German course

Lesson 127 of 240

New here? This is lesson 127 of a free 240-lesson German course.

Start hereHow this works

When it happened in German

Jule asks Priya when she first came to Fliederstraße. Priya arrived this year, not two years ago, and she still remembers that first morning.

Anton is at the corner table with a Milchkaffee he has not finished. He remembers a first time too, but the order comes out wrong.

By the end, you'll say when something happened, what came after, and how it felt.

You'll keep first time, after that, and I remember for a short story at the bakery.

By the end of this lesson

Say when something happened in the past and how it went.

  • Vor ein paar Jahren habe ich ___.A few years ago I ___.
  • Ich erinnere mich an ___.I remember ___.
  • Das erste Mal war vor zwei Jahren.The first time was two years ago.
  • Danach bin ich oft hingegangen.After that I went often.
  • Das habe ich nicht erwartet.I didn't expect that.
  • Als ich ankam, war alles neu.When I arrived, everything was new.

Scene — the bakery table

Saturday morning at Bäckerei Krause. Jule and Priya sit at a small table. Anton has the two chairs in the corner, as usual.

Jule wants to hear when Priya first came. Priya has only been on Fliederstraße since this year, and Anton is already lost in his own first morning.

Jule sets her headphones on the table and opens a conversation with Priya while Anton sits in the corner beside his full coffee.

Learn — when it happened

Six lines help you place a past moment: a few years ago, the first time, after that, and how it felt.

You also get I remember and I didn't expect that.

  1. Anton looks up from his full coffee, absorbed in a memory of his first morning.

    Vor ein paar Jahren habe ich ___.

    A few years ago I ___.

    When to use it: Use this to start a past story with how long ago.

    After Jahren, the verb habe comes second in the clause.

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

  2. Anton turns toward the sunlit window and lifts a hoof as he recalls his first morning.

    Ich erinnere mich an ___.

    I remember ___.

    When to use it: Use this to name a person, place, or moment you still recall.

    Keep mich after erinnere, then an plus the thing.

  3. Jule leans forward with a recalling gesture while Priya listens at the table.

    Das erste Mal war vor zwei Jahren.

    The first time was two years ago.

    When to use it: Use this to say when something happened for the first time.

    Vor zwei Jahren sits after war to place the time.

  4. Priya gestures toward the bakery as she explains that she went often after arriving.

    Danach bin ich oft hingegangen.

    After that I went often.

    When to use it: Use this for what you did after that first time.

    After Danach, the verb bin still comes second.

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

  5. Priya pauses with her coffee cup, surprised by Anton’s memory.

    Das habe ich nicht erwartet.

    I didn't expect that.

    When to use it: Use this when a fact or moment takes you by surprise.

    Das comes first, and habe stays in second place.

  6. Priya turns in her chair to take in the bakery as she recalls how new everything felt when she arrived.

    Als ich ankam, war alles neu.

    When I arrived, everything was new.

    When to use it: Use this to say how things felt when you arrived.

    After Als, the verb ankam goes last in that clause.

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

Story — this year

Watch Jule ask when Priya first came. The first time on this street was this year, not two years ago.

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

  1. Jule sets her headphones on the table. She asks about Priya's first morning on Fliederstraße.
  2. JuleWann war das?When was that?
  3. PriyaErst dieses Jahr.Only this year.
  4. JuleWie war das so?What was that like?
  5. PriyaAls ich ankam, war alles neu.When I arrived, everything was new.
  6. JuleUnd dann?And then?
  7. PriyaDanach bin ich oft hingegangen.After that I went often.
  8. Anton looks up from the corner. The Milchkaffee is still full.
  9. AntonIch erinnere mich an meinen ersten Morgen.I remember my first morning.
  10. AntonDas erste Mal war vor zwei Jahren.The first time was two years ago.
  11. PriyaDas habe ich nicht erwartet.I didn't expect that.
  12. AntonVor ein paar Jahren habe ich hier gesessen.A few years ago I sat here.
  13. AntonNa ja. Der Kaffee war kalt.Well. The coffee was cold.

Practice — first time and after

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

    Das erste Mal war vor zwei Jahren.Drop the English here
    Danach bin ich oft hingegangen.Drop the English here
    Das habe ich nicht erwartet.Drop the English here
    Als ich ankam, war alles neu.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 to say a place or morning is still in your mind.

  4. Fill the gap

    When I arrived, everything was new.

    Als ich ____, war alles neu.

  5. What does it mean?

    Das habe ich nicht erwartet.

  6. Swap the word

    After the first visit, you went back many times.

    Danach bin ich ____ hingegangen.

  7. Build the line

    When I arrived, everything was new.

    , .

    Tap the words in order.

  8. What do you say?

    You want to start a past story with a time a few years back.

  9. Pick the reply

    Anton says:

    Danach bin ich oft hingegangen.

    After that I went often.

    And you reply with:

  10. True or false?

    This asks where something happened.

  11. Fill the gap

    And then?

    Und ____?

Say it — say it back

Now you're Priya at the bakery table 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 war das so?What was that like?
  2. Priya (you)Say that when you arrived, everything was new.

    Als ich ankam, war alles neu.

    When I arrived, everything was new.

0 of 4 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Vor ein paar Jahren habe ich ___.A few years ago I ___.
Ich erinnere mich an ___.I remember ___.
Das erste Mal war vor zwei Jahren.The first time was two years ago.
Danach bin ich oft hingegangen.After that I went often.
Das habe ich nicht erwartet.I didn't expect that.
Als ich ankam, war alles neu.When I arrived, everything was new.
Next: lesson 128Trip stories

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 past lines handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards keeps first time and after that ready.

Open Yak Cards