German course

Lesson 229 of 240

New here? This is lesson 229 of a free 240-lesson German course.

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The neighbourhood meeting in German

Evening in the courtyard on Fliederstraße. Herr Schulze has called a Hausversammlung, clipboard under his arm, and the benches are already full.

Priya wants a bike rack. Deniz wants the ivy left alone. The old bicycle stays under the leaves, and nobody mentions it.

By the end, you'll propose something, ask how others feel, object, vote by a show of hands, and close the decision.

By the end of this lesson

Take part in a residents' meeting: propose, object, and vote.

  • Ich schlage vor, dass wir ___.I propose that we ___
  • Wie stehen die anderen dazu?How do the others feel about that?
  • Ich bin für diesen Vorschlag.I'm in favour of this proposal.
  • Ich habe da allerdings Bedenken.I do have some reservations, though.
  • Dann stimmen wir jetzt per Handzeichen ab.Then let's vote by a show of hands.
  • Gut, dann ist das so beschlossen.Right, then that's decided.

Scene — the courtyard

The Hinterhof is cool after sunset. Herr Schulze stands near the ivy with his clipboard. Priya and Deniz wait among the parked bikes.

A few neighbours have come down. The old bicycle stays hidden under the leaves. Nobody looks that way.

Herr Schulze waits with his clipboard as Priya and Deniz stand among the parked bikes in the cool courtyard.

Learn — propose, object, vote

Six lines take you through a residents' meeting: propose, check the room, back a motion, object, vote, and close it.

The first line has a blank. You fill it with what you actually want.

  1. Priya gestures toward the cobbles on the side away from the ivy as she proposes a place for the bike rack.

    Ich schlage vor, dass wir ___.

    I propose that we ___

    When to use it: Use this at a meeting when you put a plan on the table.

    After dass, the verb comes last in that clause.

  2. Herr Schulze turns his attention around the ring to hear what the neighbours think.

    Wie stehen die anderen dazu?

    How do the others feel about that?

    When to use it: Ask this after a proposal when you want the room's view.

    Dazu points back to the idea that was just named.

  3. Anton lifts a foreleg in an early gesture of support from his place in the chair ring.

    Ich bin für diesen Vorschlag.

    I'm in favour of this proposal.

    When to use it: Say this when you want to back the idea on the table.

    This backs a plan already on the table, not a new one.

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

  4. Deniz makes a cautious gesture beside the ivy, emphasizing that it should remain untouched.

    Ich habe da allerdings Bedenken.

    I do have some reservations, though.

    When to use it: Use this when you cannot simply agree with the plan.

    Allerdings flags that a doubt is coming, without a fight.

  5. Herr Schulze raises an arm to begin the vote as Priya and Deniz lift their hands.

    Dann stimmen wir jetzt per Handzeichen ab.

    Then let's vote by a show of hands.

    When to use it: The chair says this when it is time to vote.

    Abstimmen splits, and the prefix ab stands at the end.

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

  6. Herr Schulze taps his clipboard once after the vote, confirming the decision.

    Gut, dann ist das so beschlossen.

    Right, then that's decided.

    When to use it: The chair says this to close the vote and lock the result.

    Only the chair uses this to lock what the room just voted.

Story — a show of hands

Watch the Hausversammlung in the courtyard. Herr Schulze chairs. Priya proposes a bike rack, and Deniz objects.

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

  1. The Hinterhof is cool. Herr Schulze taps his clipboard. Neighbours stand in a loose ring.
  2. Herr SchulzeDann würde ich sagen, wir fangen an.Right, I'd say let's get started.
  3. Herr SchulzeHeute geht es nur um den Hof. Nur ein Punkt.Today is only about the courtyard. Just one item.
  4. Priya steps forward. Deniz has his hands in his vest pockets.
  5. PriyaIch schlage vor, dass wir einen Fahrradständer aufstellen.I propose that we put up a bike rack.
  6. Herr SchulzeWie stehen die anderen dazu?How do the others feel about that?
  7. DenizIch habe da allerdings Bedenken.I do have some reservations, though.
  8. DenizDer Efeu an der hinteren Wand soll bleiben.The ivy on the back wall should stay.
  9. PriyaDer Ständer kann auf die andere Seite, weg vom Efeu.The rack can go on the other side, away from the ivy.
  10. DenizSolange wirklich niemand schneidet, ja.As long as nobody actually cuts it, yes.
  11. Herr SchulzeMöchte noch jemand etwas ergänzen?Would anyone like to add something?
  12. A pigeon lands on a saddle. Nobody walks toward the leaves.
  13. PriyaNur das. Ein Ständer, und der Efeu bleibt.That's all. A rack, and the ivy stays.
  14. PriyaIch bin für diesen Vorschlag.I'm in favour of this proposal.
  15. DenizVon mir aus auch, unter der Bedingung.Fine by me too, on that condition.
  16. Herr SchulzeDann stimmen wir jetzt per Handzeichen ab.Then let's vote by a show of hands.
  17. Hands go up, Deniz's a second later. The ivy is not touched.
  18. Herr SchulzeGut, dann ist das so beschlossen.Right, then that's decided.
  19. PriyaDanke, Herr Schulze.Thank you, Herr Schulze.

Practice — for or against

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

They stay small, so the round moves fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    German

    Wie stehen die anderen dazu?Drop the English here
    Ich bin für diesen Vorschlag.Drop the English here
    Ich habe da allerdings Bedenken.Drop the English here
    Gut, dann ist das so beschlossen.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 want the house to put a plan on the table at the meeting.

  4. Fill the gap

    I do have some reservations, though.

    Ich habe da ____ Bedenken.

  5. What does it mean?

    Wie stehen die anderen dazu?

  6. What do you say?

    You want to support the proposal. What do you say?

  7. Build the line

    Then let's vote by a show of hands.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  8. Swap the word

    The vote is over. Close it as the chair.

    Gut, dann ist das so ____.

  9. True or false?

    This is how you close a vote.

  10. Put the chat in order

    1. PriyaWhat comes first?
    2. Herr Schulze…
    3. Deniz…
    4. Priya…
    5. Herr Schulze…

    Tap the line that comes next, or drag it into the chat.

  11. What do you say?

    You chair the meeting and want to know if anyone still has a point.

Say it — take the floor

Now you're Priya at the Hausversammlung. 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. Herr SchulzeDann würde ich sagen, wir fangen an.Right, I'd say let's get started.
  2. Priya (you)Put a proposal to the meeting: a bike rack in the courtyard.

    Ich schlage vor, dass wir ___.

    I propose that we ___

0 of 4 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Ich schlage vor, dass wir ___.I propose that we ___
Wie stehen die anderen dazu?How do the others feel about that?
Ich bin für diesen Vorschlag.I'm in favour of this proposal.
Ich habe da allerdings Bedenken.I do have some reservations, though.
Dann stimmen wir jetzt per Handzeichen ab.Then let's vote by a show of hands.
Gut, dann ist das so beschlossen.Right, then that's decided.
Next: lesson 230Everyday idioms

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

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

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps propose, object, and vote ready for the courtyard.

Open Yak Cards