German course

Lesson 176 of 240

New here? This is lesson 176 of a free 240-lesson German course.

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The famous snack in German

Priya and Jule are at a harbour stall in Hamburg. The famous snack here is a Fischbrötchen, a roll with fish.

Priya is not sure she wants one. Jule orders anyway. Anton watches the roll the way he watches a Pfannkuchen.

By the end, you'll order the snack, ask about the queue, and say how it tastes.

You can say it is a bit salty, better than you expected, and that you will have another.

By the end of this lesson

Order a famous local fish roll and say what it tastes like.

  • Zwei Fischbrötchen, bitte.Two fish rolls, please.
  • Muss man hier lange anstehen?Do you have to queue a long time here?
  • Es schmeckt nach Räucherfisch und Zwiebeln.It tastes of smoked fish and onions.
  • Ein bisschen salzig, genau richtig.A bit salty, just right.
  • Ich nehme noch eins.I'll have another one.
  • Besser als erwartet.Better than I expected.

Scene — the harbour stall

A snack stall at the Hamburg harbour. The water is close, and a server works the counter with a short queue.

Jule is already looking at the board. Priya hangs back. Anton stands at the railing and watches a Fischbrötchen the way he watches a Pfannkuchen.

Jule looks toward the harbour stall, Priya hangs back from the short queue, and Anton watches a fish roll by the railing.

Learn — the famous fish roll

Six lines cover the order, the queue, how the roll tastes, and asking for one more.

You also get a short verdict: better than expected.

  1. Jule reaches for two paper-wrapped fish rolls as the server passes them across the counter.

    Zwei Fischbrötchen, bitte.

    Two fish rolls, please.

    When to use it: Say this at a stall when you want two fish rolls.

    Learn das Fischbrötchen with the noun; bitte stays at the end of the order.

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

  2. Priya looks past the short queue toward the harbour stall and waits her turn.

    Muss man hier lange anstehen?

    Do you have to queue a long time here?

    When to use it: Ask this when you see a queue and want to know the wait.

    man means people in general, not one man.

  3. Anton holds an open fish roll by the railing and studies its smoked fish and onion filling.

    Es schmeckt nach Räucherfisch und Zwiebeln.

    It tastes of smoked fish and onions.

    When to use it: Say this after a bite when you name the taste.

    nach names the flavour here; keep the capital on Räucherfisch.

    Say it: äu in Räucher- sounds like oy in boy.

  4. Jule pauses after a small bite of her fish roll at a high harbour table.

    Ein bisschen salzig, genau richtig.

    A bit salty, just right.

    When to use it: Say this when the salt is there but not too much.

    genau richtig is one piece for just right.

  5. Anton takes a first bite of his fish roll while seated beside the railing.

    Ich nehme noch eins.

    I'll have another one.

    When to use it: Say this when you want one more of the same snack.

    eins matches das Fischbrötchen; eine would be the wrong gender.

  6. Priya holds her half-eaten fish roll and looks down at it with pleased surprise.

    Besser als erwartet.

    Better than I expected.

    When to use it: Say this when something turns out nicer than you thought.

    Learn it as one piece for a pleasant surprise.

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

Story — the first bite

Watch Jule order at the harbour stall. Priya is unsure, then the first bite changes her mind.

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

  1. A short queue, a harbour stall, and the smell of smoked fish.
  2. JuleSchau mal da vorne.Look, just ahead.
  3. PriyaMuss man hier lange anstehen?Do you have to queue a long time here?
  4. JuleNein, das geht schnell.No, that goes quickly.
  5. ServerWer ist der nächste?Who is next?
  6. JuleZwei Fischbrötchen, bitte.Two fish rolls, please.
  7. ServerKommt sofort.Coming right away.
  8. Anton leans on the railing and watches the roll the way he watches a Pfannkuchen.
  9. AntonIst es gleich fertig?Is it almost ready?
  10. ServerJa, sofort.Yes, right away.
  11. JuleHier, nimm.Here, take it.
  12. AntonDas sieht gut aus.That looks good.
  13. PriyaEs schmeckt nach Räucherfisch und Zwiebeln.It tastes of smoked fish and onions.
  14. JuleEin bisschen salzig, genau richtig.A bit salty, just right.
  15. PriyaBesser als erwartet.Better than I expected.
  16. AntonWas nimmst du?What are you having?
  17. PriyaIch nehme noch eins.I'll have another one.

Practice — salt and smoke

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

They stay tiny, so the round moves fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    German

    Es schmeckt nach Räucherfisch und Zwiebeln.Drop the English here
    Ein bisschen salzig, genau richtig.Drop the English here
    Besser als erwartet.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 see a queue at the stall and want to know if the wait is long.

  4. Fill the gap

    It tastes of smoked fish and onions.

    Es schmeckt nach ____ und Zwiebeln.

  5. Pick the reply

    Server says:

    Was möchten Sie?

    What would you like?

    And you reply with:

  6. Swap the word

    You took a bite. The salt is there, but it is not too much.

    Ein bisschen ____, genau richtig.

  7. Build the line

    I'll have another one.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  8. What does it mean?

    Besser als erwartet.

  9. True or false?

    This line is about how the snack looks.

  10. What do you say?

    Ask a friend what they are having at the stall.

  11. Find the mistake

Say it — order and taste

Now you're Priya at the harbour stall. 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. JuleSchau mal da vorne.Look, just ahead.
  2. Priya (you)Ask if you have to queue a long time here.

    Muss man hier lange anstehen?

    Do you have to queue a long time here?

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Zwei Fischbrötchen, bitte.Two fish rolls, please.
Muss man hier lange anstehen?Do you have to queue a long time here?
Es schmeckt nach Räucherfisch und Zwiebeln.It tastes of smoked fish and onions.
Ein bisschen salzig, genau richtig.A bit salty, just right.
Ich nehme noch eins.I'll have another one.
Besser als erwartet.Better than I expected.
Next: lesson 177The warehouse district

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

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

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps the harbour order ready.

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