Lessons marked Free are open to everyone; the rest open with their course or All courses. Early access: a native speaker is still checking Unit 1: Hallo.

German / Unit 1: Hallo / lesson 6

Story: the first evening

A listening story. Vicki tells it: Daniel's first evening at her Stammtisch, a German-English evening at a regular table in a Chicago bar. Listen to each line, read the meaning, and then answer the questions.

Before you listen

The first evening

Daniel comes to Vicki's evening. Vicki tells the story.

1 / 4

The story, line by line

The first evening

Guten Abend! Ich heiße Vicki, und ich komme aus Hamburg.

Good evening! My name is Vicki, and I am from Hamburg.

1 / 15

Read it

GermanEnglish
Guten Abend! Ich heiße Vicki, und ich komme aus Hamburg.Good evening! My name is Vicki, and I am from Hamburg.
Daniel ist neu in Chicago. Er kommt aus München.Daniel is new in Chicago. He is from Munich.
Daniel sagt: Gute Nacht!Daniel says: Good night!
Aber es ist Abend!But it is evening!
Ich sage: Guten Abend, Daniel! Ich bin Vicki.I say: Good evening, Daniel! I am Vicki.
Daniel sagt: Ah, guten Abend! Freut mich, Vicki.Daniel says: Oh, good evening! Nice to meet you, Vicki.
Ich sage: Freut mich auch. Wie geht es dir?I say: Nice to meet you too. How are you?
Daniel sagt: Es geht. Heute bin ich neu!Daniel says: So-so. Today I am new!
Emma ist auch neu. Sie kommt aus Boston.Emma is new too. She is from Boston.
Emma sagt: Hallo, Daniel! Ich bin Emma. Woher kommst du?Emma says: Hi, Daniel! I am Emma. Where are you from?
Daniel sagt: Ich komme aus München. Und du?Daniel says: I am from Munich. And you?
Emma sagt: Ich komme aus Boston. Wie geht es dir?Emma says: I am from Boston. How are you?
Daniel sagt: Gut, danke! Und dir, Emma?Daniel says: Fine, thanks! And you, Emma?
Emma sagt: Sehr gut, danke.Emma says: Very well, thanks.
Und ich sage: Willkommen in Chicago, Daniel!And I say: Welcome to Chicago, Daniel!
New wordEnglish
heutetoday
neunew
aberbut
sagt · ich sagehe or she says · I say
der Abendthe evening (as in Guten Abend)
Note.

Heute bin ich neu! The verb comes second, even when the sentence starts with another word: Heute bin ich neu, not Heute ich bin neu.

Questions

Listen: question 1

Press Play and listen.

1 / 1
Question

Where is Daniel from?

Hint
Er kommt aus: he is from.
Solution

Er kommt aus München: he is from Munich.

Question

Where is Vicki from?

Hint
She says it in the first line.
Solution

Ich komme aus Hamburg.

Listen: question 3

Press Play and listen.

1 / 1
Question

What is wrong with Daniel's hello?

Hint
Listen to the next line: Aber es ist Abend!
Solution

Gute Nacht is for bedtime or for parting late. In the evening, the hello is Guten Abend.

Question

Daniel ist neu in Chicago. Richtig oder falsch?

Hint
neu: new.
Solution

Richtig. Daniel ist neu in Chicago.

Question

Daniel says he is very well tonight. Richtig oder falsch?

Hint
Listen again to line 8.
Solution

Falsch. He says Es geht: so-so. He is new today!

Question

Emma ist auch neu. What does this mean?

Hint
auch: too, also.
Solution

Emma is new too.

Question

Emma and Daniel say du to each other. Richtig oder falsch?

Hint
Listen to Emma's question to Daniel.
Solution

Richtig. Woher kommst du? · Und dir, Emma? At a relaxed evening, people of an age use du.

Listen: question 8

Press Play and listen.

1 / 1
Question

What does Vicki say at the end?

Hint
Willkommen: welcome.
Solution

Willkommen in Chicago, Daniel! Welcome to Chicago.

Put Emma and Daniel's meeting in order

Click the items in the correct order. Click an item in your answer to move it back.

Available items
Your order

Note.

End of Unit 1. You can greet someone at any time of day, say your name and ask theirs, say nice to meet you, ask how someone is and answer, choose between du and Sie, say I am, you are, he is, she is with sein, say where you are from with Ich komme aus, say goodbye, and follow a short conversation and a short story in German.

Note.

Next: Unit 2, numbers and age.