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Lesson 152 of 240

New here? This is lesson 152 of a free 240-lesson German course.

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It got taken in German

Rain soaks Priya's jacket on the way to the loft. She ducks into Deniz's Späti, and he has news from the courtyard.

A bike is gone, and a parcel was left at the till. You'll say what happened to someone or something.

These lines use werden plus a past participle. You do not have to name who did it.

By the end of this lesson

Say what happened to someone or something without naming who did it.

  • Mein Fahrrad wurde geklaut.My bike was stolen
  • Das Paket wurde abgegeben.The parcel was dropped off
  • Die Straße wurde gesperrt.The street was closed
  • Ich wurde zu einem Meeting gerufen.I was called into a meeting
  • Die Wohnung wird gerade renoviert.The flat is being renovated
  • Wir wurden nicht benachrichtigt.Nobody told us

Scene — the Späti in the rain

Rain hits Fliederstraße. Priya's rust-orange raincoat is soaked as she pushes into Deniz's Späti.

Crates of bottles stand by the door. Deniz is at the counter, and a parcel sits beside the till.

Priya enters Deniz's Späti through the rain while Deniz waits by the counter.

Learn — what happened to it

Six lines use werden plus a past participle to say what happened.

You'll cover a stolen bike, a dropped-off parcel, a closed street, a meeting, a renovation, and not being told.

  1. Priya looks from the doorway toward an empty bike stand in the rain.

    Mein Fahrrad wurde geklaut.

    My bike was stolen

    When to use it: Say this when your bike was taken and you do not name who did it.

    Use wurde plus the past participle to say what happened.

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

  2. Deniz rests a hand beside the parcel near the till.

    Das Paket wurde abgegeben.

    The parcel was dropped off

    When to use it: Say this when a parcel was left for someone, not who left it.

    Abgegeben is the past participle, and it comes after wurde.

  3. Priya looks out from the Späti doorway toward the street blocked by barriers.

    Die Straße wurde gesperrt.

    The street was closed

    When to use it: Say this when a street is blocked, without naming who closed it.

    The verb stays second: wurde comes right after the street.

    Say it: Straße starts with st, said as sh plus t.

  4. Priya turns toward the door with her phone in hand, ready to leave for a meeting.

    Ich wurde zu einem Meeting gerufen.

    I was called into a meeting

    When to use it: Say this when you were called into a meeting.

    After zu, einem takes the dative before the noun.

  5. Priya stands in a flat where renovation work is underway.

    Die Wohnung wird gerade renoviert.

    The flat is being renovated

    When to use it: Say this when work on a flat is happening right now.

    Wird plus the past participle means the work is happening now.

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

  6. Priya and Deniz face each other by the counter as they discuss news she has not received.

    Wir wurden nicht benachrichtigt.

    Nobody told us

    When to use it: Say this when a group of you was not told about something.

    Wurden is the past form of werden used with wir, sie, and Sie.

    Say it: The first ch in benachrichtigt sounds like ach; the second sounds like ich.

Story — a courtyard bike

Priya ducks into the Späti out of the rain. Deniz has a parcel and worse news from the courtyard.

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

  1. Rain hits the Späti awning. Priya pushes the door; her rust-orange raincoat drips on the mat.
  2. DenizDu bist ja nass. Komm rein.You're soaked. Come in.
  3. PriyaEs regnet.It's raining.
  4. PriyaDie Straße wurde gesperrt.The street was closed.
  5. DenizAch so, die Umleitung.Ah, the diversion.
  6. He lifts a brown parcel from beside the till. The tag is blank.
  7. DenizDas Paket wurde abgegeben.The parcel was dropped off.
  8. PriyaHast du es bekommen?Did you get it?
  9. DenizJa, für dich.Yes, it's for you.
  10. He glances toward the courtyard across the street and lowers his voice.
  11. DenizEin Fahrrad aus eurem Hof ist weg.A bike from your courtyard is gone.
  12. PriyaMein Fahrrad wurde geklaut.My bike was stolen.
  13. DenizAm Zaun, letzte Nacht.By the fence, last night.
  14. PriyaDie Wohnung wird gerade renoviert.The flat is being renovated.
  15. DenizHat Schulze euch geschrieben?Did Schulze write to you?
  16. PriyaWir wurden nicht benachrichtigt.Nobody told us.
  17. PriyaIch muss los. Ich wurde zu einem Meeting gerufen.I have to go. I was called into a meeting.
  18. DenizDann nimm das Paket mit.Then take the parcel with you.

Practice — stolen, closed, or told

Ten short tasks wait here. You'll listen, fill a gap, swap a word, and pick a line.

They stay on what happened to someone or something.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What does it mean?

    Das Paket wurde abgegeben.

  3. What do you say?

    The road to the loft is blocked. Tell Deniz what happened to the street.

  4. Match the pairs

    German

    Mein Fahrrad wurde geklaut.Drop the English here
    Das Paket wurde abgegeben.Drop the English here
    Die Straße wurde gesperrt.Drop the English here
    Die Wohnung wird gerade renoviert.Drop the English here

    English

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

  5. Pick the reply

    Deniz says:

    Das Paket wurde abgegeben.

    The parcel was dropped off.

    And you reply with:

  6. What do you say?

    You have to leave the Späti for work. Say you were called into a meeting.

  7. Fill the gap

    The flat is being renovated

    Die Wohnung ____ gerade renoviert.

  8. Swap the word

    You and the other tenants were not told about the work.

    Wir wurden nicht ____.

  9. True or false?

    This line means it is raining.

  10. What do you say?

    You have to leave the Späti now for work.

Say it — tell Deniz

Now you're Priya in the Späti, soaked and late for work. 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. DenizDu bist ja nass. Was ist los?You're soaked. What's going on?
  2. Priya (you)Tell him the street was closed.

    Die Straße wurde gesperrt.

    The street was closed

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Mein Fahrrad wurde geklaut.My bike was stolen
Das Paket wurde abgegeben.The parcel was dropped off
Die Straße wurde gesperrt.The street was closed
Ich wurde zu einem Meeting gerufen.I was called into a meeting
Die Wohnung wird gerade renoviert.The flat is being renovated
Wir wurden nicht benachrichtigt.Nobody told us
Next: lesson 153Understood, found, finished

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