New here? This is lesson 150 of a free 240-lesson German course.
A quiet Sunday in German
Sunday in Kreuzberg is quiet. Shops on Fliederstraße stay shut, and Priya walks with Jule to Tempelhofer Feld.
Jule wants luck for Priya's German test. A chimney sweep cycles past on the old airfield paths.
By the end, you'll say the shops are closed, wish someone luck, and notice how still the city feels.
Keep Daumen and toi toi toi for friends. Sonntagsruhe is the Sunday quiet, not a temple.
By the end of this lesson
Talk about Sunday closing and everyday luck on a quiet day out.
- Heute ist Sonntagsruhe.It's quiet today because it's Sunday.
- Die Läden haben heute zu.The shops are closed today.
- Ich drücke dir die Daumen.I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you.
- Toi, toi, toi!Fingers crossed!
- Ein Schornsteinfeger bringt Glück.A chimney sweep brings luck.
- Die Stadt ist heute ganz still.The city is really quiet today.
Scene — the old airfield
Sunday morning. Priya and Jule walk the tarmac paths on Tempelhofer Feld. Kites hang in a still sky.
The bakery on Fliederstraße is shut. A chimney sweep on a bicycle rolls past them on the grass edge.
Learn — Sunday quiet and luck
Six short lines cover Sunday closing, a still city, and three everyday luck wishes.
You'll keep your fingers crossed, say toi toi toi, and name a chimney sweep.
Heute ist Sonntagsruhe.
It's quiet today because it's Sunday.
When to use it: Say this on Sunday when shops and streets stay quiet.
Sonntagsruhe is the quiet or rest of Sundays, not set quiet hours.
Say it: Sonntagsruhe puts the stress on the first syllable.
Die Läden haben heute zu.
The shops are closed today.
When to use it: Say this when shops are shut, often on a Sunday.
Here, zu means 'closed' and comes at the end of the sentence.
Say it: Läden uses ä with a long open-e sound.
Ich drücke dir die Daumen.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you.
When to use it: Wish a friend luck before a test or a try.
dir is for a friend; staff and strangers do not get dir.
Say it: drücke uses ü, a tight ee with rounded lips.
Toi, toi, toi!
Fingers crossed!
When to use it: Say this to wish a friend luck in a light way.
Say this to a friend; skip it with shop staff.
Ein Schornsteinfeger bringt Glück.
A chimney sweep brings luck.
When to use it: Say this when a chimney sweep goes by on the street.
Learn der with Schornsteinfeger; a chimney sweep is masculine.
Say it: Schornsteinfeger starts with sch, like sh in ship.
Die Stadt ist heute ganz still.
The city is really quiet today.
When to use it: Say this when a Sunday city feels unusually quiet.
Learn die with Stadt; the city is feminine.
Say it: Stadt starts with st, said like sht.
Story — thumbs up
Walk the quiet field with Priya and Jule. Shops are shut, and luck shows up on a bicycle.
The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Turn on Show English if you need it.
- The field is wide. A kite hangs still.
JuleSonntags treffe ich oft Freundinnen.On Sundays I often meet friends.
PriyaWarst du schon mal hier?Have you been here before?- JuleJa, schon oft. Heute ist Sonntagsruhe.Yes, quite often. It's quiet today because it's Sunday.
- PriyaDie Läden haben heute zu.The shops are closed today.
- A chimney sweep in black cycles past on the tarmac.
- JuleEin Schornsteinfeger bringt Glück.A chimney sweep brings luck.
- PriyaDie Stadt ist heute ganz still.The city is really quiet today.
- JuleWann ist der Test?When is the test?
- PriyaAm Dienstag. Ich bin noch nervös.On Tuesday. I'm still nervous.
- JuleIch drücke dir die Daumen.I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you.
- She holds up both thumbs.
- JuleToi, toi, toi!Fingers crossed!
Practice — closed shops or luck
Ten short drills wait here. You'll listen, build, fill a gap, and pick the right wish.
They stay small, so the round moves fast.
0 of 10 done
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
The shops are closed today.
Die Läden haben heute ____.
Build the line
Build the line
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you.
.
Tap the words in order.
What do you say?
What do you say?
A friend has a test, and you wish her luck in a short playful way.
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
Ein Schornsteinfeger bringt Glück.
Swap the word
Swap the word
The streets are empty. Say the city is really quiet.
Die Stadt ist heute ganz ____.
What do you say?
What do you say?
You want to know the day of a friend's test.
Pick the reply
Jule says:
Pick the reply
Was machst du sonntags?
What do you do on Sundays?
And you reply with:
Which one doesn’t belong?
Which one doesn’t belong?
Find the mistake
Find the mistake
Say it — say it on the field
Now you're Priya on a quiet Sunday with Jule. 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.
- JuleSchau mal. Die Bäckerei hat zu.Look. The bakery is shut.
- Priya (you)Say it's quiet today because it's Sunday.
Say it's quiet today because it's Sunday.
Heute ist Sonntagsruhe.
It's quiet today because it's Sunday.
0 of 6 said
Recap — what you can say now
| German | English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| Heute ist Sonntagsruhe. | It's quiet today because it's Sunday. | |
| Die Läden haben heute zu. | The shops are closed today. | |
| Ich drücke dir die Daumen. | I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you. | |
| Toi, toi, toi! | Fingers crossed! | |
| Ein Schornsteinfeger bringt Glück. | A chimney sweep brings luck. | |
| Die Stadt ist heute ganz still. | The city is really quiet today. |
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
Want to keep Sunday quiet hours and luck wishes handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.
A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps Sonntagsruhe and toi toi toi ready.
Open Yak Cards