characters in their texts, and you’ll be able to build your range of expression, increase your vocabulary and deepen your understanding of complex grammatical concepts. Please note that lesson 10 of Season 4 was originally known as lesson 410 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.
Month: December 2013
Useful phrases for tourists when travelling in a German-speaking country
When travelling in Germany, it’s good to know some phrases that can help in emergencies and others that let you talk about your family and other such common topics, like the weather. In this blog post, we will explore a couple of German phrases for tourists, along with their explanations.
To make the most of your experience, don’t forget to listen to the podcast in order to gain insight into pronunciation and discover new vocabulary. Listed below:
German phrases for tourists – emergency situations
It’s always good to be prepared, so knowing and being able to understand a few of these German phrases for tourists can help, even though you may never have to use them directly:
Hilfe! Help!
A very useful word to call for help in urgent situations. If you’re in danger or need immediate help, shout: Hilfe!
Die Polizeistation the police station
It’s helpful to be able to ask where the police station is if you need assistance in an emergency situation.
- Wo ist die nächste Polizeistation? Where is the nearest police station?
- Ich habe meine Brieftasche verloren. I have lost my wallet.
The perfect tense (habe + verloren) is used here since the event has already happened. We will look into how to form this tense in the next season. For now, knowing this phrase can already be helpful whenever you lose or just misplace something.
- Der Koffer ist groß und schwarz. Ich habe den Koffer im Bahnhof verloren. The suitcase is large and black. I lost the suitcase at the train station.
Der Ausweis the ID card
Example: Ich muss meinen Ausweis zeigen. I need to show my ID card.
You’ll see again how after using a modal verb, such as muss, the other verb goes to the end of the sentence or clause and stays in its infinitive form, zeigen.
Useful German phrases for tourists in other situations
Below, we’ll look at a variety of situations and topics that can often come up in conversation when travelling in a German-speaking country
Expressing basic needs
It’s always handy to know a few German phrases for tourists that allow you to say how you’re feeling or how to make basic arrangements:
- Es ist halb sechs und ich habe Hunger. It is half past five, and I am hungry.
This is useful as understanding and being able to tell the time is very helpful and lets you make arrangements more easily for such things as when to eat and so on.
- Es ist halb sechs und ich habe Hunger. Lass uns etwas essen.
Discussing family
Talking about family and friends is useful if you want to introduce them to someone while on holiday.
- Ich habe drei Kinder, zwei Söhne und eine Tochter. Die Söhne heißen Daniel und Max, und meine Tochter heißt Julia. I have three children, two sons, and a daughter. The sons are named Daniel and Max, and my daughter is named Julia.
- Erzähl mir von deiner Familie. Ich habe drei Kinder, zwei Söhne und eine Tochter. Die Söhne heißen Daniel und Max, und meine Tochter heißt Julia. Mein ältester Sohn ist neun Jahre alt.
Reasons for your holiday
Talking about the reason for your visit to a country is another often talked about topic. Here are some possible reasons.
- Was führt Sie nach Deutschland? What brings you to Germany?
- Ich bin hier in Deutschland mit meiner Familie und wir machen Urlaub. I am here in Germany with my family, and we are on holiday.
- Ich besuche das Museum mit meiner Familie. I am visiting the museum with my family.
- Wir machen Urlaub in Deutschland. We are on vacation in Germany.
Weather-related chat
This is, without a doubt, an essential topic to have under your belt of German phrases for tourists. It is a topic on which everyone everywhere has something to say. It can be a global theme as we all know how the weather can make or break a holiday.
- Das Wetter ist heute schön. The weather is nice today.
- Was glaubst du, sollen wir heute den Park besuchen? What do you think, should we visit the park today?
- Was glaubst du, wie das Wetter morgen wird? What do you think the weather will be like tomorrow?
If you’re planning something for the next day and you want to ask someone about the weather, you could use the question above.
- Was glaubst du…? What do you think…?
The question can be used in other situations too, such as asking someone’s opinion, if you were asking for a recommendation etc.
- Wir planen eine Wanderung. Was glaubst du, wie das Wetter morgen wird? We are planning a hike. What do you think the weather will be like tomorrow?
- Hier in Innsbruck wird es regnen. Here, in Innsbruck, it will rain. You can use the future tense or the present tense to talk about the weather for the near future.
Being able to use these German phrases for tourists will help you handle emergencies and other conversations about your family and the weather while on holiday in a German-speaking place.
To learn useful phrases for navigating the airport, check out the blog post we prepared on the subject!
Season 4 – Lesson 09 – Coffee Break French
It’s time once again to turn to Monique and listen to her email to her daughter Sylvie. As usual Mark and Pierre-Benoît are on hand to discuss the language contained in the email. After presenting Monique’s email, Mark gives a summary of the main narrative points of the text, and then Pierre-Benoît discusses the four language points he has chosen from the text. Through examples and explanations, Mark and Pierre-Benoît will help you to understand the French used by our characters in their texts, and you’ll be able to build your range of expression, increase your vocabulary and deepen your understanding of complex grammatical concepts. Please note that lesson 09 of Season 4 was originally known as lesson 409 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.
Coffee Break Spanish in iTunes Best of 2013
We’re absolutely delighted to announce that Coffee Break Spanish has been named in the prestigious iTunes Best of 2013 list. This year, hundreds of thousands of learners from around the world have used Coffee Break Spanish to improve their Spanish skills, and iTunes has honoured us in the “Classics” section of the Best of 2013 list. For a full list of the Best of 2013 podcasts, apps, music and books, visit the special page on iTunes.
¡Muchísimas gracias a todos y felices fiestas!
Season 4 – Lesson 08 – Coffee Break French
In this episode it’s Matthieu’s turn to write his email in reply to Gabrielle’s last message. Pierre-Benoît and Mark discuss four expressions contained in the text including tenir le coup and ce n’est pas donné. After presenting Matthieu’s email, Mark gives a summary of the main narrative points of the text, and then Pierre-Benoît discusses the four language points he has chosen from the text. Through examples and explanations, Mark and Pierre-Benoît will help you to understand the French used by our characters in their texts, and you’ll be able to build your range of expression, increase your vocabulary and deepen your understanding of complex grammatical concepts. Please note that lesson 08 of Season 4 was originally known as lesson 408 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.
Season 4 – Lesson 07 – Coffee Break French
In the latest episode of Coffee Break French we join Gabrielle as she writes her regular email to Matthieu. Pierre-Benoît and Mark discuss four expressions contained in the text including se balader and envier quelqu’un. After presenting Sylvie’s email, Mark gives a summary of the main narrative points of the text, and then Pierre-Benoît discusses the four language points he has chosen from the text. Through examples and explanations, Mark and Pierre-Benoît will help you to understand the French used by our characters in their texts, and you’ll be able to build your range of expression, increase your vocabulary and deepen your understanding of complex grammatical concepts. Please note that lesson 07 of Season 4 was originally known as lesson 407 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.
A review of German sentence structure for beginners
Getting a handle on German sentence structure is super important for anyone diving into the language! It might seem a bit tricky at first with its unique word order, verb placement, and those separable prefixes, but don’t worry – once you understand the basics, it becomes easier!
In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the key elements of German sentence structure, share some examples and offer helpful tips for beginners to help you create clear and accurate sentences.
As usual, in the podcast episode, you will find more insights on pronunciation and culture! Listen now:
Why does German sentence structure matter?
German is a highly structured language. Unlike English, where word order is relatively flexible, German relies on specific rules to ensure clarity. The position of the verb is often the key to understanding a German sentence and knowing where to place it can make all the difference in your communication.
For instance:
- Ich gehe morgen ins Kino. I am going to the cinema tomorrow.
- Morgen gehe ich ins Kino. Tomorrow, I am going to the cinema.
Both sentences mean the same thing but emphasise different elements. Understanding these nuances is part of mastering German.
Basic German sentence structure
At its core, German sentence structure follows the Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) pattern, similar to English. For example:
- Ich liebe Musik. I love music.
- Subject: Ich (I)
- Verb: liebe (love)
- Object: Musik (music)
Where the subject is Ich, the verb is liebe and the object is Musik. As we see, in main clauses, the verb typically occupies the second position. The subject often comes first, but other elements like time or place can take that spot, pushing the subject after the verb:
- Heute gehe ich ins Kino. Today, I am going to the cinema.
- Morgen lernen wir Deutsch. Tomorrow, we are learning German.
However, in German, this structure can change depending on the type of sentence. In subordinate clauses, introduced by words like weil because or dass that, the verb moves to the end of the sentence, but that is a conversation for a more advanced level, like Coffee Break German Season 2.
In negative sentences, the overall word structure doesn’t change dramatically. Instead, negation is introduced using specific words like nicht not or kein no/none:
- Ich gehe nicht ins Kino. I am not going to the cinema.
- Wir haben keine Freunde. We have no friends.
Questions sentence structure
In German, when you ask a question, you’ll find that the verb comes first, and then the subject follows. In English, you typically use an auxiliary verb to form a question – the auxiliary verb comes first, followed by the subject and then the main verb.
Let’s have a look at the German structure for asking questions:
- Gehst du ins Kino? Are you going to the cinema?
- Spielst du heute Abend Badminton? Are you playing Badminton tonight?
For open-ended questions with interrogatives, the structure is question word + verb + subject + rest of the sentence:
- Wo wohnst du? Where do you live?
- Wann beginnt der Film? When does the movie start?
Handling separable verbs
You might have heard that German has something called separable verbs. They usually have prefixes like an, auf, or ein that detach and move to the end of the sentence in main clauses.
- Ich rufe dich an. I am calling you.
- Ich stehe jeden Morgen früh auf. I get up early every morning.
- Wir laden unsere Freunde heute Abend ein. We are inviting our friends this evening.
How to practice German sentence structure?
To put your new knowledge into practice, start with some simple Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) sentences and gradually add more elements as you go along. If you’ve been tuning in to Coffee Break German Season 1, you’re already on the right track!
Think about it: when you’re chatting about yourself in German or discussing the weather, you’re using those basic structures we talked about earlier! To keep the learning fun, don’t forget that the lesson notes in the premium version of the course are super helpful—they break down grammar and vocabulary in a way that makes it easy to follow along!
Remember, learning a new language is a journey that takes time and a little bit of patience, but it’s so worth it! With a solid understanding of the rules and regular practice, you’ll find yourself creating sentences effortlessly. If you want to review a little more about German grammar, be sure to check out the blog post we put together to help you out!
Season 4 – Lesson 06 – Coffee Break French
In this episode we join Sylvie as she replies to Monique’s email from the last episode. Pierre-Benoît and Mark discuss four expressions contained in the text including ne pas en croire ses yeux and qu’est-ce que tu as fait de beau ? After presenting Sylvie’s email, Mark gives a summary of the main narrative points of the text, and then Pierre-Benoît discusses the four language points he has chosen from the text. Through examples and explanations, Mark and Pierre-Benoît will help you to understand the French used by our characters in their texts, and you’ll be able to build your range of expression, increase your vocabulary and deepen your understanding of complex grammatical concepts. Please note that lesson 06 of Season 4 was originally known as lesson 406 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.
