German course

Lesson 29 of 240

New here? This is lesson 29 of a free 240-lesson German course.

Start hereHow this works

In front, behind, beside in German

Priya cannot see her backpack at Bäckerei Krause. She looks in front of the counter, then around Anton's two chairs.

You will say where one thing is: in front, behind, beside, under, between, or across the way.

A basket, a jacket, and a bike are the wrong things. The bag is under the extra chair, so she has to ask again.

By the end of this lesson

Say where one thing is in relation to another.

  • Es ist vor der Theke.It's in front of the counter.
  • Es ist hinter dem Tisch.It's behind the table.
  • Es ist neben der Tür.It's next to the door.
  • Es ist unter dem Stuhl.It's under the chair.
  • Es ist zwischen den Tischen.It's between the tables.
  • Es ist gegenüber.It's across the way.

Scene — the extra chair

Priya is back at Bäckerei Krause. She sets her backpack down, then it is gone.

Renate watches from the counter. Anton sits on two chairs at the corner table, his Milchkaffee still full.

A basket, a jacket, and a hire bike sit around the room. The bag is not in front of the counter.

Priya checks the empty floor where her backpack had been while Renate watches from the counter and Anton sits at the corner table.

Learn — in front, behind, beside

Six short lines say where something is: in front, behind, next to a door, under, between, or across the way.

Learn each line as one piece you can point with.

  1. Priya looks at the basket in front of the counter, where her backpack is not.

    Es ist vor der Theke.

    It's in front of the counter.

    When to use it: Say this when something sits in front of the counter.

    Learn it as one piece for in front.

    Say it: Theke puts the stress on the first syllable.

  2. Anton looks behind the corner table at the jacket, but the backpack is not there.

    Es ist hinter dem Tisch.

    It's behind the table.

    When to use it: Say this when something sits behind the table.

    Learn it as one piece for behind.

    Say it: Hinter ends in -er, which sounds like a short uh.

  3. Renate looks at the hire bike beside the door, not at a backpack.

    Es ist neben der Tür.

    It's next to the door.

    When to use it: Say this when something sits next to the door.

    Learn it as one piece for next to.

    Say it: For ü in Tür, round your lips while saying the vowel in 'see'.

  4. Anton looks beneath his extra chair and finds Priya's backpack there.

    Es ist unter dem Stuhl.

    It's under the chair.

    When to use it: Say this when something sits under the chair.

    Learn it as one piece for under.

    Say it: St at the start of Stuhl sounds like sht.

  5. A paper bag lies between the small tables as Renate points it out.

    Es ist zwischen den Tischen.

    It's between the tables.

    When to use it: Say this when something sits between the tables.

    Learn it as one piece for between.

    Say it: Zwischen puts the stress on the first syllable.

  6. Anton looks through the bakery window toward the late-night shop across the way.

    Es ist gegenüber.

    It's across the way.

    When to use it: Say this when something sits across the way.

    Learn it as one piece for across.

    Say it: For ü in gegenüber, round your lips while saying the vowel in 'see'.

Story — under the chair

Watch Priya hunt for her backpack. The first places are wrong guesses; Anton finally spots the bag under his extra chair.

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

  1. Priya pats her shoulder. The backpack strap is gone. Renate calls the missing backpack „das Ding“.
  2. PriyaEntschuldigung. Wo ist meine Tasche?Excuse me. Where is my bag?
  3. Renate points in front of the counter. Priya checks, but her backpack is not there.
  4. RenateDas Ding? Es ist vor der Theke.The thing? It's in front of the counter.
  5. PriyaNein.No.
  6. Anton points behind the table, then Renate points beside the door. Priya checks both places; neither has her bag.
  7. AntonEs ist hinter dem Tisch.It's behind the table.
  8. RenateEs ist neben der Tür.It's next to the door.
  9. Anton points across the street, where the Späti is. Priya still cannot see her backpack.
  10. AntonEs ist gegenüber.It's across the way.
  11. PriyaNoch einmal, bitte.Once more, please.
  12. Renate points between the tables. Priya checks there, but the bag is not there either.
  13. RenateEs ist zwischen den Tischen.It's between the tables.
  14. PriyaNein.No.
  15. Anton looks down. The backpack is under his extra chair.
  16. AntonEs ist unter dem Stuhl.It's under the chair.

Practice — where the bag is

Eleven quick exercises wait here. You will listen, pick, match, fill a gap, and build a line.

They stay short, so you can check each place word.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    German

    Es ist vor der Theke.Drop the English here
    Es ist hinter dem Tisch.Drop the English here
    Es ist neben der Tür.Drop the English here

    English

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

  3. What do you say?

    It sits across the street from the bakery. Say where it is.

  4. Fill the gap

    It's between the tables.

    Es ist zwischen ____ Tischen.

  5. What does it mean?

    Es ist vor der Theke.

  6. Swap the word

    It sits next to the door, not behind it.

    Es ist ____ der Tür.

  7. Build the line

    It's behind the table.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  8. What do you say?

    Anton points under the extra chair. Say where the bag is.

  9. True or false?

    This means it is under the chair.

  10. What do you say?

    You need a second of Renate's time at the counter.

  11. Fill the gap

    Once more, please

    Noch ____, bitte.

Say it — say where it is

Now you're Priya at the bakery, finding the places of several different things. 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. AntonWo ist das Handy?Where is the phone?
  2. Priya (you)The phone is under the chair. Say where it is.

    Es ist unter dem Stuhl.

    It's under the chair.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Es ist vor der Theke.It's in front of the counter.
Es ist hinter dem Tisch.It's behind the table.
Es ist neben der Tür.It's next to the door.
Es ist unter dem Stuhl.It's under the chair.
Es ist zwischen den Tischen.It's between the tables.
Es ist gegenüber.It's across the way.
Next: lesson 30What time is it

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 place lines handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps in front and under ready at the bakery.

Open Yak Cards