Facebook-f Instagram Youtube Twitter Linkedin

Useful phrases for tourists when travelling in a German-speaking country

by
CBG 1-30

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

by

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

by

Screen Shot 2013-12-17 at 18.56.37We’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

by

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

by

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

by
CBG 1-29

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

by

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.

Season 4 – Lesson 05 – Coffee Break French

by

We turn our attention once more to Monique, Sylvie’s mother, whose email to her daughter provides a further opportunity for learners to familiarise themselves with a whole range of idiomatic phrases and interesting grammar points. The lesson is presented by Mark and Pierre-Benoît in a mix of French and English. After presenting Monique’s email, Mark gives a summary of the main narrative points of the text, and then Pierre-Benoît discusses four interesting language points brought up in 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 05 of Season 4 was originally known as lesson 405 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.

Learn how to talk about likes using ‘gefallen’ in German

by
CBG 1-28

If you’re on your journey to learn German, you’ve probably come across very important words: gefallen and gern. These little words can make a big difference in how you express preferences, likes, and enjoyment. In this blog post, we will be focusing on how to use gern and the verb ‘gefallen’ in German.

Don’t worry, they’re not as tricky as they seem, and in this post, we’ll walk you through the difference between them, when to use each, and how to build sentences like a pro. As always, listen to the podcast to learn more about how to pronounce these words and discover some new vocabulary.

How to use ‘gefallen’ in German

If you speak a little German, you might have heard gefallen used in a sentence before. It is a verb that’s a little different from the English to like. Instead of you directly liking something, something pleases you and that’s where ‘gefallen’ in German comes into play. The word literally means to please or to be pleasing.

Here’s a crucial point to remember: In German, the thing that pleases you is the subject of the sentence, and you are the object in the dative case. This is the opposite of English, where you say I like something.

For example:

  • Das Buch gefällt mir. I like the book. 
  • Die Schuhe gefallen mir. I like the shoes.
  • Wie gefällt dir mein neues Hemd? How do you like my new shirt?

How to use ‘gern’ in German

Now that you know how to use ‘gefallen’ in German, we can move on to gern or gerne, which is used to express that you enjoy doing something. It’s a little different from gefallen, because gern(e) is used with verbs to talk about actions you like doing, whereas gefallen is used to describe things that you like.

Gern(e) doesn’t change its form, but it is placed directly after the verb it modifies. Think of gern as meaning gladly or with pleasure, but in practice, it’s the most common way to say like to. Let’s see some examples:

  • Ich esse gern(e) Pizza. I like to eat pizza.
  • Wir schwimmen gern(e). We like to swim.
  • Er spielt gern(e) Fußball. He likes to play soccer.

Gern vs. Gefallen – summarising the difference

Now, let’s quickly summarise the key difference between gern(e) and gefallen in German:

  • Gefallen is used to talk about things you like. It’s a verb in itself, and the thing that pleases you is the subject, and you are the object.
  • Gern(e) is used with other verbs to express that you enjoy doing something. It modifies the verb to show that you like the action.

So remember, if you’re talking about things you like, use gefallen. If you’re talking about actions you enjoy, use gern(e)!

And there you have it, a complete explanation of how to use gern(e) and gefallen in German! Now that you know the difference, you’re ready to express your likes, preferences, and favourite activities in German like a pro.

If you want to review your German vocabulary with an interesting quiz, check out the blog post and podcast episode we prepared to test your knowledge!

Season 4 – Lesson 04 – Coffee Break French

by

In this episode we meet Matthieu, Gabrielle’s friend. He starts this email by apologising to Gabrielle for his behaviour. Find out more about what has been going on by listening to the episode! The lesson is presented by Mark and Pierre-Benoît in a mix of French and English. After presenting Matthieu’s email, Mark gives a summary of the main narrative points of the text, and then Pierre-Benoît discusses four interesting language points brought up in 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 04 of Season 4 was originally known as lesson 404 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 03 – Coffee Break French

by

In this lesson of our series we meet Gabrielle and listen to her email to her friend Matthieu. The lesson is presented by Mark and Pierre-Benoît in a mix of French and English. After presenting Gabrielle’s email, Mark gives a summary of the main narrative points of the text, and then Pierre-Benoît discusses four interesting language points brought up in 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 03 of Season 4 was originally known as lesson 403 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 02 – Coffee Break French

by

In this lesson our new series, we’ll be listening to Sylvie’s reply to Monique’s email from last week. The lesson is presented by Mark and Pierre-Benoît in a mix of French and English. After presenting Sylvie’s email, Mark gives a summary of the main narrative points of the email, and then Pierre-Benoît discusses four interesting language points brought up in 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 02 of Season 4 was originally known as lesson 402 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.

Talking about your job in German

by
CBG 1-27

When learning German, discussing your job is an essential topic. Whether you are a student, a teacher, or work in a bank, being able to express what you do can enhance your conversations.

In this blog post, we’ll explore useful vocabulary and phrases to help you talk about your job, where you work, and your field in a more abstract sense.

Key phrases

In this section of the text, let’s look at some essential examples:

  • Was machen Sie von Beruf? What is your profession? This is a common way to ask someone about their job. It’s polite and formal.
  • Ich bin Student(in). I am a student. This is how you would introduce yourself if you are currently studying.

Remember, Student is for men, and Studentin is for women. You will see this for nearly all jobs.

It’s also worth mentioning at this stage that no word for “a”, the indefinite article, is needed before someone’s job title. This is different from English, where we say I am a student.

Job titles

Here are some common job titles in German, with their English translations to show both the masculine and feminine form of each job:

  • Lehrer (m) / Lehrerin (f)  teacher
  • Arzt (m) / Ärztin (f) doctor
  • Sekretär (m) / Sekretärin (f) secretary
  • Kellner (m) / Kellnerin (f) waiter/waitress
  • Klempner (m) / Klempnerin (f) plumber
  • Bauer (m) / Bäuerin (f)  farmer
  • Geschäftsmann (m) / Geschäftsfrau (f)  businessman/businesswoman
  • Krankenpfleger (m) / Krankenpflegerin (f) nurse
  • Busfahrer (m)/ Busfahrerin (f)  bus driver
  • Architekt (m) / Architektin (f) architect
  • IT Fachmann (m) / IT Fachfrau (f)  the IT specialist
  • Direktor (m) / Direktorin (f) director
  • Wissenschaftler (m) / Wissenschaftlerin (f)  scientist
  • Feuerwehrmann (m) / Feuerwehrfrau (f)  firefighter

Where you work

It’s useful to be able to say where you work. The following phrases may give you an idea of how to describe your workplace:

  • Ich arbeite in einer Schule. I work in a school.
  • Ich arbeite in einer Bank.  I work in a bank.
  • Ich arbeite in einem Museum. I work in a museum.
  • Ich arbeite in einem Supermarkt. I work in a supermarket.
  • Ich arbeite in einem Büro I work in an office 
  • Ich arbeite von zu Hause aus. I work from home.

Note that since we are describing a place/location where we are working, the dative is used. That is why we can see changes for masculine ein Supermarkt > einem Supermarkt, for feminin eine Schule > einer Schule and for neuter ein Museum > einem Museum. 

Abstract fields of work

In addition to specific jobs, you can discuss broader fields of work. Here are some examples:

  • Ich arbeite in der Forschung. I work in research.
  • Ich arbeite in der Wirtschaft. I work in business.
  • Ich arbeite in den Medien. I work in the media.
  • Ich arbeite im (in dem)  Versicherungsgewerbe. I work in the insurance industry. 
  • Ich arbeite im Gesundheitsbereich. I work in health care. 
  • Ich arbeite in der Unterhaltungsbranche. I work in the entertainment industry.

Even if we are not talking about a physical location like das Büro, the dative is still used to describe a field of work. This time the definite article is used and we can see the changes from der Bereich > dem Bereich, die Wirtschaft > der Wirtschaft, das Gewerbe > dem Gewerbe, die Medien (pl) > den Medien.

Putting it all together

Now that you have the vocabulary and phrases, let’s see how you can construct a complete response.

For example, if someone asks you, Was machen Sie von Beruf? you could respond:

  • Ich bin Studentin und ich arbeite in einer Bank. I am a student and I work in a bank.

Or, if you are a teacher:

  • Ich bin Lehrer und (ich) arbeite in einer Schule. I am a teacher and (I) work in a school.

Being able to discuss your job and workplace in German can open up many opportunities for conversation and connection. Practice using these phrases and vocabulary, and you’ll be well on your way to talking confidently about your professional life in German!

To continue building your vocabulary, make sure to check out the blog post we prepared explaining three ways of saying when in German!

Season 4 – Lesson 01 – Coffee Break French

by

In this first episode of our new series, we’ll be listening to Monique’s first email to her daughter Sylvie. As we heard in the season preview, Sylvie has recently moved to Paris and, like any mother, Monique is worrying about her daughter, but is equally excited for her as she begins this new adventure.

The lesson is presented by Mark and Pierre-Benoît in a mix of French and English. After presenting Monique’s email, Mark gives a summary of the main narrative points of the email, and then Pierre-Benoît discusses four interesting language points brought up in 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 01 of Season 4 was originally known as lesson 401 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.

Lesson 400 – Coffee Break French

by

Welcome to this brand new season of Coffee Break French, and in this opening introductory episode, Mark and Pierre-Benoît talk about what you can expect in this season. They introduce two of the featured characters in the series, Sylvie and Matthieu, both of whom have recently moved to Paris for work. Like all lessons in season 4, this introductory episode is presented in a combination of French and English, giving you plenty of opportunities to put your French to the test. 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.

Welcome to Coffee Break French Season 4

by

Join Mark and Pierre-Benoît in this first introduction to Season 4. The new season begins on 21st October 2013 with a short introductory episode in which you’ll meet two of the characters of our story, and lesson one will be published on 28th October 2013. Full details of the premium version of the course will be announced with the introductory episode.

Here’s a special bonus for all Coffee Break French Season 3 members: download the full transcript of this promo episode to check your understanding of the French used by Mark and Pierre-Benoît in the recording, and to get a feel for the type of notes we’ll be providing for this forthcoming season.

Making introductions: A simple guide for learners of German

by
CBG 1-26

Today, we’re going to explore a very useful topic: how to ask someone’s name, age and ask where they’re from in German and how to talk about yourself too. This is a great way to get to know people and practise your German skills.

Basic introductions

When you meet someone new, it’s helpful to introduce yourself. You can say:

  • Ich heiße… My name is…
  • Ich komme aus Schottland. I come from Scotland.
  • Ich wohne in Edinburgh. I live in Edinburgh.
  • Ich lebe in Edinburgh. I live in Edinburgh.

You may hear both verbs, wohnen and leben used. However, wohnen is more commonly heard. 

These phrases help you break the ice and get to know people right away!

Talking about your family

Next, let’s talk about family. You might want to share information about your children or siblings. Here are some useful sentences:

  • Ich habe einen Sohn. I have a son. Note that haben always requires the accusative to be used. This means that ein Sohn becomes einen Sohn. 
  • Ich habe eine Tochter. I have a daughter. There is no change from the nominative to the accusative in the feminine form; eine stays the same.
  • Ich habe zwei Söhne, sie heißen Daniel und Jürgen. I have two sons; their names are Daniel and Jürgen. Note that an Umlaut and -e is added to Sohn to form the plural, Söhne.
  • Ich habe zwei Töchter, sie heißen Anna und Rachel. I have two daughters; their names are Anna and Rachel. The plural form of Tochter also adds an Umlaut > Töchter.
  • Ich habe eine Schwester. I have a sister.

You can also ask others about their families:

  • Hast du Kinder? Do you have children? This is the familiar form. It may be better when first talking to someone to use the polite form, listed below:
  • Haben Sie Kinder? Do you have children? – formal
  • Wie heißen sie? What are their names? Note the difference between sie and Sie. With a lower-case -s, it means they or them. Whereas Sie means you in the formal sense.

Asking about ages

Here’s how you can ask someone their age:

  • Wie alt bist du? How old are you? – informal
  • Wie alt sind Sie? How old are you? – formal

You can answer these questions like this:

  • Ich bin zwölf Jahre alt. I am twelve years old.
  • Er ist zwölf Jahre alt. He is twelve years old.
  • Sie sind zwölf und dreizehn Jahre alt. They are twelve and thirteen years old.
    Giving ages in German follows a very similar pattern to English. So long as you feel comfortable with numbers in German, it can be quite straightforward.

Discussing your stay in a German-speaking place

If you are visiting Germany, Switzerland or Austria, you might want to share why you are there. Here are some phrases to help you:

  • Warum bist du hier in Deutschland? Why are you here in Germany? – informal
  • Warum sind Sie hier in Österreich? Why are you here in Austria? – formal
  • Ich bin hier im Urlaub. I am here on holiday.  
    In takes the dative in this expression, changing das Urlaub > dem Urlaub. Here we see an abbreviation of in + dem = im. 
  • Ich bin hier mit meiner Familie im Urlaub. I am here on holiday with my family.

Note that after the preposition mit the dative case has to be used. This means that meine Familie > meiner Famile.

  • Ich arbeite hier. I work here.
  • Ich studiere hier. I study here.
  • Ich besuche einen Freund. I am visiting a friend.

Putting it all together

Let’s imagine a conversation where you introduce yourself, ask about age, and talk about your family:

  • A: Hallo! Ich heiße John. Ich komme aus Schottland und ich wohne in Edinburgh. Ich habe einen Sohn. Er heißt Simon. Wie heißt du und wie alt bist du?
  • B: Hallo, ich heiße Anna. Ich bin zweiundzwanzig  Jahre alt. Wie alt ist dein Sohn? 
  • A: Er ist zwölf Jahre alt. Warum bist du hier in Deutschland?
  • B: Ich bin hier im Urlaub mit meiner Familie.

Making introductions and asking others about themselves and their families is a great way to connect with others in German. Practice these phrases, and soon you’ll feel more comfortable in conversations. Viel Erfolg! 

If you would like to continue expanding your vocabulary, learn how to talk about your job in German in our next blog post!

 

 

Introducing Coffee Break French Season 4

by

cbf-season4-600We’re delighted to announce that Coffee Break French is returning for a fourth season for intermediate to advanced learners! From 21st October we’ll be publishing the forty episodes of Coffee Break French Season 4 over the next year.

In a similar vein to season 3, we’ll be following a story each week: you’ll meet Sylvie who has recently moved to Paris for work, and you’ll share her experiences as she creates a new life for herself in the capital through her regular emails to her mother. Like any maman, Sylvie’s mother worries about her and hopes to visit her soon, although she probably spends more time worrying about Sylvie’s love life! And then there’s Matthieu, who is also working in Paris and who, through time, will get to know Sylvie. But how will Matthieu’s “friend” Gabrielle feel about this? You’ll need to stay tuned to find out!

As with all our courses, Coffee Break French Season 4 is full of interesting constructions, tricky grammar points and wonderful French idioms, and we’ll be presenting everything in our usual style with lots of help and assistance to help you make progress. For this series, Mark will be joined by Pierre-Benoît and together they’ll present each episode in a combination of French and English.

We’ll be releasing some preview content along with details of the members’ version of the course over the next few weeks, so stay tuned!

Introducing High Five French

by

hff-banner520

Information for parents

High Five French is a brand new course aimed at younger learners of French. The course will feature free audio lessons available here on the Radio Lingua website and on iTunes. In addition to these free audio lessons, there will be bonus audio content, video lessons, worksheets and ebooks which have been created to help children learn the basics of French along with our two young presenters, Emma and Mathilde. We’ll be providing a comprehensive guide for parents to help you help your children to get the most out of the course.

Information for teachers

High Five French is also going to be available to schools in an online version or as DVDs with the full range of printable resources for use in class. We are very conscious that primary teachers are sometimes not French specialists, so we’re working on a teachers’ guide which will provide everything you need to help you use the materials effectively in class, and to answer the questions your pupils may have about what’s covered in each lesson!

Find out more

To find out more about High Five French, sign up to receive regular updates on the developments. You can do so at the High Five French website.

Learn how to say ‘help me in German’ in many situations

by

Learning how to say ‘help me’ in German is essential when travelling or living in a German-speaking country. Whether you lose something important, face an emergency, or just need directions, these key phrases will help you communicate effectively in German.

Below, we’ll go through common situations where you might need help and the phrases to use. As always, don’t forget to listen to the podcast to learn new vocabulary and get tips on pronunciation.

‘Help me’ in German: how to ask for immediate help

If you are in danger or need help urgently, knowing how to say ‘help me’ in German is important:

  • Hilfe! Help! – This is a simple and effective word to shout if you are in an emergency.

Emergencies

You may need to contact the authorities or emergency services in more serious situations.

  • Feuer! Fire! – If there is a fire, shout this and call emergency services.
  • Ruf die Feuerwehr! Call the fire department!
  • Ruf die Rettung! Call an ambulance! – If someone is hurt or injured, you might need to call an ambulance.
  • Ruf die Polizei! Call the police! – Use this if you need the police.

Key emergency services

  • die Feuerwehr the fire department
  • die Polizei the police
  • die Rettung/der Krankenwagen the ambulance
  • der Notarzt the emergency doctor

What to say if you lose something

Losing something while travelling can be stressful. Here are common phrases to say ‘help me’ in German if you have to report lost items:

  • Ich habe meinen Ausweis/Schlüssel/Koffer/mein Ticket/mein Handy/ meine Tochter/meinen Sohn /meine Brieftasche verloren.
    This means: I have lost my ID/key/suitcase/ticket/phone/daughter/son/wallet – Use this to explain what you have lost. Note that the word my changes depending on the gender of the word describing what you have lost.

Giving a description

You may be asked for a description of the lost article:

  • Können Sie das beschreiben? Can you describe it?

Note that this question uses a modal verb as we have seen before. This verb is at the start of the question, sending the main verb, beschreiben, to the end of the question. For example, you might say:

  • Es ist blau/grün. It is blue/green.
  • Es ist groß/klein. It is big/small.

When describing lost items, it’s useful to know colours in German:

  • braun brown
  • schwarz black
  • grau grey
  • weiß white
  • rot red
  • blau blue
  • grün green

Reporting a stolen item

If something has been stolen, you’ll need to give details to the police. You can ask or answer the following questions:

  • Wann wurde der Koffer gestohlen? When was the suitcase stolen? – This question uses the passive.

You don’t need to know how to form it just yet, but it is useful to be able to recognise and understand the question. Here are some possible time phrases you may use in response:

    • heute Morgen this morning
    • gestern Abend last night
    • am Freitag on Friday
    • um halb vier at 3.30 pm

When you say ‘help me’ in German, you may need to describe to the police where the item went missing and be able to answer the question:

  • Wo wurde der Koffer gestohlen? – Where was the suitcase stolen?

This has a similar construction to the one asking when something was stolen, but it starts with the question word for where, wo. Here are some sample answers:

    • neben der Kirche next to the church
    • auf dem Platz in the square
    • im Zoo at the zoo

The prepositions used in this context all state a location. This means the dative case is used, and the articles need to be adjusted. Have a look at how they change from the nominative to the dative for each gender.

  • der Platz > dem Platz
  • die Kirche > der Kirche
  • das Zoo > dem Zoo

Getting to important places

In emergencies, as well as knowing how to say ‘help me’ in German, you might need to know how to ask for directions to important locations:

  • das Krankenhaus the hospital
  • die Polizeistation the police station
  • Wo ist das Krankenhaus? Where is the hospital?
  • Das Krankenhaus ist neben dem Stadion. The hospital is next to the stadium.
    Note again how das Stadion changes to dem Stadion after the dative preposition neben.

Useful verbs for emergencies:

  • rufen – to call

This verb is important if you are asking someone to call emergency services.

  • For example:
    • Ruf die Feuerwehr! Call the fire department!
    • Ruf die Rettung! Call the ambulance!

By learning and practising how to say ‘help me’ in German, you’ll be better prepared for emergencies or situations where you need assistance in German-speaking countries. Don’t be afraid to ask for help — most people are happy to help!

To keep learning more useful vocabulary and be able to introduce yourself and others in German,read the article and listen to the podcast we prepared on the subject! 

Logos_RLN_2012

Coffee Break Languages is a product of Radio Lingua Ltd.

Twitter Facebook-f Youtube Instagram Linkedin

Get Started

Languages

Our Sites

Help

© Radio Lingua Ltd 2008-2025 All rights reserved