Let's Learn German Together - Lesson 12

German stations are like shopping malls. The platform itself does not have much life - unlike Indian platforms, which at any given time of the day is bristling with vivacity. But once you come down to the main concourse, you can see all sorts of establishments and shops - selling insurance, books, magazines, food, meat (meat?), and in some cases fur-covered handcuffs (hmm...)

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You get down at the Bremen station. It is now evening. You drag your luggage to the help desk.

You: "Entschuldigen Sie!" (Excuse me! Ent-shool-dig-en zee!)

The person at the help desk has buried her head deep into a novel. She raises her head ... where was she all your life? ... Such angelic beauty ...

She: "Wie kann ich für Sie tun?" (What can I do for you? V cann ish fuer zee toon?)

Wake up!

You: "Wie komme ich zum Hotel Atlanta?" (How can I go to hotel Atlanta? V commay ish tsum Ho-tail Aatlaanta?)

She: (with a smile - oh! what a smile) "Dort drüben sind die S-bahn. Die nummer elf geht zum Hotel Atlanta. Oder, Sie kann das Taxi nehmen. Gehen Sie links, dann geradeaus und dann rechts. Die Taxis steht dort.  Das Hotel ist gegenüber der Flughafen."

(Over there are the trams. The number 11 goes to the hotal Atlanta. Or, you can take the taxi. Go to your left, then straight on and then right. The taxis are there. The hotel is opposite the Airport. Dort drue-ben zint dee s-baan. Dee nummer elf gay-t tsum Ho-tail Aatlaanta. Oder, zee cann dass taaxi nay-men. Gay-hen zee links, dann geraadaa-aus oont dann rekhts. Dee taaxis stay-t dort. Dass ho-tail ist gaygen-uber dair fluk-haafen.)

You: "Danke sehr." (Thank you very much. Daankay zay-r)

She: "Bitte sehr." (You are welcome. Bittay zay-r)

And she dives right back into whatever she was reading. You wish you had something else to ask.

You do not feel like taking the tram after a long, tiring journey. You go to the taxi rank and go to the hotel.

Interesting Points

1) To ask where to go somewhere, the Germans always ask how do I come there. Wie komme ich ...

2) Links = left; Rechts = right. Easy to remember (l, r).

Exercise

Instead of attempting something new, why don't you revisit all the previous classes? It is always good to revise. 

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