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Lesson 43 of 240

New here? This is lesson 43 of a free 240-lesson German course.

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The convenience-store counter in German

Priya walks into a Kreuzberg supermarket with a crate of empty bottles. She asks where the Pfandautomat is, then she goes to the till.

The clerk offers a bag. She wants no bag, and she wants the Bon.

Later Deniz takes bottles by hand at the Späti. Shop staff get Sie. Deniz gets du.

By the end, you'll refuse a bag, ask for the receipt, and talk about bottle deposits.

By the end of this lesson

Answer a clerk about a bag, a receipt, a loyalty card, and bottle deposits.

  • Brauchen Sie eine Tüte?Do you need a bag?
  • Nein, keine Tüte.No bag, thanks.
  • Den Bon, bitte.The receipt, please.
  • Haben Sie eine Kundenkarte?Do you have a loyalty card?
  • Ich habe Pfand.I've got bottles to return.
  • Wo ist der Pfandautomat?Where is the bottle-return machine?

Scene — the supermarket till

Priya walks into a Kreuzberg supermarket with a crate of empty bottles. She still needs the Pfandautomat.

The clerk at the till holds a plastic bag. Across Fliederstraße, Deniz takes bottles by hand at the Späti.

Priya sets her crate of empty bottles down just inside the supermarket entrance while Renate gestures toward the shop interior.

Learn — bag, receipt, and Pfand

Six short lines cover a bag, a receipt, a loyalty card, and bottle deposits.

You'll refuse a Tüte, ask for the Bon, and find the Pfandautomat.

  1. Renate holds out a plastic bag toward Priya at the checkout.

    Brauchen Sie eine Tüte?

    Do you need a bag?

    When to use it: Hear this from shop staff at the till before they pack.

    Learn it as one piece when staff offer a bag.

    Say it: The ch in Brauchen is the ach sound, not ich.

  2. Priya politely raises a palm to refuse the bag.

    Nein, keine Tüte.

    No bag, thanks.

    When to use it: Say this at the till when you do not want a bag.

    Learn it as one piece to refuse a bag.

    Say it: The ü in Tüte is like ee with rounded lips.

  3. Priya reaches toward the receipt printer at the checkout.

    Den Bon, bitte.

    The receipt, please.

    When to use it: Ask for this at the till if you want the paper receipt.

    Learn it as one piece for the paper slip.

  4. Renate offers Priya a loyalty card beside the checkout terminal.

    Haben Sie eine Kundenkarte?

    Do you have a loyalty card?

    When to use it: Hear this from staff who want to scan your points card.

    Learn it as one piece for the shop points card.

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

  5. Priya indicates her crate of empty bottles beside the checkout.

    Ich habe Pfand.

    I've got bottles to return.

    When to use it: Say this when you bring bottles back for the deposit.

    Learn it as one piece for bottles with a deposit.

  6. Priya scans the shop for the bottle-return machine after turning from the till.

    Wo ist der Pfandautomat?

    Where is the bottle-return machine?

    When to use it: Ask this in a supermarket when you need the bottle machine.

    Learn it as one piece to find that machine.

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

Story — no bag, the Bon

Watch Priya ask for the bottle machine, then answer the till. She wants no bag and she wants the Bon.

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

  1. Priya sets a crate of bottles down just inside the door.
  2. PriyaIch habe Pfand. Wo ist der Pfandautomat?I've got bottles to return. Where is the bottle-return machine?
  3. ClerkDer ist da drüben.It's over there.
  4. She comes back to the till. The clerk holds a bag.
  5. ClerkBrauchen Sie eine Tüte?Do you need a bag?
  6. PriyaNein, keine Tüte.No bag, thanks.
  7. PriyaDen Bon, bitte.The receipt, please.
  8. ClerkHaben Sie eine Kundenkarte?Do you have a loyalty card?
  9. PriyaNein, danke.No, thank you.
  10. Later, Deniz stands outside the Späti with a crate.
  11. PriyaIch habe Pfand.I've got bottles to return.
  12. DenizNa, her damit.Right, hand them over.
  13. Priya still looks around for a machine.
  14. PriyaWo ist der Pfandautomat?Where is the bottle-return machine?
  15. DenizHier gibt es keinen.There isn't one here.

Practice — at the till

Eleven short drills wait at the till. You'll hear a bag question, fill a gap, and build a Pfand line.

Keep them small, so you can finish fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    German

    Nein, keine Tüte.Drop the English here
    Den Bon, bitte.Drop the English here
    Ich habe Pfand.Drop the English here

    English

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

  3. What do you say?

    The clerk holds out a bag at the supermarket till. You do not want it.

  4. Fill the gap

    The receipt, please.

    Den ____, bitte.

  5. What does it mean?

    Haben Sie eine Kundenkarte?

  6. Pick the reply

    Clerk says:

    Haben Sie eine Kundenkarte?

    Do you have a loyalty card?

    And you reply with:

  7. Build the line

    I've got bottles to return.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  8. Swap the word

    You have bottles in a crate and need the bottle-return machine.

    Wo ist der ____?

  9. True or false?

    This means it is over there.

  10. Put the chat in order

    1. ClerkWhat comes first?
    2. Priya…
    3. Clerk…

    Tap the line that comes next, or drag it into the chat.

  11. Find the mistake

Say it — say it at the till

Now you're Priya at the supermarket. 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)You have bottles with a deposit.

    Ich habe Pfand.

    I've got bottles to return.

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Brauchen Sie eine Tüte?Do you need a bag?
Nein, keine Tüte.No bag, thanks.
Den Bon, bitte.The receipt, please.
Haben Sie eine Kundenkarte?Do you have a loyalty card?
Ich habe Pfand.I've got bottles to return.
Wo ist der Pfandautomat?Where is the bottle-return machine?
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

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

A quick round with the Yak Cards keeps bag, Bon, and Pfand ready for the till.

Open Yak Cards