A1 · 40 Wörter
Greetings and introductions
The words of the first thirty seconds — and the choice between du and Sie, which is made before you say anything else.
These are the words you need before you need any others, and one of them is a decision rather than a word. German has two ways of saying "you", and which one you pick is the first thing a German speaker hears about you — du to friends, family, children and, increasingly, colleagues of your own age; Sie to everybody else until they offer otherwise. Getting it wrong is not a grammar mistake, it is a social one, so the safe default with a stranger is Sie and the safe move is to wait for the offer.
Die Wörter
Verb (4)
sprechento speakVerbA1
Strong verb: du sprichst, er spricht — the vowel changes.
verstehento understandVerbA1
Inseparable prefix, so the participle is "verstanden" without ge-.
kommento comeVerbA1
Strong verb: kommen – kam – gekommen, and it takes "sein" in the perfect.
wohnento live, to resideVerbA1
Weak and regular. "leben" is to be alive; "wohnen" is to have your address somewhere.
Adverb (8)
bitteplease; you are welcomeAdverbA1
Does three jobs: "please", "you are welcome" after a thank-you, and "pardon?" when said with a rising tone.
jayesAdverbA1
neinnoAdverbA1
dochyes (contradicting a negative)AdverbA1
German has a third answer word English lacks: "doch" contradicts a negative question or statement. "Nein" would agree with it.
woherwhere fromAdverbA1
gerngladly, with pleasureAdverbA1
German says "I do something gladly" where English says "I like doing it". Comparative: lieber, am liebsten.
leiderunfortunatelyAdverbA1
natürlichof course, naturallyAdverbA1
Diese Liste gehört zu The scaffolding — elf Listen und 440 Wörter, die sich auch am Stück abfragen lassen.
Diese Liste abfragen
Auswahl und Lücke, aus genau diesen 40 Wörtern. Was Sie falsch beantworten, kommt morgen wieder.