German course

Lesson 105 of 240

New here? This is lesson 105 of a free 240-lesson German course.

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Hail a taxi in German

Rain hits Fliederstraße and Priya cannot wait for the U-Bahn. She hails a taxi to Dr. Albrecht's Praxis.

The driver is formal, so you use Sie. Anton took the U-Bahn and is already upstairs at the Praxis.

By the end, you'll name a stop, ask how long it takes and what it costs, then ask to stop, wait, and get a receipt.

By the end of this lesson

Tell a driver where to go and ask how long it takes.

  • Ich möchte zu ___, bitte.I'd like to go to ___, please.
  • Wie lange dauert das ungefähr?About how long will it take?
  • Wie viel wird das ungefähr kosten?About how much will that cost?
  • Können Sie bitte hier anhalten?Can you stop here, please?
  • Können Sie bitte kurz warten?Can you wait a moment, please?
  • Kann ich bitte eine Quittung bekommen?Can I have a receipt, please?

Scene — the taxi in the rain

Sudden rain on Fliederstraße. Priya stands at the curb with her rust-orange raincoat already wet, and a taxi slows.

The Praxis sits above the pharmacy two minutes away. Anton took the U-Bahn and is already upstairs.

Priya waits at the rainy curb as a taxi slows beside her.

Learn — stops, time, and a receipt

Six lines cover a short taxi ride in the rain.

You name a stop, ask about time and cost, then ask the driver to stop, wait, and give you a receipt.

  1. Priya leans into the open rear doorway and points along the wet street.

    Ich möchte zu ___, bitte.

    I'd like to go to ___, please.

    When to use it: Say this to a taxi driver to name your stop.

    After zu, use the dative, like der Praxis.

    Say it: Möchte uses a round ö sound.

  2. Priya leans forward from the back seat to ask how long the trip will take.

    Wie lange dauert das ungefähr?

    About how long will it take?

    When to use it: Ask a driver how long the ride will take.

    Ungefähr means you want a rough time, not an exact one.

    Say it: The ä in ungefähr is long.

  3. Priya looks toward the driver and the taxi meter while asking about the fare.

    Wie viel wird das ungefähr kosten?

    About how much will that cost?

    When to use it: Ask a driver the likely fare before you go.

    Wird stays second; kosten comes last in this question.

  4. Priya signals for the taxi to stop in front of the pharmacy.

    Können Sie bitte hier anhalten?

    Can you stop here, please?

    When to use it: Ask the driver to stop at this spot.

    A taxi driver you have just met gets Sie, not du.

    Say it: Anhalten stresses the first syllable.

  5. Priya is halfway out of the taxi and turns back to ask the driver to wait.

    Können Sie bitte kurz warten?

    Can you wait a moment, please?

    When to use it: Ask the driver to wait a short time.

    Kurz means you only need a moment, not a long wait.

  6. Priya takes a receipt from the driver before leaving the taxi.

    Kann ich bitte eine Quittung bekommen?

    Can I have a receipt, please?

    When to use it: Ask for a receipt at the end of the ride.

    Eine Quittung is accusative; keep the article with the noun.

    Say it: Quittung stresses the first syllable.

Story — rain to the Praxis

Watch Priya hail a taxi in the rain and get to the Praxis.

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

  1. Rain hits the curb. A taxi slows. The driver lowers the window.
  2. DriverGuten Tag. Wohin soll es gehen?Good afternoon. Where should we go?
  3. PriyaIch möchte zu der Praxis, bitte.I'd like to go to the doctor's practice, please.
  4. DriverIn Ordnung.All right.
  5. PriyaWie lange dauert das ungefähr?About how long will that take?
  6. DriverEs dauert noch zehn Minuten.It'll take another ten minutes.
  7. PriyaWie viel wird das ungefähr kosten?About how much will that cost?
  8. DriverSo acht Euro.About eight euros.
  9. The wipers tick. The pharmacy sits just ahead in the rain.
  10. PriyaKönnen Sie bitte hier anhalten?Can you stop here, please?
  11. DriverHier vor der Apotheke.Here in front of the pharmacy.
  12. PriyaKönnen Sie bitte kurz warten?Can you wait a moment, please?
  13. DriverJa, gerne.Yes, gladly.
  14. PriyaKann ich bitte eine Quittung bekommen?Can I have a receipt, please?
  15. DriverJa, einen Moment.Yes, one moment.
  16. On the Praxis landing, Anton is already there, still dry.
  17. AntonDu bist nass. Ich bin mit der U-Bahn gekommen.You're wet. I came on the U-Bahn.

Practice — tell the driver

Ten short exercises mix listening, gaps, matching, and building a line.

They stay on the taxi ride, so you practise what to tell the driver.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What do you say?

    You have just sat down in a taxi. Name where you want to go.

  3. What does it mean?

    Wie viel wird das ungefähr kosten?

  4. Fill the gap

    Can you stop here, please?

    Können Sie bitte hier ____?

  5. Pick the reply

    Driver says:

    Soll ich schon weiterfahren?

    Should I drive on already?

    And you reply with:

  6. Build the line

    Can I have a receipt, please?

    ?

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Swap the word

    You want a rough time for the ride, not an exact one.

    Wie lange dauert das ____?

  8. Match the pairs

    German

    Können Sie bitte hier anhalten?Drop the English here
    Können Sie bitte kurz warten?Drop the English here
    Kann ich bitte eine Quittung bekommen?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 open the taxi door in the afternoon. Greet the driver.

  10. True or false?

    This line asks the driver how long the ride will take.

Say it — your turn in the taxi

Now you're Priya in the taxi. 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. DriverGuten Tag. Wohin soll es gehen?Good afternoon. Where should we go?
  2. Priya (you)Tell him you want to go to the doctor's practice.

    Ich möchte zu ___, bitte.

    I'd like to go to ___, please.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Ich möchte zu ___, bitte.I'd like to go to ___, please.
Wie lange dauert das ungefähr?About how long will it take?
Wie viel wird das ungefähr kosten?About how much will that cost?
Können Sie bitte hier anhalten?Can you stop here, please?
Können Sie bitte kurz warten?Can you wait a moment, please?
Kann ich bitte eine Quittung bekommen?Can I have a receipt, please?
Next: lesson 106Left something in the car

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep these taxi lines handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards keeps your taxi lines ready for the next rainy street.

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