German course

Lesson 100 of 240

New here? This is lesson 100 of a free 240-lesson German course.

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Taking the bus in German

Priya needs a BVG bus along the canal toward the Bürgeramt. Anton sits on the bakery bench with his ticket on a cord.

The driver at the stop is brief, so keep your questions short. Ask which bus goes where, and when it leaves.

You will also ask how often it comes, and say when the bus is late.

By the end of this lesson

Ask which bus goes where, when it leaves, and how often it comes.

  • Welcher Bus fährt nach ___?Which bus goes to ___?
  • Fährt dieser Bus zum Markt?Does this bus go to the market?
  • Wann fährt der nächste Bus?When does the next bus leave?
  • Wie oft kommt der Bus?How often does the bus come?
  • Der Bus kommt zu spät.The bus is late.
  • Wohin fährt dieser Bus?Where does this bus go?

Scene — the canal stop

Afternoon on Fliederstraße. Priya has to get to the Bürgeramt, two stops along the canal.

Anton is already on the bakery bench, a Deutschlandticket on a cord around his neck. The bus stop is just down the street.

Priya tells Anton she needs to reach the Bürgeramt while they are outside the bakery.

Learn — which bus goes where

Six lines for the bus stop: which bus, where it goes, when it leaves, and how often.

You also get a line for when the bus is late.

  1. Priya asks about the waiting bus as Anton stands with her at the canal stop.

    Welcher Bus fährt nach ___?

    Which bus goes to ___?

    When to use it: Ask which bus goes to a city you name.

    Welcher goes with der Bus when you ask which one of several.

    Say it: Welcher uses the soft ch, as in ich.

  2. Priya asks where the bus goes while looking toward it.

    Fährt dieser Bus zum Markt?

    Does this bus go to the market?

    When to use it: Ask this when that bus is already at your stop.

    Zum is zu plus dem; der Markt takes that form.

    Say it: The ä in fährt sounds like e in bed.

  3. Priya gestures toward the bus while asking which bus goes to the Bürgeramt.

    Wann fährt der nächste Bus?

    When does the next bus leave?

    When to use it: Ask when the next bus leaves this stop.

    Wann comes first; the verb fährt stays in second place.

    Say it: ch in nächste is the soft ich sound.

  4. Anton asks how often the bus comes while waiting at the stop.

    Wie oft kommt der Bus?

    How often does the bus come?

    When to use it: Ask how often the bus comes from this stop.

    Wie oft asks how often, not what time it leaves.

  5. Priya and Anton wait after the expected bus has not arrived.

    Der Bus kommt zu spät.

    The bus is late.

    When to use it: Say this when the bus has missed its time.

    Zu here means too, so the bus is too late.

  6. Priya notices the bus is late as Anton checks the time and waits with her.

    Wohin fährt dieser Bus?

    Where does this bus go?

    When to use it: Ask where this bus is going, if the sign is unclear.

    Wohin is where to, not where something already is.

    Say it: Wohin has stress on the second syllable: hin.

Story — a brief driver

Watch Priya at the canal stop. The driver is brief, and Anton waits with her.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. Priya tells Anton she needs the Bürgeramt. He is still on the bakery bench, ticket on a cord.
  2. They walk to the canal stop. A bus is waiting. The driver opens the window.
  3. PriyaGuten Tag.Good afternoon.
  4. DriverJa?Yes?
  5. PriyaFährt dieser Bus zum Markt?Does this bus go to the market?
  6. DriverNein.No.
  7. PriyaWohin fährt dieser Bus?Where does this bus go?
  8. DriverNach Treptow.To Treptow.
  9. PriyaWelcher Bus fährt nach Treptow?Which bus goes to Treptow?
  10. DriverDieser hier.This one.
  11. PriyaWelcher Bus fährt zum Bürgeramt?Which bus goes to the Bürgeramt?
  12. DriverLinie 140.Line 140.
  13. PriyaWann fährt der nächste Bus?When does the next bus leave?
  14. DriverIn zehn Minuten.In ten minutes.
  15. AntonWie oft kommt der Bus?How often does the bus come?
  16. DriverAlle zehn Minuten.Every ten minutes.
  17. They wait. The next bus does not come.
  18. PriyaDer Bus kommt zu spät.The bus is late.
  19. AntonIch bin spät dran.I'm running late.

Practice — next bus and late

Ten quick exercises wait here. You will listen, pick, fill a gap, swap a word, and build a line.

They stay short, like the driver's answers.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What do you say?

    You need to know which bus goes to a city on the map.

  3. Fill the gap

    When does the next bus leave?

    Wann fährt der ____ Bus?

  4. Build the line

    How often does the bus come?

    ?

    Tap the words in order.

  5. What does it mean?

    Der Bus kommt zu spät.

  6. Swap the word

    The bus is at the stop, but you cannot read where it goes.

    Wohin fährt dieser ____?

  7. Pick the reply

    Anton says:

    Der Bus kommt zu spät.

    The bus is late.

    And you reply with:

  8. Match the pairs

    German

    Welcher Bus fährt nach ___?Drop the English here
    Wann fährt der nächste Bus?Drop the English here
    Wie oft kommt der Bus?Drop the English here
    Der Bus kommt zu spät.Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its German, or tap one and then the other.

  9. What do you say?

    You greet the driver in the daytime, before you ask anything.

  10. True or false?

    This asks when the next bus leaves.

Say it — ask the driver

Now you're Priya at the bus stop. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap ▶ first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. DriverJa?Yes?
  2. Priya (you)Ask if this bus goes to the market.

    Fährt dieser Bus zum Markt?

    Does this bus go to the market?

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Welcher Bus fährt nach ___?Which bus goes to ___?
Fährt dieser Bus zum Markt?Does this bus go to the market?
Wann fährt der nächste Bus?When does the next bus leave?
Wie oft kommt der Bus?How often does the bus come?
Der Bus kommt zu spät.The bus is late.
Wohin fährt dieser Bus?Where does this bus go?
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