German course

Lesson 55 of 240

New here? This is lesson 55 of a free 240-lesson German course.

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Colours and sizes in German

Priya stands at the bakery counter with two cups, one orange and one green. Renate wants the orange one. Anton wants the cup that matches his coat.

You'll name colours, say when something is too big or just right, and ask for another colour.

Orange is Priya's coat. Green is Anton's. Keep the lines short at the counter.

By the end of this lesson

Describe something by colour and size.

  • Welche Farbe hat das?What colour is it?
  • Das ist orange.It's orange.
  • Das ist grün.It's green.
  • Das ist zu groß.It's too big.
  • Das ist genau richtig.It's just right.
  • Haben Sie eine andere Farbe?Do you have another colour?

Scene — two cups

Priya is at the counter with two cups. One is orange, like her raincoat. The other is green, like Anton's coat.

Renate waits for her cup. Anton sits at the corner table. A clerk stands beside the counter.

Priya holds two cups at the bakery counter as Renate waits and Anton watches from the corner table.

Learn — colour and size

Six short lines name a colour, say if a size is too big or just right, and ask for another colour.

Learn each one as a whole piece.

  1. Renate points toward the first cup while Priya holds both cups at the counter.

    Welche Farbe hat das?

    What colour is it?

    When to use it: Ask this when you want to know a colour.

    Learn it as one piece for asking colour.

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

  2. Priya passes the orange cup to Renate.

    Das ist orange.

    It's orange.

    When to use it: Say this when something is orange.

    Learn it as one piece for the colour orange.

  3. Anton looks from his green coat toward the green cup at the corner table.

    Das ist grün.

    It's green.

    When to use it: Say this when something is green.

    Learn it as one piece for the colour green.

    Say it: Grün uses a rounded ü, like ee with rounded lips.

  4. Renate gestures toward a huge cup on the counter to show that it is too big.

    Das ist zu groß.

    It's too big.

    When to use it: Say this when something is too big.

    Learn it as one piece when size is too much.

  5. Anton sits comfortably with the green cup at the corner table.

    Das ist genau richtig.

    It's just right.

    When to use it: Say this when the size is just right.

    Learn it as one piece when size is perfect.

    Say it: Richtig ends with the soft ch of ich.

  6. Priya looks toward the clerk while gesturing toward the orange cup.

    Haben Sie eine andere Farbe?

    Do you have another colour?

    When to use it: Ask staff if they have a different colour.

    Learn it as one piece to ask for another colour.

Story — orange or green

Watch Priya hold two cups at the bakery counter. Renate wants orange. Anton wants the one that matches his coat.

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

  1. Priya holds two cups. Renate looks at the first.
  2. RenateWelche Farbe hat das?What colour is it?
  3. PriyaDas ist orange.It's orange.
  4. RenateDanke.Thank you.
  5. Renate takes the orange cup. Anton looks at his coat, then at the other cup.
  6. AntonWelche Farbe hat das?What colour is it?
  7. PriyaDas ist grün.It's green.
  8. AntonDas ist genau richtig.It's just right.
  9. A clerk sets a third cup on the counter. It is huge, not Anton's green cup.
  10. RenateDas ist zu groß.It's too big.
  11. The clerk takes the huge cup away and holds up a smaller one. It is orange, not green.
  12. ClerkDas ist orange.It's orange.
  13. PriyaHaben Sie eine andere Farbe?Do you have another colour?

Practice — pick the colour

Eleven short exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, match, fill a gap, and swap a word.

The round stays small and moves quickly.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    German

    Das ist orange.Drop the English here
    Das ist grün.Drop the English here
    Das ist zu groß.Drop the English here
    Das ist genau richtig.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 cup in your hand is orange, like your raincoat, and it is not too big.

  4. Fill the gap

    It's too big.

    Das ist zu ____.

  5. What does it mean?

    Das ist grün.

  6. Swap the word

    The green cup fits well. It is not too big.

    Das ist ____.

  7. Pick the reply

    Anton says:

    Welche Farbe hat das?

    What colour is it?

    And you reply with:

  8. Fill the gap

    Do you have another colour?

    Haben Sie eine ____ Farbe?

  9. True or false?

    This means thank you.

  10. Fill the gap

    Large or small?

    Groß ____ klein?

  11. What do you say?

    You want to know if the shop has this item.

Say it — say the colour

Now you're Priya at the counter with two cups. 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. RenateWelche Farbe hat das?What colour is it?
  2. Priya (you)Tell her this cup matches your coat.

    Das ist orange.

    It's orange.

0 of 4 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Welche Farbe hat das?What colour is it?
Das ist orange.It's orange.
Das ist grün.It's green.
Das ist zu groß.It's too big.
Das ist genau richtig.It's just right.
Haben Sie eine andere Farbe?Do you have another colour?
Next: lesson 56What I like

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

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

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps colour and size ready at the counter.

Open Yak Cards