German course

Lesson 68 of 240

New here? This is lesson 68 of a free 240-lesson German course.

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What the neighbourhood is like in German

Priya sits on the bench outside Bäckerei Krause with Jule. The street is busy, and the Späti across the road is already open.

Anton is already there with his unfinished Milchkaffee. He says he was only in the area.

By the end, you'll say what your area is like, how long you've lived there, and what is nearby.

Kiez is the Berlin word for your neighbourhood. Use du with Jule; she is a friend.

By the end of this lesson

Describe the area where you live.

  • Meine Gegend ist ziemlich ruhig.My area is pretty quiet.
  • In der Nähe gibt es einen Späti.There's a Späti nearby.
  • Wie lange wohnst du schon hier?How long have you lived here?
  • Ich wohne hier seit zwei Wochen.I've lived here for two weeks.
  • Hier liegt alles um die Ecke.Everything here is just around the corner.
  • Der Kiez ist laut, aber nett.The neighbourhood is loud, but nice.

Scene — the bench outside

Priya and Jule sit on the wooden bench outside Bäckerei Krause. Across the street, the Späti is already open.

Anton is already on the bench with his coat and a Milchkaffee he has not finished. Pigeons wait by the window.

Priya and Jule sit on the wooden bench outside the bakery while Anton settles at its end with an unfinished coffee and pigeons wait by the window.

Learn — the street and the Kiez

Six lines help you talk about your street: quiet or loud, a Späti nearby, and how long you have lived here.

You'll also ask a friend how long they have been in the Kiez.

  1. Priya looks down the calm side street with a settled expression.

    Meine Gegend ist ziemlich ruhig.

    My area is pretty quiet.

    When to use it: Say this when your street feels quiet.

    Learn die Gegend with the noun; meine shows it is your area.

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

  2. Jule turns in profile and points across the street toward the open shop.

    In der Nähe gibt es einen Späti.

    There's a Späti nearby.

    When to use it: Say this when a late-night shop is close by.

    Einen marks Späti after gibt es, the form for a masculine thing.

    Say it: Nähe and Späti both use the ä sound.

  3. Jule turns toward Priya with a curious, open-handed gesture as she asks how long Priya has lived here.

    Wie lange wohnst du schon hier?

    How long have you lived here?

    When to use it: Ask a friend how long they have lived here.

    Use du with a friend; Sie is for strangers and staff.

    Say it: Schon starts with sch, like a long sh.

  4. Priya gives a small honest shrug and gestures toward herself while Jule listens.

    Ich wohne hier seit zwei Wochen.

    I've lived here for two weeks.

    When to use it: Say this to tell a friend you moved here recently.

    The verb stays second in a main clause: wohne comes after Ich.

    Say it: Wochen has the ch in ach, not the ch in ich.

  5. Priya gestures toward the nearby street corner while Jule listens and Anton watches from the bench.

    Hier liegt alles um die Ecke.

    Everything here is just around the corner.

    When to use it: Say this when shops and stops sit very close.

    After Hier, the verb liegt comes next in a main clause.

  6. Jule looks toward a livelier stretch of the street with a fond, accepting expression.

    Der Kiez ist laut, aber nett.

    The neighbourhood is loud, but nice.

    When to use it: Say this when the street is busy but you like it.

    Learn der Kiez with the noun; it names a Berlin neighbourhood.

Story — two weeks here

Watch Priya tell Jule about Fliederstraße. The street is loud, but the Späti is close.

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

  1. Jule sits on the bench. Priya has her backpack on her knees.
  2. JuleWie geht's?How are you?
  3. PriyaGut, danke.I'm good, thanks.
  4. PriyaUnd dir?And you?
  5. JuleGut, danke.I'm good, thanks.
  6. JuleWie lange wohnst du schon hier?How long have you lived here?
  7. PriyaIch wohne hier seit zwei Wochen.I've lived here for two weeks.
  8. She nods at the Späti across the street.
  9. PriyaIn der Nähe gibt es einen Späti.There's a Späti nearby.
  10. JuleAch so.Ah, I see.
  11. PriyaHier liegt alles um die Ecke.Everything here is just around the corner.
  12. JuleUnd der Kiez?And the neighbourhood?
  13. PriyaDer Kiez ist laut, aber nett.The neighbourhood is loud, but nice.
  14. Anton is already on the bench. He looks down the street.
  15. AntonMeine Gegend ist ziemlich ruhig.My area is pretty quiet.
  16. JuleWirklich?Really?
  17. AntonIch war nur zufällig in der Gegend.I just happened to be in the area.

Practice — quiet or loud

Eleven quick exercises wait here. You'll hear a line, fill a gap, swap a word, and build one.

They stay short, so you can check the street and the Kiez.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What does it mean?

    Wie lange wohnst du schon hier?

  3. What do you say?

    A friend asks what your street is like. It is not busy.

  4. Pick the reply

    Jule says:

    Wie lange wohnst du schon hier?

    How long have you lived here?

    And you reply with:

  5. Build the line

    Everything here is just around the corner.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  6. Fill the gap

    There's a Späti nearby.

    In der Nähe gibt es ____ Späti.

  7. Swap the word

    You like the street, but it is busy. Finish the neighbourhood line.

    Der Kiez ist ____, aber nett.

  8. Find the mistake

  9. What do you say?

    You already said hi to Jule. Ask how she is, the short way.

  10. Pick the reply

    Jule says:

    Wie geht's?

    How are you?

    And you reply with:

  11. True or false?

    You say this to a shop assistant you have just met.

Say it — tell Jule

Now you're Priya on the bench outside 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. JuleWie lange wohnst du schon hier?How long have you lived here?
  2. Priya (you)Tell her you have been here for two weeks.

    Ich wohne hier seit zwei Wochen.

    I've lived here for two weeks.

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Meine Gegend ist ziemlich ruhig.My area is pretty quiet.
In der Nähe gibt es einen Späti.There's a Späti nearby.
Wie lange wohnst du schon hier?How long have you lived here?
Ich wohne hier seit zwei Wochen.I've lived here for two weeks.
Hier liegt alles um die Ecke.Everything here is just around the corner.
Der Kiez ist laut, aber nett.The neighbourhood is loud, but nice.
Next: lesson 69How my family is

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

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

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps your Kiez lines ready for the bench.

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