German course

Lesson 75 of 240

New here? This is lesson 75 of a free 240-lesson German course.

Start hereHow this works

What we're doing in class in German

Priya is late to her Tuesday German class at the Volkshochschule. The door is already shut, and she has to ask if she may come in.

The only free chair is at the back. She cannot see the board, and when pair work starts she has no partner.

By the end, you'll say what you need in the room and ask what the class should do.

Keep these lines short. The teacher will not wait through a long polite speech.

By the end of this lesson

Say what you need in class and ask what the class should do.

  • Ich bin noch nicht fertig.I'm not finished yet.
  • Ich kann die Tafel nicht sehen.I can't see the board.
  • Müssen wir das mitschreiben?Do we need to write this down?
  • Darf ich reinkommen?May I come in?
  • Ich habe keinen Partner.I don't have a partner.
  • Welche Übung sollen wir machen?Which exercise should we do?

Scene — the classroom door

Tuesday evening, Volkshochschule near the canal. Priya is late. She stands in the corridor with her backpack still on.

The classroom door is closed. Inside, the teacher is already at the board. One chair at the back is free.

Priya waits in the corridor with her backpack on, facing the closed classroom door.

Learn — what to do in class

Six classroom lines cover arriving late, seeing the board, writing notes, finding a partner, and asking which exercise to do.

You will also say when you are not finished yet.

  1. Priya pauses while copying, still not finished with her work.

    Ich bin noch nicht fertig.

    I'm not finished yet.

    When to use it: Say this when you still need time on a task.

    Noch nicht means you are still working, not that you have stopped.

    Say it: Nicht uses the soft ich sound, not the ach sound.

  2. Priya cannot see the board from behind Anton in the chair ahead of her.

    Ich kann die Tafel nicht sehen.

    I can't see the board.

    When to use it: Say this when you cannot see what is on the board.

    Learn die Tafel with the noun; Tafel is the classroom board.

  3. Priya holds her pen above a fresh page and looks to Herr Schulze for guidance.

    Müssen wir das mitschreiben?

    Do we need to write this down?

    When to use it: Ask this when you are unsure whether to copy the notes.

    Mitschreiben means write the same notes along with the class.

    Say it: Müssen starts with rounded lips for the ü sound.

  4. Priya raises a hand to knock on the closed classroom door.

    Darf ich reinkommen?

    May I come in?

    When to use it: Ask this when you arrive late and the door is closed.

    After darf, reinkommen stays in one piece at the end.

    Say it: Reinkommen puts the stress on rein, the first part.

  5. Priya sits alone in the free chair at the back while the other learners work in pairs.

    Ich habe keinen Partner.

    I don't have a partner.

    When to use it: Say this when pair work starts and you are still alone.

    After habe you need keinen Partner, not kein Partner.

  6. Priya and Herr Schulze look together at an open workbook as she asks which exercise to do.

    Welche Übung sollen wir machen?

    Which exercise should we do?

    When to use it: Ask this when you do not know which exercise to do.

    Sollen asks what the teacher wants the class to do.

    Say it: Übung starts with rounded lips for the ü sound.

Story — she is late

Watch Priya arrive late and ask to come in. She cannot see the board from the back, and she has no partner.

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

  1. The corridor light is on. Priya knocks once and waits.
  2. PriyaDarf ich reinkommen?May I come in?
  3. TeacherKommen Sie rein.Come in.
  4. TeacherSetzen Sie sich.Please sit down.
  5. The only free chair is at the back, behind a tall classmate.
  6. PriyaIch kann die Tafel nicht sehen.I can't see the board.
  7. TeacherDann kommen Sie nach vorn.Then come to the front.
  8. The teacher writes a long sentence on the board.
  9. PriyaMüssen wir das mitschreiben?Do we need to write this down?
  10. TeacherJa, bitte.Yes, please.
  11. Priya is still copying when the teacher points at the book.
  12. PriyaIch bin noch nicht fertig.I'm not finished yet.
  13. TeacherGut, einen Moment.Good, one moment.
  14. Pair work starts. Every other student already has someone.
  15. PriyaIch habe keinen Partner.I don't have a partner.
  16. TeacherArbeiten Sie heute mit mir.Work with me today.
  17. PriyaWelche Übung sollen wir machen?Which exercise should we do?
  18. TeacherÜbung drei im Buch.Exercise three in the book.

Practice — ask and say

Ten quick exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, fill a gap, and build a line.

They stay in the classroom, so the round stays useful.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    German

    Müssen wir das mitschreiben?Drop the English here
    Darf ich reinkommen?Drop the English here
    Welche Übung sollen wir machen?Drop the English here

    English

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

  3. What do you say?

    Pair work has started and you are still sitting alone.

  4. Fill the gap

    Do we need to write this down?

    Müssen wir das ____?

  5. Pick the reply

    Teacher says:

    Sind Sie fertig?

    Are you finished?

    And you reply with:

  6. Build the line

    Which exercise should we do?

    ?

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Swap the word

    You cannot see the classroom board from your seat.

    Ich kann die ____ nicht sehen.

  8. Find the mistake

  9. What do you say?

    A late student is waiting at the classroom door. Tell them politely to come in.

  10. True or false?

    You say this to a close friend when you want them to sit.

Say it — say it in class

Now you're Priya, late for German class. 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. TeacherJa, bitte?Yes?
  2. Priya (you)You are at the closed door. Ask for permission to enter.

    Darf ich reinkommen?

    May I come in?

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Ich bin noch nicht fertig.I'm not finished yet.
Ich kann die Tafel nicht sehen.I can't see the board.
Müssen wir das mitschreiben?Do we need to write this down?
Darf ich reinkommen?May I come in?
Ich habe keinen Partner.I don't have a partner.
Welche Übung sollen wir machen?Which exercise should we do?
Next: lesson 76Free time

Save your progress — it’s free

Keep your place in the course and see which lines you’ve learned.

Want the next lesson in your inbox?

Get the next lesson by email, one a day.

Where should we start?
Join the newsletter

Daily lesson emails are coming soon. Newsletter subscribers get them first.

Keep practicing with Yak Cards

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

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps your class lines ready for Tuesday evening.

Open Yak Cards