German course

Lesson 28 of 240

New here? This is lesson 28 of a free 240-lesson German course.

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Where is it in German

Priya's phone is missing at Bäckerei Krause. She looks at her chair, then at the door, then at Anton and his two chairs.

The phone is here, on the second chair, as if it had always been there.

By the end, you'll ask where something is, say it is here or over there, and check if a place is nearby.

Wo ist asks where a thing is. Wo bist du is for a person you cannot see.

By the end of this lesson

Ask where something is and say it is here or there.

  • Wo ist ___?Where is ___?
  • Es ist hier.It's here.
  • Es ist da drüben.It's over there.
  • Wo bist du?Where are you?
  • Es ist nicht hier.It's not here.
  • Ist das in der Nähe?Is that nearby?

Scene — the second chair

Priya is back at Bäckerei Krause. Renate is at the counter. Priya's phone is not on her chair, and it is not in her pocket.

Anton's corner table has two chairs and a Milchkaffee he has not touched. The second chair is not empty.

Priya checks for her missing phone while Renate waits at the counter and Anton is near the bread shelf.

Learn — here and over there

Six short lines help you ask where a thing or a person is.

You can say it is here, over there, or not here, and ask if a place is nearby.

  1. Priya searches the bakery after finding neither her phone nor her backpack at the chair.

    Wo ist ___?

    Where is ___?

    When to use it: Ask this when you cannot find a thing.

    Learn it as one piece and fill the blank.

  2. The untouched Milchkaffee and vacant corner chairs are in view as Anton waits near the bread shelf.

    Es ist hier.

    It's here.

    When to use it: Say this when the thing is right where you are.

    Learn it as one piece for something close by.

  3. Renate points toward the corner while Priya checks that it is nearby.

    Es ist da drüben.

    It's over there.

    When to use it: Say this when the thing is across the room.

    Learn it as one piece to point farther away.

    Say it: Drüben has a rounded ü sound.

  4. Priya reaches the corner table and looks toward the bread shelf to find Anton.

    Wo bist du?

    Where are you?

    When to use it: Ask this when you cannot see a friend.

    Learn it as one piece to find a person.

  5. Priya checks the floor beside the corner table as Anton comes from the bread shelf.

    Es ist nicht hier.

    It's not here.

    When to use it: Say this when the thing is not in this spot.

    Learn it as one piece to say something is missing.

    Say it: Nicht uses the soft ch, as in ich, not ach.

  6. Anton indicates the phone on the second chair while Priya turns from searching the floor.

    Ist das in der Nähe?

    Is that nearby?

    When to use it: Ask this to check if a place is close.

    Learn it as one piece for a nearby place.

    Say it: Nähe has a long ä sound.

Story — on his chair

Watch Priya hunt for her phone. Renate points across the room, and Anton does not look surprised.

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

  1. Priya's phone is not in her pocket. She stops at the counter.
  2. PriyaEntschuldigung.Excuse me.
  3. PriyaWo ist mein Handy?Where is my phone?
  4. RenateEs ist da drüben.It's over there.
  5. PriyaIst das in der Nähe?Is that nearby?
  6. RenateJa.Yes.
  7. Priya walks to the corner table. Anton is not in his chairs.
  8. PriyaWo bist du?Where are you?
  9. AntonHier.Here.
  10. He comes from the bread shelf. She looks at the floor.
  11. PriyaEs ist nicht hier.It's not here.
  12. AntonEs ist hier.It's here.
  13. The phone sits on the second chair. He looks as if it had always been there.
  14. AntonSetz dich.Have a seat.

Practice — here or over there

Ten short tasks check where things are. You'll hear a line, fill a gap, and build one.

Watch hier and da drüben, so here and over there stay distinct.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    German

    Es ist hier.Drop the English here
    Es ist da drüben.Drop the English here
    Es ist nicht hier.Drop the English here

    English

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

  3. What do you say?

    You cannot find your phone. Ask where it is.

  4. Fill the gap

    It's over there.

    Es ist da ____.

  5. What does it mean?

    Wo bist du?

  6. Swap the word

    The phone is in this spot. Say it is here.

    Es ist ____.

  7. Pick the reply

    Anton says:

    Wo ist dein Handy?

    Where is your phone?

    And you reply with:

  8. Build the line

    Is that nearby?

    ?

    Tap the words in order.

  9. What do you say?

    You need Renate to look up before you ask.

  10. Fill the gap

    Have a seat

    Setz ____.

Say it — ask where

Now you're Priya at the bakery, and the phone is missing. 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. Priya (you)Ask where your phone is.

    Wo ist ___?

    Where is ___?

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Wo ist ___?Where is ___?
Es ist hier.It's here.
Es ist da drüben.It's over there.
Wo bist du?Where are you?
Es ist nicht hier.It's not here.
Ist das in der Nähe?Is that nearby?
Next: lesson 29In front, behind, beside

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