The adjective übel in German has a number of translations, both alone and in various idiomatic contexts. First of all, it can mean "queasy," "sick to one's stomach," or "nauseated":
Davon wurde manchem übel.
Some people became sick to their stomachs from that.
Caption 13, Deutsche Welle - Was ist das Reinheitsgebot?
Play Caption
It can also be used colloquially to express dislike of something, and means "bad," "objectionable," or "over the top."
Na ja, vielleicht ist es ja gar nicht so übel.
Well, maybe that isn't that bad at all.
Caption 51, Küss mich, Frosch - Für immer Frosch?
Play Caption
Auch diese ganzen Witze,
Also, all of these jokes,
auch vor allem, wie die Frankfurter sie sich über Offenbach ausdenken,
above all how those from Frankfurt come up with things about Offenbach,
die sind übel, ja?
they are over the top, right?
Captions 43-44, Badesalz - Offenbach gegen Frankfurt
Play Caption
You also might hear the colloquial expression jemandem etwas übel nehmen. This means "to take something the wrong way" or "to hold something against someone."
Deshalb nimmt es Ihnen dort auch niemand übel,
That's also why no one there will hold it against you
wenn Sie es sich mal eben in einem der kostbaren Oldtimer bequem machen.
if you just make yourself comfortable in one of the valuable vintage automobiles.
Captions 6-7, Rhein-Main Ferien - Technische Sammlung Hochhut
Play Caption
Further Learning
Although übel is not necessarily an adjective we hope you will have to use, you can practice using the word in its various contexts in case a relevant situation arises. Nimm es mir nicht übel = "Don't hold it against me." Mir ist übel = "I am feeling nauseated."
The adjectives erforderlich and förderlich appear and sound very similar, but have very different meanings. I have found myself constantly having to check these words in a dictionary when writing business emails in German, so writing this lesson is hopefully going to help me learn the differences between the two as well!
The first of the two adjectives, erforderlich, is usually used to reinforce the serious necessity of a statement, and can be translated variously as "necessary," "required," "essential," "requisite," "needed," and "consequential."
Die Partner sollten dieses Angebot annehmen und die Chance nutzen,
The partners should accept this offer and use the opportunity,
denn es ist dringend erforderlich.
as it is urgently necessary.
Captions 63-64, Angela Merkel - Gemeinsame Pressekonferenz mit Barack Obama
Play Caption
Nur bei einem Notruf erfolgt eine Datenübermittlung,
Only in the case of an emergency call is a transfer of data carried out
und dann werden auch nur die Daten übermittelt,
and then also only the data are transferred
die für die Erbringung der Hilfeleistung unbedingt erforderlich sind.
that are absolutely essential for the provision of assistance after the accident.
Captions 36-38, Sicherheit im Straßenverkehr - Versicherer entwickeln automatischen Notruf für alle Autos
Play Caption
As you may have noticed, the texts above are respectively from a government official and a statistician, and thus the sentences are quite complicated. In fact, both erforderlich and förderlich are more often used in written German and far less in spoken German. Here are some examples of förderlich from written German sources:
Dabei konnte ich ihm zu meiner großen Freude förderlich sein.
To my great joy I could be of use to him in that matter.
From Heinrich Mann's novel Der Untertan, in the 1921 translation by Ernest Boyd under the title "The Patrioteer."
Wenn die Boote gleich reihenweise ausfallen, ist das nicht gerade förderlich.
It's not exactly beneficial if the boats drop out in rows.
From a 2006 article in the newspaper Die Welt.
Jedenfalls reicht aber die Stabilität so weit, dass sie genügt, ein förderliches Ideal einer Wissenschaft zu begründen.
In any case, however, the stability extends so far that it is sufficient to establish a beneficial ideal of science.
From Ernst Mach's article "Erkenntnis und Irrtum" in Philosophie von Platon bis Nietzsche, Berlin 1905.
The adjective förderlich can be variously translated as "beneficial," "of use," "advantageous," and "conducive."
It's easiest for me to remember the difference between the two in that erforderlich is usually associated with a demanding tone and thus more serious, so I remember: the longer word is more serious. On the other hand, förderlich is usually used in a positive and thus lighter context, so I remember: the less serious word is the shorter of the two.
Further Learning
Write some sample sentences in English mixing the various translations of the two words above, then test your knowledge by translating the sentences into German and see if you translated erforderlich and förderlich correctly.
The German word meinetwegen is used in several different contexts. Its first meaning can be translated as "on my account" or "for me" in English.
Ich weiß, ihr seid nicht meinetwegen gekommen.
I know you haven't come because of me.
Caption 3, Verstehen Sie Spaß? - Sascha Grammel
Play Caption
Hat Themba wirklich nur meinetwegen ein Eigentor gemacht?
Did Themba really score a goal against his own team just because of me?
Caption 33, Die Pfefferkörner - Eigentor - Part 6
Play Caption
It can also mean "for example" or "assuming that":
Und wenn du dich jetzt meinetwegen dort auf die Seite drehst...
And if you now turn onto your side, for example...
Caption 63, Die Schmerzspezialisten - Diese Schlafposition solltest du unbedingt vermeiden!
Play Caption
Additionally, meinetwegen can also suggest indifference, translated as "for all I care" or even the very rude "whatever" below.
Machen Sie doch meinetwegen, was Sie wollen!
But do what you want, for all I care!
Caption 61, Märchen - Sagenhaft - Der Rattenfänger von Hameln
Play Caption
„Meinetwegen“, brummte Frederick.
"Whatever," grumbled Frederick.
Caption 42, Piggeldy und Frederick - Unendlichkeit
Play Caption
Von mir aus is a colloquial expression, and can be translated as "for all I care," "as far as I'm concerned," or even simply "I don't mind."
In welcher Form auch immer... bis morgen früh von mir aus.
In whichever form… till early morning, as far as I'm concerned.
Caption 45, Fastnacht - Karneval - Quartier Latin
Play Caption
Von mir aus bleibe ich ewig
I don't mind remaining forever
Caption 7, Max Giesinger - Nicht so schnell
Play Caption
Was meinst du? -Von mir aus.
What do you think? -I don't mind.
-Vielleicht hat hier jemand was gesehen.
-Maybe someone here saw something.
Caption 43, Die Pfefferkörner - Eigentor - Part 2
Play Caption
Further Learning
Take a look for additional examples on Yabla German and try working on your own sentences with meinetwegen and responses with von mir aus.
Although Valentine's Day doesn't take over Germany in February like it does the United States, it has a growing presence. In the video Valentinstag: in Karlsruhe, Diane interviews locals to find out what they think of Valentine's Day and what their plans are. Below, you can find some vocabulary about love and relationships to listen for while watching. For more practice, check out this free Valentine's course from Yabla German and smarterGerman!
Wir sind hier am romantischen Karlsruher Schloss
We are here at the romantic Karlsruhe Palace
und hier gibt es auch ein paar Liebespärchen.
and there are also a few couples here.
Captions 47-48, Valentinstag - in Karlsruhe
Play Caption
Und wurden Sie heute Morgen mit einem romantischen Frühstück überrascht
And were you surprised this morning with a romantic breakfast
oder einem Blumenstrauß?
or a bouquet of flowers?
Captions 58-59, Valentinstag - in Karlsruhe
Play Caption
Die Karlsruher Pyramide befindet sich mitten im Stadtzentrum von Karlsruhe
The Karlsruhe Pyramid is located in the middle of the city center of Karlsruhe
und ist ein beliebter Treffpunkt für Verabredungen.
and is a favorite meeting place for dates.
Captions 5-6, Valentinstag - in Karlsruhe
Play Caption
Und haben Sie da schon was geplant für Ihre Lieben?
And have you already planned something for your loved ones?
Caption 36, Valentinstag - in Karlsruhe
Play Caption
Achtung! Eine Verabredung is not always a date, and verabredet sein doesn't always mean you have a date. It may just mean you have an appointment. Similarly, it is possible to say Ihr Lieben without it indicating romantic love.
Besonders Diamanten sind ein Symbol für ewige Liebe.
In particular, diamonds are a symbol of eternal love.
Caption 12, Valentinstag - in Karlsruhe
Play Caption
Ich bin dafür, dass man, äh...
I am of the opinion that you, uh...
wenn man jemanden richtig gern und lieb hat,
if you really are really fond of someone and love them,
dass man ihm jeden Tag das ein kleines bisschen zeigt...
then you show them that a little bit every day...
Captions 41-43, Valentinstag - in Karlsruhe
Play Caption
Further Learning
In addition to Diane's interviews, learn about what Valentine's Day is like in Germany from the point of view of a florist and check out the free Valentine's course from Yabla German and smarterGerman mentioned above!
The standard negation in German — when you say that something is "not" by using nicht — is relatively straightforward for native English speakers. Although its placement in a sentence may differ from English, often falling at the end of a sentence (Ich liebe dich... nicht!), it usually parallels the use of the English word "not." A standard German phrase combined with the preposition ohne ("without") might read:
Das ist nicht ohne Risiko.
This is not without risk.
Caption 14, Die letzten Paradiese - Die Schönheit der Alpen 1
Play Caption
Nee, nee, nee, mein Lieber, nicht ohne dich.
No, no, no, my dear, not without you.
Caption 75, Großstadtrevier - St. Pauli rettet HSV
Play Caption
Und da bin ich nicht ohne Sorge.
And there I'm not without worries.
Caption 60, Holocaust-Gedenktag - Gespräch mit jüdischen Schülern
Play Caption
Note that in the above cases, the phrase nicht ohne has an object that defines what is lacking, in the above examples Risiko, dich, and Sorge respectively. But what does it mean when somebody says nicht ohne without an object? To say "Oh, that's not without" in English is a sentence fragment with no clear meaning.
To say nicht ohne with no defined object in German, however, is an idiomatic or slang usage that has been in use since at least the 17th century, according to the Redensarten-Index website. To leave a word out of a sentence is what's known in linguistics as an ellipsis. This particular ellipsis is more difficult to immediately understand than most of those in English, however.
Ein Radfahrer... Das ist nicht ohne.
A bicyclist... That is difficult.
Caption 22, Knallerfrauen - Mathehausaufgaben
Play Caption
Mein Fahrgestell ist nämlich auch nicht ganz ohne.
My undercarriage isn't exactly without its dangers, either.
Caption 27, Oskar - Gehen, wenn es am schönsten ist - Nur die Liebe zählt
Play Caption
Thus, depending upon the specific context, the phrase nicht ohne can mean that something is difficult, dangerous, or to be taken seriously.
Further Learning
Read the above link for the Redensarten-Index and search for more examples of nicht ohne on Yabla German to see other ways that the phrase can be used in German sentences.
One of the most common mistakes that native German speakers make when translating the preposition seit to English is to always render it as "since," but in contexts where the English word is meant to be used to indicate the passing of a period of time, it should usually be translated as "for." The mistake seems to be common with Europeans speaking English, as I hear it regularly on the streets and in cafés and restaurants in Berlin, where so many Europeans are speaking English as a lingua franca.
Yes, I have been going there since (correct: for) many years.
We've been wanting to visit Paris since (correct: for) at least a decade.
I have lived in Berlin since (correct: for) 16 years.
It's easy to see how this mistake is made, as the German sentence uses the word seit and as it's actually correct to use "since" if a specific year is used in the same sentences:
Yes, I have been going there since 2018.
We've been wanting to visit Paris since at least 2012.
I have lived in Berlin since 2006.
Here are some examples of seit used on Yabla German with the correct English translations "for" and "since." Note the way that the context of each sentence changes which English word is used.
„Mir ist so“, maulte Piggeldy, „als tue ich das schon seit Tagen!“
"For me it's like," muttered Piggeldy, "as if I have already been doing this for days!"
Caption 11, Piggeldy und Frederick - Wanderdüne
Play Caption
Seit Montag wird das Lied im Radio gespielt.
The song has been playing on the radio since Monday.
Caption 33, Liza - Ein Lied für Opel
Play Caption
Sie schreibt ihr Referat, an dem sie schon seit zwei Wochen arbeitet.
She is writing her paper that she has been working on for two weeks.
Caption 15, Deutschkurs in Blaubeuren - Relativsätze mit Präpositionen
Play Caption
Seit vergangener Woche hat die Kranich-Airline nun ihren ersten gebrandeten A dreihundertachtzig in Betrieb.
Since last week, the crane airline has now had its first branded A three hundred and eighty at work.
Caption 9, Rund um den Flughafen - Der neue Airbus A-380
Play Caption
Na ja, ich krieg' ja seit Monaten keine Wochenendzeitungen mehr.
Oh well, I haven't been getting a weekend newspaper for months.
Caption 8, Großstadtrevier - Von Monstern und Mördern
Play Caption
OK, ihr seid jetzt seit April in Deutschland, ja?
OK, you have been in Germany now since April, right?
Caption 1, Deutschkurs in Blaubeuren - Relativsätze mit Präpositionen
Play Caption
Ich spiel' jetzt schon seit zehn Jahren Handball.
I've been playing handball for ten years now.
Caption 7, Jenny und Alena - Handball
Play Caption
Also, die Nachhaltigkeitsstrategie gibt es seit dem Jahr zweitausend-und-acht.
Well, the sustainability strategy has been there since the year two thousand eight.
Caption 37, Rheinmain im Blick - Nachhaltigkeit
Play Caption
A general rule of thumb is to translate seit as "since" if it refers to a specific date such as a year, month, or day of the week. If it is referring to a length of time, such as "many years," then seit is usually translated as "for."
Further Learning
Compare other contexts in which seit is used on Yabla German and study some other uses of the word in which the preposition seit can also be translated as "because."
Have you ever seen "Berlin" as the verb berlinern? It means to speak with a Berlin dialect. Now you may not necessarily want to learn to speak like a waschechter Berliner (Berlin native), but it's good to get your ears around hearing it a bit so it's easier to understand! This week we'll go through some sample videos of people speaking Berlinerisch. Here are some of the main features of the dialect.
Ick (or icke) instead of ich:
Ick [ich] hab' die alle manipuliert, ick hab' die alle manipuliert.
I've manipulated them all, I've manipulated them all.
Caption 17, Rapucation - Lernen durch Rapmusik
Play Caption
Wat instead of was:
Und Bananen, so wat [so was] fressen bei uns nur die Affen, du Affe.
And bananas, only apes devour stuff like that where we live, you ape.
Caption 60, Die Klasse - Berlin '61
Play Caption
Keen and weeß instead of kein and weiß; in fact, most standard German "ei" sounds are pronounced as "ee":
Alle keen [kein] Zuhause oder wat [was]? -[„Die Anstalt“, Regie: Axel Bock]
All of you don't have a home or what? -["The Institution", directed by Axel Bock]
Caption 53, Alexander Hauff - Showreel
Play Caption
Dett [dass] ick [ich] nicht deine Geliebte bin, weeß [weiß] ick [ich] och [auch].
I do know that I'm not your lover.
Caption 14, Mathieu Carriere - Ein Mann will nach oben
Play Caption
You probably noticed too that dass in the above is spoken as dett and auch as och: a translation to standard German would be: Dass ich nicht deine Geliebte bin, weiß ich auch.
Another typical feature of Berlinerisch is that the hard German "g" is rendered as a soft German "j": janz jenau!
Sind janz [ganz] schön viele. -Bärbel.
That is a whole lot. -Bärbel.
Caption 12, Die Klasse - Berlin '61
Play Caption
There are also a number of words that are unique to Berlin, such as der Kiez instead of die Nachbarschaft:
Gitarrist Jürgen Ehle wohnt seit fünfundzwanzig Jahren
Guitarist Jürgen Ehle has lived for twenty-five years
in dem Kiez und schwelgt in Erinnerungen.
in the neighborhood, and luxuriates in memories.
Captions 3-4, Pankow - Rolling Stones des Ostens
Play Caption
Further Learning
Read the German Wikipedia page about the Berlin dialect and look for some of the unique Berlin words on Yabla German to accustom yourself to understanding it.
It's good to get familiar with the phrase je nach (and je nachdem), which is usually translated as "according to" or "depending on." Here are some examples.
Ähm, wir haben natürlich je nach Film junge Pärchen da.
Um, we have, of course, depending on the film, young couples here.
Wir haben, ähm, die Actionfans da.
We have, um, the action fans here.
Caption 22, Autokino - Gravenbruch
Play Caption
Wenn die fünfhundert Gramm Mehl abgewogen sind,
When the five hundred grams of flour are measured out,
kann man je nach Belieben noch eine Prise Salz hinzugeben.
you can also, according to taste, add a pinch of salt.
Captions 7-8, Bayrische Spätzle - mit Christiane
Play Caption
Je nach der Branche, in der man arbeiten möchte,
Depending on the field that you would like to work in,
kann man auch Arbeitsproben oder die Referenzen der letzten Arbeitgeber hinzufügen.
you can also add work samples or the references from the previous employers.
Captions 30-31, Eva erklärt - Bewerbungen
Play Caption
Stimmt nicht! Flüchtlinge bekommen je nach Situation eine Bleibe und Versorgung
Not true! Refugees receive, according to their situation, shelter and provisions
im Wert von zweihundertsiebenundachtzig bis dreihundertneunundfünfzig Euro pro Monat.
at a value of two hundred eighty-seven to three hundred fifty-nine euros per month.
Captions 7-8, Flüchtlingskrise - 10 Vorurteile, die nicht stimmen
Play Caption
Darin enthalten sind allerdings noch nicht die Kosten für das Autogramm,
However, this still does not include the cost of the autograph,
so werden je nach Bekanntheitsgrad des Schauspielers
so depending on the level of fame of the actor,
schnell bis zu zweihundert Euro für die Fan-Erinnerung fällig.
up to two hundred euros can be soon owed for the fan memento.
Captions 12-14, Star Wars - Treffen der Fangemeinde
Play Caption
Historisch hatten die entweder Leder
Historically, they had either leather
oder halt, äh, Turban, und gewickelt,
or just, uh, a turban and wrapped it around,
je nachdem, wo sie beim Militär waren.
according to where they served in the military.
Captions 17-19, Mit Schwert und Schild - Gladiatorenschule in Trier
Play Caption
Je nachdem is correct when it is followed by a subordinate clause as is the above case, whereas je nach dem is only correct when followed by a masculine or neuter noun – and only when the definite article is mentioned, which is usually not the case (for example, you would never say je nach dem Belieben; only je nach Belieben is correct). Je nach dem is, for example, correct in je nach dem zugrunde liegenden Gedanken.
Further Learning
Write down some example sentences in English using "according to" and "depending on" and translate them into German. You can ask your teacher or a classmate to check your work for you. You can also go to Yabla German and find some other examples of sentences using je nach.
New Year's Eve is just around the corner! We at Yabla wish you einen guten Rutsch and hope to contribute to your festivities with some relevant vocabulary.
Eine kurze Frage: Wie feiern Sie Weihnachten? -Mit der Familie.
A quick question: How do you celebrate Christmas? -With the family.
Caption 10, Weihnachtsinterviews - Diane in Karlsruhe
Play Caption
Wir werden wahrscheinlich mit ein paar Freunden feiern.
We will probably celebrate with a few friends.
Caption 5, Silvester - Vorsätze für das neue Jahr - Karlsruhe
Play Caption
The noun die Feier is used for a party or celebration, although it's normal to hear die Party as well. You may remember from our recent newsletter that the preposition auf is used: Wir gehen auf eine Party for "We're going to a party," and Wir sind auf einer Party for "We're at a party."
Hauptsache sie haben Spaß. -Hauptsache: Party und schöne Stimmung!
The main thing is that they have fun. -The main thing: party and good vibes!
Caption 63, Fastnacht - Karneval - Karnevalisten
Play Caption
Und natürlich drückt das auf die Partystimmung.
And, of course, that puts a damper on the party atmosphere.
Caption 60, Heute-Show - 30 Jahre Mauerfall: So feiern die Deutschen ihre Einheit
Play Caption
Fun fact: die Stimmung can refer to instruments being in tune, but also means "mood" or "atmosphere."
And finally, a slang usage related to celebration is Lass es krachen!, which literally means "Make noise!"
Also, dann wünsch ich dir viel Spaß.
So, then I hope you have a lot of fun.
-Danke schön. -Und lass es krachen!
-Thank you. -And make some noise!
Caption 17, Fasching - mit Cettina
Play Caption
Further Learning
For more about New Year's Eve in Germany, you can do a quick search for our related videos on Yabla German. You can also review our previous newsletters on the topic: Learn about the origins of the word Silvester and make a few New Year's resolutions in German!
For the last weeks, many Germans have been visiting Christmas markets, opening the windows of their advent calendars, and celebrating Nikolaus. Tomorrow night is Christmas Eve, which is called der Heiligabend or der Heilige Abend in German. Let's look at some vocabulary associated with Christmas Eve traditions.
Many families in Germany will have gotten a Christmas tree and decorated it in time for Christmas Eve. A Christmas tree can be referred to as der Tannenbaum (which is simply "the fir tree"), der Weihnachtsbaum, or der Christbaum.
Jetzt schmücken wir den Baum noch mit ein paar goldenen Kugeln.
Now we'll decorate the tree with a few golden balls.
Caption 57, Frohe Weihnachten - der Christbaum
Play Caption
In Germany, it is traditional to exchange gifts on Christmas Eve rather than the next morning. The exchange of gifts is known as die Bescherung.
Wie machen Sie das mit der Bescherung?
How do you do your gift exchange?
Caption 7, Weihnachtsinterviews - Diane in Karlsruhe
Play Caption
Families may go to mass as part of their Christmas Eve tradition:
Meistens gehen wir auch vorher... vorher noch in die Kirche.
Usually we also still go beforehand... to church beforehand.
Caption 37, Weihnachtsinterviews - Cettina in Linkenheim
Play Caption
A traditional Christmas Eve meal in Germany is rather simple, consisting of either fish, or sausages with potato salad. The large Christmas feast is generally eaten on Christmas day. Throughout these days, there are also many sweets that are typically consumed. For more information on these, we would suggest watching the following video by Eva:
Nachdem ich euch ein typisches deutsches Weihnachtsessen gezeigt habe,
After I've shown you a typical German Christmas meal,
kommen wir nun zum Wichtigsten, nämlich den Weihnachtsnaschereien.
we now come to the most important [thing], namely, the Christmas goodies.
Captions 9-10, Weihnachtsessen - mit Eva
Play Caption
Further Learning
For more holiday vocabulary, check out our recent blog post. There are a number of individual videos on Yabla German that will certainly get you into the Christmas spirit. Listen to a traditional Christmas song, see Krampus parade around at the Christmas market in Munich, and watch some Germans decorate a Christmas tree under water. Or watch one of our feature films, such as Ein Sack voll Gold or Weihnachtsmann gesucht, starring a young Christoph Waltz!
The words "somebody," "someone," "anybody," and "anyone" are indefinite pronouns that are usually translated as jemand in German. The indefinite pronoun jemand is similar to the definite pronouns I (ich), you (Sie or du), we (wir), or they (sie), but is referring to an indefinite rather than specific person.
Just like the definite pronouns in German, jemand is also subject to changing its form when used in the dative case after prepositions like nach, zu, mit or von. In the dative case, jemand gets an additional -em ending:
Sie suchen nach jemandem für ihre Marketingabteilung.
They're looking for someone for their marketing department.
Caption 8, Berufsleben - das Vorstellungsgespräch
Play Caption
Es ist lange her, dass ich so eine Verbindung zu jemandem gespürt habe.
It's been a long time since I felt such a connection to anyone.
Caption 53, Die Wohngemeinschaft - Die Verabredung
Play Caption
Habt ihr mit jemandem Probleme, sagt's ihm ins Gesicht
If you have problems with someone, tell him to his face
Caption 57, Golo - Smile
Play Caption
Der Vorschlag müsste von jemandem kommen.
The proposal would have to come from someone.
Caption 46, Pastewka - Neue Serie für Kessler
Play Caption
This is also true when the sentence structure requires the dative case, such as when you give somebody something:
Jemandem einen Korb geben.
To give someone a basket.
Caption 17, Eva erklärt - Sprichwörter
Play Caption
The above expression usually is an idiom that means you are rejecting something that has been offered. Another figure of speech that you may already know is:
Und wenn ich jemandem die Daumen drücke,
And if I press my thumbs for someone,
dann wünsche ich der Person ganz viel Glück.
then I'm wishing the person a whole lot of luck.
Captions 28-29, Eva erklärt - Redewendungen
Play Caption
Further Learning
Look for other examples of how jemandem is used in a real-world context on Yabla German and try devising some sentences of your own using jemandem and have a fellow student check your work! If you're feeling brave you can explore the related expressions irgendjemandem and irgendwem!
This week, we will conclude our five-part series on how to express movement from one place to another in German — in other words, translations of the preposition "to." We have looked at instances in which nach, in, an, and auf are used for this purpose, and now it's time for the preposition zu.
There are a few things to know about the preposition zu. First of all, it is always followed by the dative, even when used to express movement! This means you will often see zum, which is a combination of zu + dem for when a masculine or neuter object follows, and zur, which combines zu + der for a female object (again, it is always dative).
Kuckt mal, jetzt gehen wir mal zur Mauer und kucken uns die mal an.
Look, now let's go to the Wall and take a look at it.
Caption 7, 25 Jahre Mauerfall - Bürger Lars Dietrich erinnert sich
Play Caption
Am nächsten Tag geht er zur Schule.
The next day, he goes to school.
Caption 16, Sabine erzählt Witze - Ein Satz
Play Caption
Und wer von der Politik genug gesehen hat,
And anyone who has seen enough of politics
kann einfach weiterflanieren,
can just continue strolling,
zum Beispiel zurück zum Potsdamer Platz.
for example, back to Potsdamer Platz.
Captions 38-39, Berlin - Hauptstadt des vereinten Deutschland
Play Caption
Zu is the most widely used preposition to express "to" and it can often (but not always) substitute for in, an, and auf. We can say Ich gehe ins Fitnessstudio, but also Ich gehe zum Fitnessstudio. Both Ich gehe auf den Markt and Ich gehe zum Markt are correct. However, sometimes only zu is correct and sometimes it can't be used at all. Ich fahre ins Restaurant doesn't sound right because you aren't literally going to drive your car into the restaurant. With the verb fahren it's better to use zum Restaurant.
There is an instance in which zu is used exclusively and you have likely already come across it. You may know that zu Hause sein means "to be at home" and nach Hause gehen is "to go home." But when we talk about visiting someone at their home, we always use zu and it is actually very simple.
Ich gehe um elf zu Lisa.
I'm going to Lisa's at eleven.
Caption 16, Nicos Weg - A2 Folge 5: Geld ist für mich…
Play Caption
Aber jetzt gehen wir erst mal zu deiner Tante.
But first let's go to your aunt's now.
Caption 22, Nicos Weg - A1 Folge 23: Ich habe kein…
Play Caption
Further Learning
Re-read the other parts of this series of lessons linked in the first paragraph. You can keep a running list of how you see the preposition "to" translated on Yabla German, or make a list of places and try to say "I'm going to ____" for each one in German. Here are some sentences you can translate to get started: "I'm going to the park," "I'm going to the restaurant," "I'm driving to the beach," "I'm taking the train to Munich," "I'm going to Ana's house," "I'm getting into the car," "I'm going to the market," "I'm going home." Consider: which of these can also be said in German using zu?
You may be familiar with auf as a preposition meaning "on" or "for." However, like the prepositions nach, in, and an, there are times when its meaning is "to" (accusative) and "at" (dative) and you will see it translated as such.
Viele machen sich's gemütlich zu Hause oder sie gehen auf eine Party.
Many people will make themselves comfortable at home or they will go to a party.
Caption 93, Silvester - Vorsätze für das neue Jahr - Linkenheim
Play Caption
Yes, in German we say auf eine Party gehen ("to go to a party") and also auf eine Hochzeit gehen ("to go to a wedding").
There are certain public places for which auf is used as well. In the sentence below, der Markt refers to the consumer market, but you would also say Ich gehe auf den Markt to tell your friend that you are going to an outdoor farmer's market, and Ich bin auf dem Markt (with dative) once you have arrived there.
Und einige der neuen Fahrzeuge, die jetzt auf den Markt kommen,
And you will see some of the new vehicles that are now coming on to the market
werden Sie erstmals bei dieser IAA sehen.
for the first time at this IAA.
Captions 44-45, Internationale Automobilausstellung - IAA in Frankfurt öffnet die Pforten
Play Caption
As you might imagine, auf is also used when we will end up on or on top of something. If you remember our previous newsletter on the preposition in, the second example below might be quite confusing. But indeed, we say in die Berge when driving into/towards the mountains and auf den Berg when referring to climbing a single mountain.
Die Aktivisten kletterten über Kräne auf das Dach des Gebäudes.
The activists climbed via cranes onto the roof of the building.
Caption 8, Atomkraft - Streit um AKW-Laufzeiten
Play Caption
Am besten steigen wir auf den Berg.
It's best if we climb the mountain.
Caption 9, JoNaLu - Ein Tag am Meer
Play Caption
And finally, auf is also used with islands.
Die Urlauber, die jetzt auf die Insel kommen, lassen sich den Wind um die Nase pusten.
The vacationers who come now to the island let the wind blow over their faces.
Caption 2, Die Insel Fehmarn - Gästeboom
Play Caption
Further Learning
Other places and nouns that are commonly paired with the preposition auf when they are the destination include der Spielplatz, der Fußballplatz, der Fluss, die Messe, and der Turm. Don't forget that auf is also a two-way preposition, so you will also see it used with the dative on Yabla German to describe location.
After looking at the two-way preposition in last week, let's continue our series with an. This preposition is also a two-way preposition and is used in a multitude of contexts, including with the accusative case to express movement from one place to another.
We use an rather than nach or in in some contexts where we will end up next to or to the side of something rather than in or on it.
Sarah, komm du doch mal bitte an die Tafel.
Sarah, come up to the blackboard, please.
Caption 5, Bundesländer und ihre Spezialitäten - Baden-Württemberg
Play Caption
Ich gehe rüber ans Fenster
I go over to the window
Caption 5, Philipp Poisel - Wie soll ein Mensch das ertragen?
Play Caption
An is also used when we are going to a place that forms a boundary or edge. In particular, you can memorize an die Küste and an den Strand.
Natali und Florian zieht es zunächst an die Küste Cornwalls.
Natali and Florian proceed first to the coast of Cornwall.
Caption 28, Abenteuer Nordsee - Unter Riesenhaien und Tintenfischen
Play Caption
In dieser Nacht segelten sie zurück an den Strand von Troja.
That night they sailed back to the beach of Troy.
Caption 80, Märchen - Sagenhaft - Das Trojanische Pferd
Play Caption
Eine neue Hiobsbotschaft
A new piece of bad news
ist die plötzliche Abberufung Tresckows an die Ostfront.
is the sudden recall of Tresckow to the Eastern Front.
Captions 80-81, Die Stunde der Offiziere - Dokudrama über den 20. Juli 1944
Play Caption
Und man davonfliegen möchte, so leicht wie eine kleine, weiße Feder,
And you would like to fly away, as light as a little white feather
bis ans Ende der Welt.
to the end of the world.
Captions 32-33, Piggeldy und Frederick - Das Fernweh
Play Caption
Further Learning
Other places/nouns that are commonly paired with the preposition an when they are the destination include die Kreuzung (the intersection), die Wand (the wall), and die Grenze (the border). With all three of these examples, an + the accusative is only used when the barrier is NOT being crossed or traversed and it is simply a matter of going/driving/walking "up to" it. When you see an on Yabla German, you can quickly note whether it's being used with the accusative to mean "to" or with the dative to mean "at" or "on." Don't forget, however, that an also appears in contexts that have nothing to do with going or being anywhere (for example, an etwas denken).
In last week's newsletter on the preposition nach, we also looked at a few instances in which in is used to express going to a place, specifically for certain countries. In is also used to talk about going into town (in die Stadt), and actually also to talk about going into the mountains (in die Berge) and into the forest (in den Wald).
Ich als Hamburger bin hier eigentlich als Flachlandtiroler bekannt
As a resident of Hamburg, I am actually known as a "flatland Tyrolean"
und dennoch zieht es mich immer wieder in die Berge.
and yet I am still repeatedly drawn to the mountains.
Captions 3-4, 48 h in Innsbruck - Sehenswürdigkeiten & Tipps
Play Caption
In is a two-way preposition. With the accusative case, it is used to express movement towards a place — i.e. the English preposition "to." You wouldn't know it from the examples above, but one pattern you can note is that it is actually often used when the goal is an indoor location that you will spend time in. It is perhaps somewhat similar to how we sometimes use the preposition "into" in English.
Wir gehen total gerne ins Kino.
We really like going to the cinema.
Caption 50, Anja Polzer - Interview
Play Caption
Ich erinner' mich, wie wir nach der Schule immer in den Laden gekommen sind.
I remember how we used to always come into the shop after school.
Caption 29, Malerei - Benno Treiber
Play Caption
Wir sind jeden Morgen in die Schule gefahren nach West-Berlin.
We rode to West Berlin to school every morning.
Caption 44, Die Klasse - Berlin '61
Play Caption
Note how in das is shortened to ins in the first example above. This is a common contraction.
When speaking about getting into a car or boarding a bus or train, you can also use the preposition in, as the implication is that you will spend time inside.
Und ich würd jetzt sagen, wir steigen jetzt ins Auto.
And I would now say, we'll get in the car now.
Caption 27, Sallys Tortenwelt und Kochwelt - Backen mit Kindern & Auftritt bei Radio Rumms
Play Caption
Other phrases with the preposition in to memorize include ins Bett gehen:
Ich lese gleich noch ein Buch für die Schule und dann geh ich ins Bett.
I'm going to read a book for school now and then I'll go to bed.
Caption 21, Nicos Weg - A1 Folge 31: Am Sonntag koche ich
Play Caption
In German, there are a number of prepositions that can be translated as "to" to express movement from one place to another: nach, zu, in, an, and auf. Often it is difficult to know which one to use in what context and with what type of place, and you simply have to memorize certain patterns. This week, let's begin with the preposition nach.
We use nach when the destination is a city, and also for most countries. However, there are some exceptions to this in which in is used with countries, for example, with die Türkei, die Schweiz, and die Vereinigten Staaten (As you may remember, some countries have genders in German). And keep in mind that the preposition in is used when the destination is die Stadt ("the city" or "the town") or das Dorf ("the village").
Ihre Nachkommen wanderten auch nach Italien und Österreich aus.
Their offspring also migrated to Italy and Austria.
Caption 26, Alpenseen - Kühle Schönheiten
Play Caption
Er will in die Schweiz reisen. Schön, was noch?
He wants to travel to Switzerland. Nice, what else?
Caption 37, Deutschkurs in Tübingen - Über jemanden sprechen
Play Caption
Hi, ich bin Marie. Ich bin gerade mit Julia nach Berlin gezogen.
Hi, I'm Marie. I just moved to Berlin with Julia.
Caption 3, Die Wohngemeinschaft - Besuch
Play Caption
Eines Tages machte sich der Kaufmann auf den Weg in die Stadt, um Geld zu verdienen.
One day, the Merchant set out for town in order to earn some money.
Caption 9, Märchen - Sagenhaft - Die Schöne und das Biest
Play Caption
Nach is also used for cardinal directions and with "left," "right," "up," and "down."
Es drehte sich nach links... -Und du? -und dann nach rechts.
He turned to the left... -And you? -and then to the right.
Caption 18, Meine Freundin Conni - Conni schläft im Kindergarten
Play Caption
Der Russe dreht mit starken Kräften westlich der Düna nach Norden ein.
The Russians are turning west of the Daugava River towards the north with strong forces.
Caption 25, Die Stunde der Offiziere - Dokudrama über den 20. Juli 1944
Play Caption
Another rule: while we say "go/drive/come home" in English, the equivalent phrase in German has a preposition: nach Hause + verb.
Und als der Bär nach Hause kam, machten sie sich einen gemütlichen Abend.
And when the bear came home, they had a cozy evening.
Captions 37-38, Janoschs Traumstunde - Post für den Tiger
Play Caption
Further Learning
We will cover the other prepositions used to express movement from one place to another in coming newsletters. Pay attention to how "to" is translated with various places and directions on Yabla German and stay tuned!
A sentence construction with das sind... followed by a plural noun is a bit confusing at first, but it's very common in spoken German. At first you might be tempted to translate it literally, but with "that are" (sic), you'll find the singular subject and the plural verb to be in disagreement. That's because the demonstrative pronouns das and dies are not inflected by the plural of the verb sein ("to be").
So it's more natural for a native German to say Das sind Hans und Grete. This can sound a bit strange when you're first learning German.
Nein, das hier sind keine mutierten Gartenzwerge.
No, these here are no mutated garden gnomes.
Caption 1, „Mini-Marxe“ - In Trier
Play Caption
Immer dran denken: Das sind alles Verben, die einen Akkusativ brauchen.
Always remember: they are all verbs that require the accusative case.
Caption 31, Deutschkurs in Tübingen - Fragen
Play Caption
Das sind nun die Zutaten für unseren Apfelkuchen.
These are now the ingredients for our apple cake.
Caption 3, Apfelkuchen - mit Eva
Play Caption
Das sind oft nur wenige Pfennige und man bekommt das Geld natürlich wieder.
Often these are just a few pennies and you get the money back, of course.
Caption 34, Eva erklärt - Mülltrennung
Play Caption
And here are a couple of examples using dies sind:
Dies sind nur ganz wenige Ausschnitte aus dem zurückliegenden Jahr.
These are just a very few excerpts from the previous year.
Caption 8, Angela Merkel - Neujahrsansprache
Play Caption
Dies sind Hinterlassenschaften eines Krokodils.
These are the remains of a crocodile.
Caption 10, Ausgrabungen - Auf den Spuren der Dinosaurier
Play Caption
Further Learning
Look for more examples of das sind on Yabla German to see the phrase used in a real-world context.
Whether we are referring to our stuff on a nearby chair or a serious matter that needs to be discussed, there are several words in German that can be helpful. Most of them can be used in a number of contexts, but there are a few things to be aware of.
Sachen is a very versatile word, and can be used to refer to physical items but also matters and topics. Of course, das Thema is a more common word for "the topic."
Und ja, ich räume meine Sachen nicht immer sofort weg.
And yes, I don't always clean up my stuff away right away.
Caption 29, Die Wohngemeinschaft - Probleme
Play Caption
Hier gibt es viele verschiedene Sachen für die Familie und für die Kinder zu sehen.
Here there are many different things for the family and for the children to see.
Caption 8, Berlin - Domäne Dahlem
Play Caption
Fazit: In Sachen Hamburger hat die Hauptstadt auf jeden Fall mehr zu bieten.
Conclusion: When it comes to hamburgers, the capital city definitely has more to offer.
Caption 25, Berlin - Die beste Auswahl an Hamburgern
Play Caption
Der Gegenstand is used to refer to a physical object or item, but also a topic of conversation or debate. And, of course, there is also the word das Objekt. In shopping, der Artikel ("the item") and die Ware are more likely to be used.
Auch hier handelt es sich um einen runden Gegenstand.
Also here it is about a round object.
Caption 34, Eva zeigt uns - Formen
Play Caption
Slang terms for "stuff" or "odds and ends" are der Kram and das Zeug.
So viele Spinnweben und so viel Kram
So many cobwebs and so much stuff
Caption 11, Silbermond - Leichtes Gepäck
Play Caption
Diese Box wird für Bücher, dieser Karton wird für das Zeug aus der Küche sein.
This box will be for books, this carton will be for stuff from the kitchen.
Caption 14, Drei Leute - beim Kofferpacken
Play Caption
The word das Ding is, of course, also commonly used, and not just for objects.
Wir testen die Dinger jetzt schon seit Monaten.
We've been testing the things for months already.
Caption 30, Die Stunde der Offiziere - Dokudrama über den 20. Juli 1944
Play Caption
Ich habe entschieden, die Dinge selbst in die Hände [sic, Hand] zu nehmen.
I have decided to take matters into my own hands.
Caption 6, Berufsleben - Probleme mit Mitarbeitern
Play Caption
The plural forms die Dinger and die Dinge are both used. Generally, die Dinger refers to multiple things of the same kind, whereas die Dinge refers to multiple things of different kinds.
Further Learning
Das Thema, die Sache, das Objekt, der Artikel, die Ware, der Gegenstand, der Kram, das Zeug, and das Ding: Yabla German has many examples of all of these words, as they are commonly used. Go through them and make sure you know which are only used for non-physical ideas, topics, and matters, which are exclusively for physical objects, and which are applicable in both contexts. Making a venn diagram may be a good strategy!
Inglés
Francés
Italiano
Español
English
Español 
Français
Italiano
Português
Deutsch