Coffee Break German

Coffee Break German

A guide to German pronunciation: ‘sch’, ‘ei’, ‘ie’ and more

German pronunciation can, at times, seem daunting when you’re learning the language, but once you get the hang of some of the most common sounds and letter combinations, you’ll be speaking more confidently in no time. The Coffee Break German Show is a podcast series of bite-sized, friendly conversations in which we demystify tricky German

Coffee Break German

Negation in German: ‘nein’, ‘nicht’ and ‘kein’

Making negative sentences in German does not have to be a negative experience! If you understand how to use nein, nicht and kein then you will have no problem negating sentences in German. The Coffee Break German Show is a podcast series of bite-sized, friendly conversations, in which we demystify tricky German language topics. In

Coffee Break German

‘Zu’ and ‘um … zu’ constructions in German

There are various ways the infinitive form of verbs can be used in German: on their own as an infinitive, with zu, or with um … zu. Remember that the infinitive form of a verb is the base form that you would find in a dictionary. The Coffee Break German Show is a podcast series of

Coffee Break German

Compound nouns – breaking down long German words

You may have already come across some long German words in your experience as a German learner – and they can be very long! Why does this happen? It’s mostly because German allows us to join different words together to form a new one, called a compound word. The Coffee Break German Show is a

Coffee Break German

An introduction to German cases

When we start to learn German, one of the most important steps is to get our heads around cases of nouns and pronouns. For that reason, it’s time for a crash course on cases in German! The Coffee Break German Show is a podcast series of bite-sized, friendly conversations, in which we demystify tricky German

Coffee Break German

How to use the formal ‘you’ in German

It’s time to get to know “you”! Saying “you” in German is slightly more complicated than in English, but what an important word it is. It won’t surprise you that the word “you”’ is one of the most commonly used words in English. It’s equally as common in German, but there are seven different ways

Coffee Break German

A guide to forming questions in German

How do you ask questions in German? Questions are essential to every conversation and will always be part of your interactions when visiting a German-speaking country. So, read on, as we’re going to answer all your questions about forming questions in German! The Coffee Break German Show is a podcast series of bite-sized, friendly conversations,

Coffee Break German

Everything you need to know about the German umlaut

As you may already know, the umlaut in German is the two small dots that can be used above the letters a, o and u. But when and why do we use an umlaut? And how does the umlaut change the sound of the letter? The Coffee Break German Show is a podcast series of bite-sized, friendly conversations in

Coffee Break German

Saying ‘to go’ in German: ‘fahren’ or ‘gehen’?

Most learners think of the verb gehen when they want to say “to go” in German, but that’s not always correct! Yes, there are times when you should use gehen, but at other times we use fahren. Both verbs can mean “to go” in different contexts. The Coffee Break German Show is a podcast series

Coffee Break German

Unravelling word order in German multi-verb sentences

Word order in German can seem unusual, especially when there is more than one verb in a sentence. However, you’ll soon find that there are some straightforward rules to follow and constructing sentences with confidence will be well within your grasp. The Coffee Break German Show is a podcast series of bite-sized, friendly conversations in

Coffee Break German

CBG 3.40 | Ein Zwilling studiert selten allein | Ende gut, alles gut

Welcome to the final episode of Coffee Break German Season 3. In this episode we conclude our story series “Ein Zwilling studiert selten allein” by listening to Marian tell Lucie his news and then the two share a big hug. This last episode is packed full of grammar topics which have been covered in the

Coffee Break German

CBG 3.39 | Ein Zwilling studiert selten allein | Bangen und stille Freude

We’re back with the penultimate episode of Coffee Break German Season 3! In this instalment of our story series “Ein Zwilling studiert selten allein” Marian receives another email about his future. In this episode listen out for a different way to emphasise adjectives in German and the apt idiom über den Berg sein.

Coffee Break German

CBG 3.38 | Ein Zwilling studiert selten allein | Künftige Mitbewohner:innen

We’re back with a new episode of Coffee Break German Season 3 and therefore another instalment of our story series “Ein Zwilling studiert selten allein”! In this episode, the twins are preoccupied with preparations for their respective future studies; Lucie has even already found friends and met her future roommate online on the forum for

Coffee Break German

CBG 3.37 | Ein Zwilling studiert selten allein | Väterlicher Rat

Welcome back to another episode of Coffee Break German Season 3 and in this episode we have a further instalment of our story series “Ein Zwilling studiert selten allein”! In this part of the story, we hear a conversation between father and son: keeping his best interests in mind, observant father Michael talks to Marian

Coffee Break German

CBG 3.36 | Ein Zwilling studiert selten allein | Ein Wechselbad der Gefühle

We’re back with a new episode of Coffee Break German Season 3 and another instalment of our story series “Ein Zwilling studiert selten allein”! In this part of the story we find out about Marian’s email from UCLA and how family and friends react to the news. In this episode, among other things, you will

Coffee Break German

CBG 3.35 | Ein Zwilling studiert selten allein | Emails aus Kalifornien

We’re back with a new episode of Coffee Break German Season 3 and another instalment of “Ein Zwilling studiert selten allein”! In this segment of the story Lucie and Marian are at home, enjoying the sun and the peace after the exciting celebration that was the prom. But suddenly, Lucie receives a long awaited e-mail!

Coffee Break German

CBG 3.34 | Ein Zwilling studiert selten allein | Der Abiball

Welcome back to a new episode of Coffee Break German Season 3. In this episode we are listening to the fourth part of our story series ‘Ein Zwilling studiert selten allein‘! In this segment of the story the whole family are attending the “Abiball” to celebrate the end of the twins’ school career. It is

Coffee Break German

CBG 3.33 | Ein Zwilling studiert selten allein | Vorfreude und Vorbereitungen

In episode 33 of Coffee Break German Season 3, we listen to the third instalment of our story series ‘Ein Zwilling studiert selten allein‘! After enjoying a delicious meal with their family to celebrate Marian and Lucie’s exam results, they sit down with their father Michael to further discuss preparations for moving to California. In

Coffee Break German

CBG 3.32 | Ein Zwilling studiert selten allein | Zweifel und Zeugnisvergabe

We’re back with the next instalment of our story “Ein Zwilling studiert selten allein“! In this episode Marian is preparing to give a speech at school graduation, while Lucie has jumped ahead in planning her university accommodation. The more confident twin offers encouragement to her doubtful brother. In this episode, among other things, you can

Coffee Break German

CBG 3.31 | Ein Zwilling studiert selten allein | Endlich geschafft!

Welcome back to Coffee Break German Season 3! In this episode we are introduced to our new story – Ein Zwilling studiert selten allein! In the first instalment twins Marian and Lucie have received their school leaving results and are celebrating with friends. We hope your enjoy this 10 part story that reviews all the