Let's Learn German Together - Lesson 7

she: "Sagmal, was ist dein Plan denn?" (say, what is your plan then? zakmaal, wass isst dye-n plaan denn.)
you: "Heute, ich fahre nach Bremen. Dort habe ich ein paar Besprechung morgen und übermorgen ... Mittwoch und Donnerstag. Am Freitag bin ich frei. Dieser Tag besuche ich die Dom, die Bremen-Sänger und den Markt. Samstag komme ich nach Frankfurt zurück. Bist du frei am Samstag?" (Today, I go to Bremen. There I have a few meetings tomorrow and the day after ... Wednessday and Thursday. On Friday I am free. This day I visit the Cathedral, The Bremen Singers and the market. Sauturday I return to Frankfurt. Are you free on Saturday? hoy-tay issh faahray naakh Bray-men. Daw-rt haa-bay issh eye-n paar bay-spray-schung morgue-en oont ueber-morgue-en mitt-wockh unt donners-takh. Am fry-takh bin issh fry. Dees-er takh bay-sookh ish dee dome, dee bray-men saenger unt den mark-t. Zams-takh come-ay issh naakh Frank-foo-ert tsurukh. Bisst doo fry um Zamstakh.)

she: "Natürlich. Ich werde am Samstag und Sonntag Frankfurt zeigen." (Of course. I will show you Frankfurt on Saturday and Sunday. Naatyur-lish. Issh ware-day um Zams-takh oont zoon-takh Fraank-foo-ert ts-eye-gen)

you: "Das ist sehr nett von dir. Treffen wir sich deine Eltern?" (That is very nice of you. Will we meet your parents? Dass is seyer net fawn deer. Tray-fen wir dye-nay elt-urn)

she: "Natürlich. Wir treffen sich mit ihnen. Und mit meiner Schwester und meinem Bruder auch. Sie wohnen noch mit meiner Mutti und meinem Vati." (Of course, we meet them. And my sister and brother too. They still live with mother and father. Naatyur-lish.Wir tray-fen zish mitt ee-nen. Oont mitt miner shvester oont my-nem brooder aukh. Zee woh-nen nokh mitt miner mooti oont faati)

you: "Gut! Und am Montag, ich treffe mich mit einem Kunde in Baden-Baden." (Good. And on Monday I meet a customer in Baden-Baden. Oont um Monn-takh, issh tray-fay missh eye-nen koond-ay in Baaden-Baaden)

she: "Baden-Baden ist sehr schön." (Baden-Baden is very beautiful. Baaden-Baaden isst seyer schoen.)

you: "Ich weiß. Und am Dienstag fliege ich nach Indien zurück." (I know. And on Tuesday I fly back to India. Issh Why-ss. Oont um deens-takh flee-gay issh nakg Indi-n tsurukh.)

she: "Beschäftigt! Wie fahrst du?" (Busy! How are you travelling? Bay-shaef-tiggt. V faahr-est doo)

you: "In Duetschland? Mit dem Zug." (In Germany? By Train. In Doy-ch-laand. mitt dem tsuk)

Interesting Points:
a) The word "Sagmal" is used to switch a subject. In formal situations, the word "Sagen Sie" is used.
b) The word "denn" is used to soften the abruptness of a question. I told you Germans are very polite!
c) As in English, many 'future' tense sentences (where "will" is used) can expressed in present tense in German. You will see lots of example in this lesson.

d) The word "Natürlich" actually translates as naturally. Also means "of course".
e) Be careful about pronouncing "ei" and "ie" - "frei" is pronounced "fry" while "frie" would be pronounced - "free". I am not aware of any word in German that goes "frie" - I have just used to show the difference.

f) "einen" and "meinen" are applied to masculine gender and neuter gender is the main verb is not "to be". Hence, "Und meine Schwester und meinen Bruder auch."

g) "mit" changes "meine" to "meiner" and "meinen" to "meinem", "einen" to "einem". Also note that if the main verb is not "sein" (am, ist, sind, bist, etc) then the personal pronoun (ein, mein) become (einen, meinen). "Mit" also converts "der" to "dem". This can only be learnt with practice. But no one will kill you if you make a mistake. Germans appreciate the fact that you are making an attempt. In any case, you would notice that "die" is generally untouched. Skip these points if it sounds too difficult. We will visit these in our next Grammar stop - later.

h) "Mutti" and "Vati" is actually "Mutter" and "Vater". Like "Mama" and "Papa" instead of "Mother" and "Father"
i) In Germany you don't travel on train! You travel with the train. Hence "mit dem Zug".)
j) I have visited many places in Germany, but I am most familiar with Baden-Baden, Frankfurt, Cologne and Bremen :-) I will keep Cologne (Köln) for another lesson.

k) Remind me later to touch upon the "sich" and "mich" that is attached to "treffen". For the time being just memorise it. Think it of, "We meet ourselves with your parents" or "I meet myself with my customer."

Exercise:
a) Translate: You are going on train. (Use formal "You")
b) Write down the names of the days of the week in order (Monday to Sunday).
c) Translate: My sister lives in Cologne. (Wohnen = lives. Check Grammar Lesson to work out the verb ending for third person. Wohnen is a regular verb).

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