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Lesson 232 of 240

New here? This is lesson 232 of a free 240-lesson German course.

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Reading notices and signs in German

Priya stops in the Hinterhaus stairwell. Herr Schulze has taped a Hausordnung notice to the wall, and a second sheet sits by the courtyard door.

You will read the kind of German that buildings post: infinitive orders, a closed courtyard, and a short formal letter.

By the end you can follow a stairwell sign, a hallway rule, and a message from the Hausverwaltung.

By the end of this lesson

Read a building notice, a stairwell sign, and a short formal message.

  • Bitte die Hausordnung im Treppenhaus beachten.Please observe the house rules in the stairwell.
  • Fahrräder nicht im Hausflur abstellen.Do not leave bicycles in the hallway.
  • Wegen Arbeiten bleibt der Hof heute geschlossen.The courtyard is closed today due to works.
  • Bei Rückfragen wenden Sie sich bitte an die Hausverwaltung.For questions, please contact the property management.
  • Hiermit teilen wir Ihnen mit, dass die Arbeiten am Montag beginnen.We hereby inform you that the work begins on Monday.
  • Wir bitten um Ihr Verständnis.We ask for your understanding.

Scene — the stairwell wall

Priya is in the Hinterhaus stairwell on Fliederstraße. Herr Schulze has taped fresh sheets to the wall beside the mailboxes.

The courtyard gate is shut. Through the glass, ivy still hides the old bicycle. Anton waits on the pavement with his coat over two shoulders.

Priya and Herr Schulze stand by the mailboxes while Anton waits beyond the closed courtyard gate.

Learn — notices and a short letter

Six lines cover a stairwell notice, a hallway bike rule, a closed courtyard, and a short letter from the Hausverwaltung.

You will see infinitive orders on signs, then Sie and a dass clause in the letter.

  1. Herr Schulze points toward the wall beside the mailboxes as Priya listens.

    Bitte die Hausordnung im Treppenhaus beachten.

    Please observe the house rules in the stairwell.

    When to use it: Read this on a stairwell notice that tells tenants to follow the house rules.

    On a sign, Bitte plus an infinitive at the end is an order with no subject.

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

  2. The hallway is empty of bicycles while Priya looks toward the ivy-covered bicycle outside.

    Fahrräder nicht im Hausflur abstellen.

    Do not leave bicycles in the hallway.

    When to use it: Read this on a hallway sign that forbids leaving bikes there.

    The sign drops the subject and puts the infinitive last in the clause.

    Say it: The ä in Fahrräder sounds like the e in bed.

  3. Herr Schulze looks through the glass at the shut gate while Anton waits outside.

    Wegen Arbeiten bleibt der Hof heute geschlossen.

    The courtyard is closed today due to works.

    When to use it: Read this when a courtyard is shut because of building work.

    Wegen takes the genitive here, so you say der Arbeiten, and bleibt still comes second.

  4. Priya leans close to the wall beside the mailboxes to inspect the posted information.

    Bei Rückfragen wenden Sie sich bitte an die Hausverwaltung.

    For questions, please contact the property management.

    When to use it: Read this at the bottom of a notice when you need to contact the property management.

    Notices to tenants keep Sie, even when the reader is not standing there.

    Say it: Rückfragen puts a rounded ü in the first syllable.

  5. Priya stands beside the mailboxes and studies the wall from the stair landing.

    Hiermit teilen wir Ihnen mit, dass die Arbeiten am Montag beginnen.

    We hereby inform you that the work begins on Monday.

    When to use it: Read this letter opening that announces when the work starts.

    After dass, the verb goes last in that clause.

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

  6. Herr Schulze makes a small open-handed appeal for understanding in the stairwell.

    Wir bitten um Ihr Verständnis.

    We ask for your understanding.

    When to use it: Read this as the polite close after news tenants may not like.

    In a letter, Ihr is capitalized when it means your to the reader.

    Say it: The ä in Verständnis sounds like the e in bed.

Story — the courtyard is shut

Watch Priya read the notices Herr Schulze has posted in the stairwell, then a short letter about the courtyard works.

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

  1. A printed sheet is taped above the mailboxes. Herr Schulze holds another copy.
  2. Herr SchulzeGuten Tag.Good afternoon.
  3. PriyaGuten Tag, Herr Schulze.Good afternoon, Herr Schulze.
  4. He taps the sheet on the wall. The print is dense.
  5. Herr SchulzeBitte die Hausordnung im Treppenhaus beachten.Please observe the house rules in the stairwell.
  6. PriyaIch habe das Schild schon gelesen.I have already read the sign.
  7. Herr SchulzeFahrräder nicht im Hausflur abstellen.Do not leave bicycles in the hallway.
  8. PriyaMein Fahrrad steht im Hof, nicht hier.My bike is in the courtyard, not here.
  9. Herr SchulzeWegen Arbeiten bleibt der Hof heute geschlossen.The courtyard is closed today due to works.
  10. PriyaAch so. Und das Fahrrad unter dem Efeu?Ah. And the bicycle under the ivy?
  11. Herr SchulzeDas bleibt, wo es ist. Heute nur Vorbereitungen, die Arbeiten selbst beginnen am Montag.That stays where it is. Today is only preparations; the work itself begins on Monday.
  12. Through the courtyard glass, ivy still covers the old bicycle. Nobody reaches for a key.
  13. PriyaBei Rückfragen wenden Sie sich bitte an die Hausverwaltung. Steht das so unten?For questions, please contact the property management. Does it say that at the bottom?
  14. Herr SchulzeGenau. Hiermit teilen wir Ihnen mit, dass die Arbeiten am Montag beginnen.Exactly. We hereby inform you that the work begins on Monday.
  15. PriyaLaut Hausordnung gilt nach 22 Uhr Ruhezeit. Gilt das auch während der Arbeiten?Under the house rules, quiet hours start at 10 p.m. Does that also apply during the works?
  16. Herr SchulzeJa. Wir bitten um Ihr Verständnis.Yes. We ask for your understanding.
  17. PriyaDanke, dass Sie sich das angehört haben.Thank you for hearing me out.
  18. Down on the pavement, Anton looks at the locked courtyard gate. He does not come in.
  19. AntonDer Hof ist zu, ja?The courtyard is shut, right?
  20. PriyaWegen Arbeiten bleibt der Hof heute geschlossen.The courtyard is closed today due to works.
  21. AntonIst es gleich fertig?Is it almost ready?
  22. PriyaHeute nur Vorbereitungen. Die Arbeiten beginnen erst am Montag.Today is only preparations. The work only starts on Monday.
  23. AntonNa ja. Dann warte ich hier draußen.Well. Then I'll wait out here.

Practice — sign or letter

A short practice round waits here. You will listen, fill a gap, build a letter line, and spot a word-order slip.

They stay tiny, so you can check each notice without slowing down.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    German

    Bitte die Hausordnung im Treppenhaus beachten.Drop the English here
    Bei Rückfragen wenden Sie sich bitte an die Hausverwaltung.Drop the English here
    Hiermit teilen wir Ihnen mit, dass die Arbeiten am Montag beginnen.Drop the English here

    English

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

  3. Fill the gap

    Do not leave bicycles in the hallway.

    Fahrräder nicht im ____ abstellen.

  4. What does it mean?

    Wegen Arbeiten bleibt der Hof heute geschlossen.

  5. What do you say?

    You need the line that tells tenants who to contact with questions.

  6. Build the line

    We ask for your understanding.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Swap the word

    You are reading the letter line that names the start day of the works.

    Hiermit teilen wir Ihnen mit, dass die Arbeiten am ____ beginnen.

  8. Pick the reply

    Herr Schulze says:

    Ja, die Ruhezeit gilt auch während der Arbeiten.

    Yes, quiet hours still apply during the works.

    And you reply with:

  9. True or false?

    This line says quiet hours start at ten at night.

  10. Which one doesn’t belong?

  11. Find the mistake

Say it — read it aloud

Now you're Priya in the stairwell with Herr Schulze. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and read the line on the wall.

Tap ▶ first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. Herr SchulzeGuten Tag. Lesen Sie bitte das Schild an der Wand.Good afternoon. Please read the sign on the wall.
  2. Priya (you)Read the notice that tells people to follow the house rules in the stairwell.

    Bitte die Hausordnung im Treppenhaus beachten.

    Please observe the house rules in the stairwell.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Bitte die Hausordnung im Treppenhaus beachten.Please observe the house rules in the stairwell.
Fahrräder nicht im Hausflur abstellen.Do not leave bicycles in the hallway.
Wegen Arbeiten bleibt der Hof heute geschlossen.The courtyard is closed today due to works.
Bei Rückfragen wenden Sie sich bitte an die Hausverwaltung.For questions, please contact the property management.
Hiermit teilen wir Ihnen mit, dass die Arbeiten am Montag beginnen.We hereby inform you that the work begins on Monday.
Wir bitten um Ihr Verständnis.We ask for your understanding.
Next: lesson 233Say thanks properly

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

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

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps these notice lines ready for the stairwell.

Open Yak Cards