German course

Lesson 21 of 240

New here? This is lesson 21 of a free 240-lesson German course.

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Tickets, books, people, pets in German

Priya is in the bakery queue on Fliederstraße. She counts the people ahead, then the rolls she wants.

Anton sits at the corner table with tickets and books. Two dogs wait on the pavement, and he loses the number.

By the end, you'll say a number and what you are counting, and you'll ask how many.

Keep the number first. The thing you count comes next.

By the end of this lesson

Count rolls, tickets, people, dogs and books, and ask how many.

  • zwei BrötchenTwo rolls
  • drei TicketsThree tickets
  • vier PersonenFour people
  • zwei HundeTwo dogs
  • zwei BücherTwo books
  • Wie viele?How many?

Scene — the bakery queue

The morning queue at Bäckerei Krause is slow. Priya stands near the door and counts the people.

Renate waits at the counter. Anton sits at the corner table with tickets and two books. Outside, two dogs wait on the pavement.

The slow morning queue fills Bäckerei Krause as Priya stands by the door, Renate waits at the counter, Anton sits at his table, and two dogs wait outside.

Learn — number plus what you count

Six short lines count rolls, tickets, people, dogs and books with a number.

You'll also ask how many, when the count is not clear.

  1. Renate points toward two rolls on a tray at the counter.

    zwei Brötchen

    Two rolls

    When to use it: Say this when you count two bread rolls.

    Learn it as one piece for two rolls.

    Say it: The ch in Brötchen sounds like ich, not ach.

  2. Anton taps three tickets spread in a row on his corner table.

    drei Tickets

    Three tickets

    When to use it: Say this when you count three tickets.

    Learn it as one piece for three tickets.

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

  3. Priya counts the four people in the queue, including herself.

    vier Personen

    Four people

    When to use it: Say this when you count four people.

    Learn it as one piece for four people.

  4. Priya looks down at two dogs waiting outside while Anton turns toward them from his table.

    zwei Hunde

    Two dogs

    When to use it: Say this when you count two dogs.

    Learn it as one piece for two dogs.

  5. Anton holds two closed books side by side at the corner table.

    zwei Bücher

    Two books

    When to use it: Say this when you count two books.

    Learn it as one piece for two books.

    Say it: The ü in Bücher is a rounded vowel.

  6. Renate turns toward the queue with an open hand in a questioning gesture.

    Wie viele?

    How many?

    When to use it: Ask this when you do not know the number.

    Learn it as one piece to ask how many.

Story — he loses the count

Watch Priya count the queue, then the rolls. Anton counts tickets and books, then loses the dogs.

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

  1. The queue moves. Priya steps closer to the counter.
  2. PriyaEntschuldigung.Excuse me.
  3. PriyaGuten Morgen.Good morning.
  4. Renate is ready for the order.
  5. RenateWie viele?How many?
  6. PriyaZwei Brötchen.Two rolls.
  7. Priya glances at the line behind her.
  8. PriyaVier Personen.Four people.
  9. Anton taps the pile on his table.
  10. AntonDrei Tickets.Three tickets.
  11. AntonZwei Bücher.Two books.
  12. He looks at the pavement, then loses the number.
  13. AntonWie viele?How many?
  14. PriyaZwei Hunde.Two dogs.
  15. AntonZwei Hunde.Two dogs.

Practice — how many

Ten short exercises wait here. You'll listen, match, fill a gap, and build a count.

They stay tiny, so you can check the number first.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    German

    zwei BrötchenDrop the English here
    drei TicketsDrop the English here
    vier PersonenDrop the English here

    English

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

  3. Fill the gap

    Two dogs

    zwei ____

  4. What does it mean?

    Wie viele?

  5. What do you say?

    You count the people waiting in the bakery queue.

  6. Pick the reply

    Renate says:

    Wie viele?

    Renate asks how many rolls you want.

    And you reply with:

  7. Build the line

    Two books

    Tap the words in order.

  8. Swap the word

    You need three tickets, not two.

    ____ Tickets

  9. What do you say?

    You need a moment of attention in a busy queue.

  10. True or false?

    You say this to greet someone in the morning.

Say it — say the count

Now you're Priya in the bakery queue. 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. RenateGuten Morgen.Good morning.
  2. RenateWie viele?How many?
  3. Priya (you)Tell her you want two rolls.

    zwei Brötchen

    Two rolls

0 of 4 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
zwei BrötchenTwo rolls
drei TicketsThree tickets
vier PersonenFour people
zwei HundeTwo dogs
zwei BücherTwo books
Wie viele?How many?
Next: lesson 22Order breakfast

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

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

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps your counts ready for the counter.

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