A1 · 48 words
The flat and the household in German
Rooms, furniture and the things that break — plus the nine prepositions that take two cases, which live here.
Talking about a flat means saying where things are, which is where the two-case prepositions turn up in every second sentence. Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch is a position and takes the dative; ich lege das Buch auf den Tisch is a movement and takes the accusative. Same preposition, same table, different question. German also distinguishes three verbs where English mostly uses one: liegenfor something lying flatstehenfor something uprighthängenfor something suspended A book on a table liegt; a bottle on a table steht. It is not a nicety — using the wrong one is noticed immediately.
The words
Verb (12)
liegento lie, to be lyingVerbA1
For something flat. Strong: liegen – lag – gelegen.
stehento stand, to be standingVerbA1
For something upright. Strong: stehen – stand – gestanden.
hängento hangVerbA2
Intransitive it is strong (hing, gehangen); transitive, meaning to hang something up, it is weak.
sitzento sit, to be sittingVerbA1
Strong: sitzen – saß – gesessen.
stellento put (upright)VerbA2
The movement partner of "stehen", and it takes the accusative.
legento put (flat), to layVerbA2
The movement partner of "liegen", and it takes the accusative.
aufräumento tidy upVerbA2
Separable: the prefix goes to the end.
putzento cleanVerbA2
waschento washVerbA2
Strong, with a vowel change: du wäschst, er wäscht.
umziehento move houseVerbA2
Separable, and it takes "sein" in the perfect: ich bin umgezogen.
aufmachento openVerbA1
deckento lay (the table); to coverVerbA2
Also of money and insurance: Die Versicherung deckt den Schaden.
Noun (29)
die Wohnungflat, apartmentNounA1
Plural: die Wohnungen.
das HaushouseNounA1
Plural: die Häuser. "nach Hause" means homewards, "zu Hause" means at home.
das ZimmerroomNounA1
Plural: die Zimmer — no ending, like most nouns in -er.
die KüchekitchenNounA1
Plural: die Küchen. Also means a cuisine.
das BadbathroomNounA1
Plural: die Bäder. Also means a bath and a spa town.
das SchlafzimmerbedroomNounA1
A compound: schlafen plus Zimmer.
das Wohnzimmerliving roomNounA1
der Flurhall, corridorNounA2
Plural: die Flure.
der BalkonbalconyNounA2
Plural: die Balkone or die Balkons.
der GartengardenNounA1
Plural: die Gärten.
die TürdoorNounA1
Plural: die Türen.
das FensterwindowNounA1
Plural: die Fenster.
der TischtableNounA1
Plural: die Tische.
der StuhlchairNounA1
Plural: die Stühle.
das BettbedNounA1
Plural: die Betten.
der Schrankcupboard, wardrobeNounA1
Plural: die Schränke.
das SofasofaNounA1
Plural: die Sofas.
die LampelampNounA1
Plural: die Lampen.
der KühlschrankfridgeNounA1
Plural: die Kühlschränke. Masculine from Schrank, its last part.
die Waschmaschinewashing machineNounA2
Plural: die Waschmaschinen.
der SchlüsselkeyNounA1
Plural: die Schlüssel.
die MieterentNounA2
Plural: die Mieten. The verb is "mieten", to rent.
der Kellercellar, basementNounA2
Plural: die Keller. Most German blocks of flats have one, with a compartment per tenant.
die Treppestairs, staircaseNounA1
Plural: die Treppen. Singular in German where English is plural.
die MöbelfurnitureNounA2
Plural only. Plural in German, where English has an uncountable noun: one piece is das Möbelstück.
die Deckeblanket; ceilingNounA2
Plural: die Decken.
der Haushalthousehold; houseworkNounA2
Plural: die Haushalte.
die Haustürfront doorNounA2
Plural: die Haustüren.
die Raumtemperaturroom temperatureNounB1
Plural: die Raumtemperaturen.
Adjective (6)
kaputtbrokenAdjectiveA1
Colloquial but universal. The formal word is "defekt".
saubercleanAdjectiveA1
Loses the -e- before an ending: eine saubere Küche.
gemütlichcosy, comfortableAdjectiveA2
One of the German words that resists translation — warmth, ease and unhurriedness at once.
hellbright, lightAdjectiveA1
dunkeldarkAdjectiveA1
Loses the -e- before an ending: ein dunkler Raum.
engnarrow, crampedAdjectiveA2
Adverb (1)
drinin it, insideAdverbA2
Spoken short form of darin.
This list belongs to Home and housing — 19 lists and 738 words that can also be practised as a whole.
Practise this list
From these 48 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.