1.4 Meine Wohnungslage
Lektionsüberblick
Now that you can talk more specifically about your home’s interior, let’s look at how to talk about your home’s surroundings, including building and landmarks. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to 1) talk about a typical city, 2) talk about the location of your apartment and the university, past and present, and 3) explain how to get to the university from your apartment.
1) Die typische Stadt
There is much to see and do in the downtown area of a city (die Innenstadt). Many German towns also have an old town (die Altstadt). Here are some other places you might see. The first list is full of cognates (words that are similar in both English and German).
Now for words that might require a little more practice…
Kleiner Hinweis
Jetzt bist du dran!
Think about the buildings and landmarks that you pass to and from home. Look above at the activities and write down any important buildings or landmarks in your written journal. Do this by creating complete sentences using the es gibt structure seen in the dialog cards. For example: Es gibt einen großen Park.
Now record yourself in your audio journal saying these important words aloud. Be sure to listen to your recording and rerecord, if you are not satisfied.
2) Meine Wohnungslage
Do you live across the street from a supermarket? Do you live nearby a university? You’ll need to know some new words to express these types of relationships. Look at how Barbara and others describe their housing location. Practice after each person’s description. Be sure to click through to each question.
Bern im Blickpunkt
Der mittelalterlicher Turm Zytglogge ist ein wichtiges Wahrzeichen von Bern und hat eine sehr alte Turmuhr mit Glockenspiel, die heute noch funktioniert. Die Uhr wurde im 15. Jahrhundert gebaut.
The medieval tower Zytglogge is an important landmark in Bern and has a very old tower clock with Glockenspiel that still works today. The clock was built in the 15th century.
3) Wegbeschreibungen
Some people are good with giving and following directions to new places. Others might find this challenging in any language. But knowing the words and phrases is always the first step. Read and listen to these flashcards, then practice using your new words and phrases.
In addition to telling someone how to go from A to B, you may also want to say how you go from A to B. In the following text, you will read (and hear) how Sebi describes their way to the university. They will answer the questions: Sebi, wo wohnst du und wie kommst du zur Uni?
Sebi sagt: Ich wohne in einem kleinen Zimmer in einem Studierendenwohnheim. Die Universität ist in der Nähe davon. Ich komme aus meinem Wohnheim und biege nach rechts ab. Ich gehe die Straße entlang zum Park. Ich gehe durch den Park und dann über die Brücke. Ich biege nach links ab und die Universität ist direkt vor mir.
Let’s practice. Be sure to click through to each question.
BECKI – THE PRES AND PRACTICE BELOW ARE NEW FOR 2040
Unfortunately, things do not always go as planned. Read through the presentation to learn ways to describe typical traffic problems you might encounter on the way to the university.
BECKI – I WAS SURE IF I SHOULD PUT THESE SENTENCES IN THE PRESENT OR PAST. IT IS A MIXTURE RIGHT NOW.
Let’s practice.
Jetzt bist du dran!
In your written journal, describe a particularly bad day on the way to the university. Refer to slide #4 of the presentation above, which is written in the past tense. You may write in the present or past tense but be sure to be consistent with your usage. That means if you choose to write it in the past, make every sentence a past tense sentence. Remember you can use words like the following to make your writing more fluid. Then record yourself in your audio journal. Note: If you are an online student, describe a challenging trip to your favorite place, study spot, or place of work.
- zuerst – first
- dann – then
- wegen – because of
- deshalb / deswegen – for that reason
- schließlich – finally
Jetzt kombinieren!
In the previous lesson, you learned to describe the features of your house and the rooms in your house. In this lesson, you learned to 1) talk about a typical city, 2) talk about the location of your apartment and the university, past and present, and 3) explain how to get to the university from your apartment.
Wo wohnst du? Wo hast du vorher gewohnt? Welche Orte sind in der Nähe? Wie kommst du zur Uni?* In your written journal, let’s combine the information from both lessons, like this:
- Ich wohne in einem Einfamilienhaus in der Nähe von der Uni.
- Vorher habe ich nicht in der Nähe von der Uni gewohnt. Ich habe in einem Vorort gewohnt.
- Ich wohne einem Supermarkt gegenüber und es gibt eine Drogerie und eine Post in der Nähe.
- Die Universität* ist in der Nähe von meinem Haus. Ich komme aus meinem Wohnheim und biege nach rechts ab, usw. (und so weiter)…
Then record yourself in your audio journal. Be sure to listen to your recording and rerecord, if you are not satisfied.
*or zu meinem Lieblingsplatz zum Lernen = to my favorite place to study
Media Attributions
- Directions flashcards adapted from Willkommen: Deutsch für alle, Copyright © 2020 by Claudia Kost and Crystal Sawatzky, licensed under the CC BY-NC-SA International License 4.0.
Media Attributions
- 2030-2040 ch banner reduced size
- Photo of Zytglogge in Bern by Mike Lehmann, CC BY-SA 3.0, wikipedia
