German course

Lesson 173 of 240

New here? This is lesson 173 of a free 240-lesson German course.

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Planning a weekend trip in German

Jule and Priya want a weekend away from Kreuzberg. At Bäckerei Krause, they plan Hamburg: an ICE, a cheap hotel, and harbour food.

Anton volunteers, then glances at his untouched Milchkaffee and remembers the bakery. He stays in his chair.

By the end, you'll suggest the trip, name the train, mention the booking, talk about harbour food, ask about bags, and choose Friday evening.

By the end of this lesson

Plan a weekend trip: suggest Hamburg, name the ICE, book two nights, talk food, bags, and Friday.

  • Wollen wir am Wochenende nach Hamburg?Shall we go to Hamburg this weekend?
  • Wir fahren mit dem ICE.We'll take the ICE.
  • Ich habe uns zwei Nächte gebucht.I have booked us two nights.
  • Am Hafen gibt's bestimmt was Gutes.There's bound to be something good at the harbour.
  • Wie viel Gepäck brauchen wir?How much luggage do we need?
  • Sollen wir Freitagabend los?Shall we head off Friday evening?

Scene — the bakery table

Friday afternoon at Bäckerei Krause. Jule has her headphones around her neck and a cheap hotel tab open on her phone.

Priya sits across from her. Anton occupies the corner table with two chairs, a Pfannkuchen, and a Milchkaffee he has not touched.

Jule and Priya plan at a bakery table while Anton notices them from the corner.

Learn — a Hamburg weekend

Six lines cover the Hamburg plan: the city, the ICE, two nights, harbour food, bags, and Friday evening.

You'll suggest the trip and lock the details with a friend.

  1. Jule sets her phone on the table with a hotel image glowing on its screen.

    Wollen wir am Wochenende nach Hamburg?

    Shall we go to Hamburg this weekend?

    When to use it: Suggest this when you want a friend to spend the weekend in Hamburg.

    Use this question to suggest a plan you can do together.

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

  2. Priya gestures forward as she agrees to the weekend plan.

    Wir fahren mit dem ICE.

    We'll take the ICE.

    When to use it: Say this when you choose the high-speed train for the trip.

    After mit, the train takes dem, not den or der.

  3. Jule looks toward Priya with an enthusiastic expression as she proposes the train.

    Ich habe uns zwei Nächte gebucht.

    I have booked us two nights.

    When to use it: Use this to say you already booked two nights for both of you.

    Nächte is the plural of Nacht; zwei signals more than one.

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

  4. Anton turns toward Jule and Priya, interested in their Hamburg weekend plan.

    Am Hafen gibt's bestimmt was Gutes.

    There's bound to be something good at the harbour.

    When to use it: Say this when you guess the harbour will have good food.

    Gibt's is a short spoken form meaning there is.

  5. Priya asks about luggage while Jule indicates that a small bag will be enough.

    Wie viel Gepäck brauchen wir?

    How much luggage do we need?

    When to use it: Ask this when you decide how many bags to pack.

    Ask with wir because you are packing for the trip together.

    Say it: Gepäck has ä, a short sound like e in bed.

  6. Jule turns toward the sunlit bakery doorway as she and Priya discuss leaving Friday evening.

    Sollen wir Freitagabend los?

    Shall we head off Friday evening?

    When to use it: Suggest this when you want to leave on Friday evening.

    Los comes at the end when you suggest heading off.

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

Story — Anton stays

Watch Jule and Priya lock a Hamburg weekend at the bakery. Anton offers to come, then stays in his chair.

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

  1. Jule puts her phone down. A cheap hotel listing is on the screen.
  2. JuleWollen wir am Wochenende nach Hamburg?Shall we go to Hamburg this weekend?
  3. PriyaJa, unbedingt. Ich muss mal raus.Yes, definitely. I need to get out.
  4. JuleWir fahren mit dem ICE.We'll take the ICE.
  5. PriyaIch habe uns zwei Nächte gebucht.I have booked us two nights.
  6. Anton looks over from the corner. His Milchkaffee is still full.
  7. AntonNach Hamburg? Ich mache mit.To Hamburg? I'm in.
  8. JuleAm Hafen gibt's bestimmt was Gutes.There's bound to be something good at the harbour.
  9. AntonFischbrötchen, ja. Das mag ich.A fish roll, yes. I like that.
  10. PriyaWie viel Gepäck brauchen wir?How much luggage do we need?
  11. JuleEin Rucksack reicht. Das Hotel ist klein.One backpack is enough. The hotel is small.
  12. PriyaSollen wir Freitagabend los?Shall we head off Friday evening?
  13. JuleGute Idee. Dann ist Samstag frei.Good idea. Then Saturday is free.
  14. AntonAch so. Die Bäckerei. Ich bleibe lieber hier.Oh. The bakery. I'd rather stay here.
  15. He does not stand up. The Milchkaffee stays untouched.
  16. PriyaAlles klar. Dann fahren wir zu zweit.All right. Then the two of us will go.
  17. JuleSchönes Wochenende trotzdem, Anton.Have a nice weekend anyway, Anton.
  18. AntonDanke. Bringt mir was Gutes mit, ja?Thanks. Bring me something good, yeah?

Practice — trains and nights

Eleven short tasks wait here. You'll listen, match, fill a gap, swap a word, and build a line.

They stay on the Hamburg plan, so the round moves fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    German

    Wollen wir am Wochenende nach Hamburg?Drop the English here
    Ich habe uns zwei Nächte gebucht.Drop the English here
    Am Hafen gibt's bestimmt was Gutes.Drop the English here

    English

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

  3. What do you say?

    You and Jule are free. Suggest a weekend trip to Hamburg.

  4. Fill the gap

    How much luggage do we need?

    Wie viel ____ brauchen wir?

  5. What does it mean?

    Am Hafen gibt's bestimmt was Gutes.

  6. Swap the word

    You want to leave on Friday evening, not the next morning.

    Sollen wir ____ los?

  7. Pick the reply

    Jule says:

    Wollen wir am Wochenende nach Hamburg?

    Shall we go to Hamburg this weekend?

    And you reply with:

  8. Build the line

    I have booked us two nights.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  9. What do you say?

    A friend is going to Hamburg and asks if you want to come too. You want to join.

  10. True or false?

    This line is how you wish someone a nice weekend.

  11. Find the mistake

Say it — lock the plan

Now you're Priya at the bakery table, planning Hamburg 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.

  1. JuleIch muss mal raus aus Berlin.I need to get out of Berlin.
  2. Priya (you)Suggest a weekend trip to Hamburg.

    Wollen wir am Wochenende nach Hamburg?

    Shall we go to Hamburg this weekend?

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Wollen wir am Wochenende nach Hamburg?Shall we go to Hamburg this weekend?
Wir fahren mit dem ICE.We'll take the ICE.
Ich habe uns zwei Nächte gebucht.I have booked us two nights.
Am Hafen gibt's bestimmt was Gutes.There's bound to be something good at the harbour.
Wie viel Gepäck brauchen wir?How much luggage do we need?
Sollen wir Freitagabend los?Shall we head off Friday evening?
Next: lesson 174How it turned out

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A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps the train and hotel lines ready.

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