Beginners' German for busy people - part 1

1. Beginners' German for busy people - Part 1: is this you? You put your holidays to Germany. You're very excited. You're looking forward to the German towns for German food on the German beer. Well, maybe this issue you booked your business trip to Germany. You're exhibiting at a trade fair. You have to tend to business meeting or media perspective. New client. But you don't speak any German. Andi, you don't have time. You already very busy with work and family life. How can you possibly fit in some German lessons? Arm Angelica Davie. That's me. On the left on. I have the perfect solution for you. A 30 day challenge with bite sized lessons each lasting about 5 to 15 minutes on almost no grammar. But you will be a crypt. Enough toe, Have a wonderful holiday or even get that business deal. What are you waiting for? Join the challenge. 2. Introduction to the challenge: I'm a native German speakers, qualified teacher who's lived in the UK since 1982. I've been teaching German for over 20 years, but always face to face or via Skype. Looking at other books and courses are movers intrigued when their promise you to be fluent in a language in 26 days or whatever. I wouldn't do that because that would mean practicing for hours, possibly 24 hours a day. Total immersion in a new language is, of course, the best way to learn it. But we don't live in an ideal world. Most of us intend to spend a lot of time with learning the new language, and then life gets in the way. Therefore, most people shy away from even attempting to learn. So I have this idea a while ago off offering an email challenge with small tasks on a video which would enable the subscribers to get by in a force coming holiday. That challenge was a success, which, in current me to convert these emails into a Kindle book. And then I discovered you too May and realized that I have even more options here. So welcome to this first beginner's German. For busy people here, you will get small tasks one for each day for 30 days. It won't take long to complete, but hopefully will be fun. And at the end you will be equipped with some basic important German words and phrases to accompany you on your holiday or even that business trip. Although this course is primarily aimed at absolute beginners, it might also be a good reminder for those who have learned a little German a long time ago . It is also useful for those who are about to go to Austria or any other country where German can be spoken. You may find that certain words or phrases are different, but the principle is the same. The idea is that you complete one task every day. But don't worry. If you can't do it, just continue when you're ready or do more than one challenge a day to catch up. Nobody's checking up on you, and if it takes longer, I won't slap your wrist. Unfortunately, I can't sit in the pub with you to do look German lesson. It would be good, but I do enable you to learn German one step at the time 3. Day 1 - Greetings: greetings and her low today one. And that is exactly what you will learn today. How to greet people in the morning. You can say Gutin Margon. You can say that until about midday, but from 10 o'clock onwards, you can also say Guttentag, which you can use all day, but it is usually used in the afternoon as there is no equivalent to good afternoon. In the evening, you will say Goten, Arvind, a more informal greeting is hollow or even high. Or chow the informer. Greetings always depend on when you are in Germany, what's fashionable at the time? If you go to southern Germany, Bavaria or even Austria, you will hear Chris Scott. And in Switzerland, you would hear good. See, So to re couple those words again. Good morning, escutcheon Morgan. And I repeat Gutin Morgan and I let you say it. Good. Good afternoon. Is Gutin tack? I repeat, Gutin, Turk and your turn. Good evening. It's gotten our bond. I repeat Goten, Arvind. And your turn. I don't think you have any problems with the next one. Hello is hollow. I repeat. Hello. And you can say that. Hi. I don't think I need to explain Chow crew Scott glitzy you most of the time UN really expected to reply back like that. But it is nice to know if you hear it, that that's what they mean. So today's task right? The new phrases into your notebook practice saying them Go on, get on your family's nerves by greeting them in German during the day. Or you could message me here or even send a tweet with the hashtag 30 day German added to retreat. And that's it for today. Have fun. I'll see you tomorrow. 4. Day 2 - My name is ...: good Martin. Or is it afternoon already, then couldn't talk unless you don't watches until the evening. In that case, good now, anyway, Hello. I send you my greetings today, too. Your first task today is to greet back. So say hello to me in any form you wish good, you remembered. Today we learned how to introduce ourselves and how to ask others what their names are. The easiest way to say it is my nominee east, plus your first name and use earning. That's the closest to my name is on. That's what's easiest for us to remember. You could also say it's high, sir, which literally means I'm called both of those. My nom ists and dekeyser are equally often used, so it doesn't matter which one you use but always introduced yourself with your first name . Andi surname. Germans are still a lot more former than we are on. By using both names, you give the German the chance to be as formal as they wish to be. If I were to introduce myself by saying Kaeser, Angelica Davey, our Comptel by the answer, whether the German person wants to be formal or informal, if the answer is something like, Hello, Angelica. Then they most likely will use to inform you. If however they answer is something like Good Morgan for Davy, then they want to stay formal as we're assuming you want to go to Germany on holidays and will be spending your time in hotels on with people you don't know and most likely not see again, we will stick to the formal you. In this course, the same goes to business people. If you're going to a trade fair, if you're meeting prospective clients or you having dealings with the German cut company, you want to stay formal and introduce yourself with your first name and your surname on, not just with your first name as it's so commonly done in the UK. Just be aware, though, that you would use different sentences when talking to good friends, members off the family, Children or animals. Anyway, back to the conversation to ask somebody what their name is. You say the Mystere Nama, Or you could also say the high Cincy. If people ask you that question, it doesn't really matter which reply. Use, sir, choose the one that you can remember the easiest now really need is the word for Mr and Mrs Luckily, we don't need to worry about Miss or Miss as there aren't used in Germany. So a man is called hair and a woman foul and that's it. You can have your first minute conversation, for example. I may ask you good Margon v High Cincy and you can reply it Hi sir with your first name and surname and then asked me back on C because I didn't tell you and I will say each Isa Angelica, Davey. So you can reply. Couldn't long before Davy. So to re couple this what were the two ways off asking. What's your name? Yes, the ISTEA Anoma. I repeat the ist via nama and I give you some time to do it on the other one. The high Cincy I repeat the high Cincy and I let you say it And the answer either mine Aama ist my Nam ist. So go on, tell me your name or you prefer Hi sir. Hi, sir. So just to practice it say that one as well. By the way, That funny Let him which looks like a Capital B is the Bessette is a sharp s sound. Mr Waas? Yes, Hair and Mrs Flow and Miss? Yeah, we don't need it. So today's task right? Then you phrases into notebook practice saying them get all new families nerves again by asking them their names and telling them who you are. Of course, in German. Alternatively, you could message me here, or you can send me a treat If you at the 30 day German hashtag to it, I will get it. Most importantly half see you tomorrow. 5. Day 3 - I come from ...: Welcome to day three. Today you will learn how to say where we come from. But first, onto my question re high. Cincy, Did you remember your answer? Yes. Great if not quickly checked Age organ Anyway, today we're looking at the following question Vore here Common Z Where do you come from? So I'll say it again. Vu here Common Z and I let you have a go. Good. When somebody asks you voyeur Common z, your answer will be calmer house And then you name the country So I come from plus the country If comma house England which is sing Good England Shortland, Scotland shot land. Wales is easy because Weld is Wales. Ireland, which is island. Your lunch? Not here. Land Northern island. Not here, Lund, You can tell I live in the UK because I've covered all the UK countries. I am adding also America, which is America, Canada, which is Canada Now, I know that's not really covering all the countries on the chances that your country has not been mentioned there. Um, in that case, the best bid is if you go to one of the online dictionaries or go to Google, translate even which is fine for that one type in the name of your country. And when you see the German translation, click on the listening button to hear the pronunciation. So then you can say it's calmer else, plus your country. I've also added the three German speaking countries. I doubt you will need to say it, but you may hear them saying it, so at least you know where they're coming from. So if somebody says Kama else Deutschland than their Germans because I come from Germany, it's common else. Deutschland If you come across booster right, which is Austria boost. I come hours Desh rights. Just Switzerland Desh rights. Now Switzerland is one of the few countries where in German you need to say the gender beforehand. They're only about a handful in Switzerland is one of them. I don't want to go into the grammar. So for the time being, just remember that if people come from Switzerland, they would saying comma else dare sh rights rather than just rights. Today's task right. The new sentences into your notebook practice asking people where they come from and give your own answer. Get on somebody's, or maybe even everybody's, but that's at your own risk nerves by asking them where they come from as before in German , of course. And finally on C for her common Z. Go on, answer me. 6. Day 4 - I live in ...: welcome today for Do you remember how to say I come from? I hope so. If not quickly. Check yesterday's task again because today will add, I live in. Once people hear where you from, they may ask you move on and see where do you live, Ronan Z. And your answer would be its Warner in Plus the name off the town or the village I live in . So my answer, for example, would be ish Warner in devices chances. Have never heard of your place. Certainly haven't heard of devices, so they would say ruling us voor leaked us. Where is it? Literally actually means where does it lie? Where is it situated? And you would say in their near fun, which is near and then another place in their near fun to give you an idea. This is a conversation I often have with Germans. They hear that I live in England, so they say, warns E. And I say it's one in devices. Never heard of it. So they say, who leaked us? So I think of a bigger town, and I say in a near from salt free, I get a blank stare in any of from Swindon, still a blank stare in her near from Bath. And I think surely that must have heard of Bath and Salisbury. No blank stares in a Nathan Stonehenge. Ah, Stonehenge. Of course, he could simplify it by adding the county or the country to the sentence. So, for example, I could say it's Ronin devices in Wiltshire, or even if Warner in devices in England. Now, when I teach yesterday's task in today's tasks or the questions and answers in lessons, people often ask me, went to answer with the name of the country or the town. My answer is, Do it like you would do in English if a German asked you in Germany, where you are from the new answer with H comma else, England or any other country. If a German asked the same question. Say, for instance, here in England, I mean, there may be really grateful to found an English person who speaks German. Then your answer with calm a house and then named the town. Or if Warner in plus a town, or even if you wanna hear in plus the town. So I live here in whichever town you are If you are in Germany and want to tell people where you from, you could combine the two sentences by saying h comma else. Like I said, there is common else devises in England, which is another chance if comma else devises in England, call my house. Oh, New York in America. Well, I guess most people would know where New York is, just in case I don't. So today's task right the new sentences into a notebook practice asking people where they live and give your own answer and message me and tell me where you're from and where you live. We can treat me with the 30 day German hashtag I speak to you tomorrow. 7. Day 5 - four little words: good attack. And welcome to day five or lecture 10 after only four. Small task. You can now greet somebody. Introduce yourself and tell people where you're from. Have a go tried without looking it up. And only if you stuck. Check out days 1 to 4. How did it go? You remembered it. Well done. You couldn't quite remember it. Don't worry. With practice, it will stick. Today we will only learn four small words. Yes. No, please. And thank you. I know that's five words in English but only four in German. Yes. Is yeah. Yeah No. Nine nine, please Is bitter bitter and thank you dunker. Duncan. I repeat them again and leave a little gap for you to say it as well. Yeah, nine bitter dunker. Now you can also say Yeah. Bitter? Yes, please. If somebody's offering your coffee and you would like to accept it So I say it again. Yeah. Bitter. And you can say nine dunker if you don't want one. No, thank you. Nine dunker. And that was it already. So today's task right? The new words into your notebook practice saying the words maybe from now on for family member ask you whether you want to coffee or anything else to drink. Maybe you'd like to answer them in German. And if you need to practice the first few lessons again, please do but don't stress. It's got to be fun. 8. Day 6 - Do you speak English?: Welcome today. Six. Today we're learning one important sentence, but I didn't see English. Do you speak English? But I shouldn't see English. After you have given answers in German. It is possible that the German person continues talking to you in German and you haven't got a clue what they said quickly throw in Quincy English before it gets too embarrassing. This is a very useful sentence for lots of situations. If you have lost your confidence and you don't dare say anything in German, I just politely asking them spreading the English. You're showing the German person that you are aware off your shortfalls, but you're making an effort which is far better than barging in and shouting in English, which, of course, none of you would do right. You may also hear the question passion. Ze Deutsch. Do you speak German? But McKinsey Deutsche. After yesterday's lesson, you could already answer with nine or year, but we can make it a little bit more polite. Line line nine lighter. Wished nine later finished. I'm afraid not. Although I do hope that you rather use the answer on the right. Yeah, I ambition. Yeah, I ambition. Yes, a little bit. Many Germans are eager to practice their English with you, but not everybody speaks English and even those that do appreciate your efforts. So it's well worth to learn a couple of these phrases. So today's task. Write down the following sentences. Proficiency in English Oppressions e English Sprechen sie deutsch McKinsey. Deutsche nine Lighter. Neat nine. Lighter Need. Yeah, I'm busy. Yeah, I ambition. And then practicing the sentences. No, you may not be English, although you're listening to this course in English. If you would rather ask a German whether they speak your own language, then change the English in the sentence Pregnancy English into your own language. If you need to know how to pronounce that word, find one of the online dictionaries that have a listening button this well so that you can hear how to pronounce your language in German, and I speak to you tomorrow. 9. Day 7 - Sorry!: Welcome today. Seven. Yesterday we learned how to reply to the presidency. George question. What was around two Reagan? Hopefully, you said, Yeah, ambition. He did. Well, then maybe today's a good day to look at several ways off saying Sorry or excuse me. If you want to approach somebody for advice and you want to say Excuse me, then you need ensure Diggins e Piter and sure, Deacon See better. I'll say it again. And truly Kinsey bitter. Or you could use a charter version and just say and surely gong and surely conch. You can use either off those, but don't mix them. So whichever one is easier for you, that's fine. And surely Gong also works if you bump into somebody and want to apologize. But there is an easier word which I keep hearing more and more in Germany. Can you guess? Yes, it's sorry. So if you wanted to say sorry, I don't speak German, you can say put me a light ish pressure kind. George took me a light. If project kind George, the whole sentence should actually be s told me light. But most of the time people don't bother. They saying took me light or the short need. Even more was saying Sorry, each break it kind George on. Finally, there are several ways to react. If you don't understand something you could say, Please repeat that. Please speak slowly. I didn't understand. Can you say that again? Any off those? But I think in a situation when you're stuck and you don't understand what the other person says, you want to get a quick word in to stop them from continuing. So we just learned how to say pardon, which is very bitter. I'll say it again. V. Bitter before ready had bitter V bitter. That's nice and easy, isn't it? Saves all the other sentences. So today's task right. The new sentences into your notebook practice them, bump into people and apologize in German. Well, maybe that's not such a good idea. Maybe just keep practicing 10. Day 8 - Days of the week: Welcome to day eight. Today we learn the days off the week devote Targa and you will be pleased to know that they're very similar to the English words. I would say each word twice and then leave a gap for you to repeat it. So Monday is more talk more tax. Giusti. Dean stuck. Dean stuck Wednesday Mitvol mitt for Thursday Don't s stock. Don't ask Doc Friday, Freitag Hi, Tuck. Saturday Zump stock xem stock. Oh, Zahner Bond Zahn happened. It doesn't make any difference Which one of those two words you use practicing both and then decide on the one that you find easier to say. You just need to be aware off the other word because it's possible that for German talks to you, there may not use the same one as you do, but it really doesn't matter which one you use. And Sunday is on Turk Zahn Tuck, and that's nearly it for today. Your task today it's right down the days of the week and practice saying them and you may just want to add three more words, uh, which you may see the 1st 1 is a war talk, which is a day off rest, and the other one is gosh, Lawson, which means closed. Now you may see these words on a sign outside restaurants or cafes. So if you read more tax cash Lawson or more tax or attack and his Monday, you won't get your coffee or your meal. Another very useful word to know is alsa, which means, except you'll see this on bus or by train timetables if you try and find out what time the train runs on. For example, it says, take Elsa Zahn tax. It means it runs daily, except Sundays is usually written in small print. So look carefully. Even I once waited at the wrong platform and nearly Mr Train, because I didn't see the word alsa, so practice your words until tomorrow. 11. Day 9 - numbers 0 - 10: Welcome today. Nine. Today we look at numbers and start with the numbers from 0 to 10. Andi, I haven't spent any expenses on Duin to take pictures of lovely snails or, as they call it, in German Schneck. So we start with zero, which is no no. One. This science eines to it's survive survive. Sometimes if you hearing people give telephone numbers on the phone, you may also hear the words war, which they use instead. Off spy on that is so that you recognize it and don't mistake it for the next number, which is the high the high four iss fear Fear five is fun fun six is ZX six. Seven is Ze bun Z bun F, which is eight knowing knowing which is nine seen seen, which is 10 and you can now count all the way from 0 to 10 and I will do it just in one go no eines serve I the high Fear Fun's six z Been knowing seen so you can now answer to the question. The ist era telephone Noma. What's your telephone number that's tried out? Somebody's giving you their telephone number. They may start a sentence with minor telephone number ist, which is my telephone numbers. They may say minor Hendy number ist, which is my mobile number nowadays. They may even say minus smartphone, no moist, which you recognise straight away. I'm going to give you three numbers and I will speak slowly. But you still may wish to pause the video to write the numbers down Before listening to the next one. I would give you three numbers and I will reach each number twice so that you can hear it. So the 1st 1 My telephone number ist no funs. Nine eines sieben dry fear sex foot I repeat that one No fun knowing eines Zieba The high fear Sex food The 2nd 1 mine It'll for Norma. Is Noel dry at Zacks Fear z Even knowing spy fun, I repeat that one as well. No. The high Ott six Fear Z been nine spy fun and the last number minor telephone number is knoll. Fear the high serve I at six lines the high and I repeat no fear. Try by at six lines The high Did you get them? This is what they were The first number I read out waas 059173465 The 2nd 1 or read out was 03864 79 to 5 and the last 1043288613 Well done. If you've got them all, don't panic. If you did get some numbers mixed up, it doesn't happen overnight. It does take a bit of practice. So today's task. Write the numbers from 0 to 10 into your notebook. Write down your telephone number on right underneath. How to say it in German practice, saying the numbers and your telephone number. But most of all is have fun while practicing. Yeah, don't just count. 123 Make it fun. You making some witches count how many you're washing up. Count how many cups or knives or glasses or pots or whatever it is you're washing. Youth washed. Don't sit there and go lines by Thai fear Food unless you're counting sheep and you're trying to go to sleep, have fun