German course

Lesson 69 of 240

New here? This is lesson 69 of a free 240-lesson German course.

Start hereHow this works

How my family is in German

Anton asks about Priya's family at the corner table. Her parents live abroad, and she does not see them often.

He wants ages, jobs, and where people live. Priya grew up with her sister, and her mother is a teacher.

By the end you'll say where family lives, how old a brother is, and what parents do.

Anton then asks if they like Pfannkuchen. Keep the answers short.

By the end of this lesson

Say how old family members are, where they live, and what they do.

  • Meine Eltern wohnen im Ausland.My parents live abroad.
  • Mein Bruder ist zwanzig Jahre alt.My brother is twenty.
  • Wir verstehen uns gut.We get along well.
  • Was machen deine Eltern beruflich?What do your parents do?
  • Ich bin mit meiner Schwester aufgewachsen.I grew up with my sister.
  • Ich sehe sie nicht so oft.I don't see them that often.

Scene — the corner table

Late morning at Bäckerei Krause. Priya sits with Anton at the corner table. His Milchkaffee is still full.

He asks about her family. They live abroad. The coffee machine hisses at the counter.

Priya and Anton sit at a corner table in the quiet bakery while Anton’s coffee remains untouched.

Learn — family, age and jobs

Six lines cover where parents live, a brother's age, growing up with a sister, and how often you see them.

You'll also ask what someone's parents do.

  1. Priya looks through the bakery window as she reflects on her family living abroad.

    Meine Eltern wohnen im Ausland.

    My parents live abroad.

    When to use it: Say this to tell someone your parents live abroad.

    In a main clause the verb comes second: wohnen.

  2. Priya gestures openly as she talks about her brother and sister.

    Mein Bruder ist zwanzig Jahre alt.

    My brother is twenty.

    When to use it: Say this to give your brother's age in years.

    Learn Bruder with der, so you say mein Bruder.

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

  3. Anton leans toward Priya as he asks about her parents’ work.

    Wir verstehen uns gut.

    We get along well.

    When to use it: Say this when you and your family get along.

    Learn this as one piece for getting along well.

  4. Anton turns toward Priya while the Pfannkuchen on his plate waits beside his full coffee.

    Was machen deine Eltern beruflich?

    What do your parents do?

    When to use it: Ask a friend what their parents do for work.

    Deine is for a friend, and Ihre is for someone new.

  5. Priya remembers growing up with her sister as she sits beside the bakery window.

    Ich bin mit meiner Schwester aufgewachsen.

    I grew up with my sister.

    When to use it: Say this when you grew up with your sister.

    After mit you use the dative: meiner Schwester.

    Say it: Schwester starts with sch, a sh sound as in she.

  6. Priya holds her cup near the untouched coffee across the table as she considers how rarely she sees her family.

    Ich sehe sie nicht so oft.

    I don't see them that often.

    When to use it: Say this when you rarely see your family.

    Here lowercase sie means "them": the family you just named.

    Say it: nicht has the soft ich-ch, not the ach sound.

Story — they live abroad

Watch Anton ask about Priya's family at the corner table. She tells him they live abroad.

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

  1. The bakery is quiet. Anton has two chairs at the corner table.
  2. AntonSetz dich.Have a seat.
  3. PriyaDanke.Thanks.
  4. He turns his cup. The Milchkaffee is still full.
  5. AntonErzähl mal von deiner Familie.Tell me about your family.
  6. PriyaMeine Eltern wohnen im Ausland.My parents live abroad.
  7. AntonSiehst du sie oft?Do you see them often?
  8. PriyaIch sehe sie nicht so oft.I don't see them that often.
  9. AntonUnd dein Bruder?And your brother?
  10. PriyaMein Bruder ist zwanzig Jahre alt.My brother is twenty.
  11. AntonUnd deine Schwester?And your sister?
  12. PriyaIch bin mit meiner Schwester aufgewachsen.I grew up with my sister.
  13. AntonVersteht ihr euch?Do you get along?
  14. PriyaWir verstehen uns gut.We get along well.
  15. AntonWas machen deine Eltern beruflich?What do your parents do?
  16. PriyaMeine Mutter ist Lehrerin.My mother is a teacher.
  17. He nods, then looks at the Pfannkuchen on his plate.
  18. AntonMögen sie Pfannkuchen?Do they like jam doughnuts?
  19. PriyaJa, sehr.Yes, a lot.

Practice — parents, brother, sister

Ten short exercises wait here. You'll listen, fill a gap, build a line, and pick the right reply about family.

They stay tiny, so the round moves fast.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    German

    Mein Bruder ist zwanzig Jahre alt.Drop the English here
    Wir verstehen uns gut.Drop the English here
    Was machen deine Eltern beruflich?Drop the English here
    Ich bin mit meiner Schwester aufgewachsen.Drop the English here

    English

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

  3. What do you say?

    A close friend mentioned family. Ask what their parents do for work.

  4. Fill the gap

    My brother is twenty.

    Mein Bruder ist ____ Jahre alt.

  5. Build the line

    We get along well.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  6. Swap the word

    You grew up with your sister, not your mother.

    Ich bin mit meiner ____ aufgewachsen.

  7. Pick the reply

    Anton says:

    Siehst du deine Eltern oft?

    Do you see your parents often?

    And you reply with:

  8. Put the chat in order

    1. AntonWhat comes first?
    2. Priya…
    3. Anton…
    4. Priya…

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

  9. True or false?

    Use this with a new clerk at the bakery.

  10. What do you say?

    A friend is still standing. Tell them to take a seat.

Say it — tell Anton

Now you're Priya talking with Anton. 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. AntonErzähl mal von deiner Familie.Tell me about your family.
  2. Priya (you)Tell him your parents live in another country.

    Meine Eltern wohnen im Ausland.

    My parents live abroad.

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Meine Eltern wohnen im Ausland.My parents live abroad.
Mein Bruder ist zwanzig Jahre alt.My brother is twenty.
Wir verstehen uns gut.We get along well.
Was machen deine Eltern beruflich?What do your parents do?
Ich bin mit meiner Schwester aufgewachsen.I grew up with my sister.
Ich sehe sie nicht so oft.I don't see them that often.
Next: lesson 70What do you do

Save your progress — it’s free

Keep your place in the course and see which lines you’ve learned.

Want the next lesson in your inbox?

Get the next lesson by email, one a day.

Where should we start?
Join the newsletter

Daily lesson emails are coming soon. Newsletter subscribers get them first.

Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want these family lines on the go? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards keeps ages, jobs, and where family lives ready.

Open Yak Cards