When you have finished this lesson you can:
Name family members
Describe family relationships
talking about what you’re thinking, believing, hoping
When you have finished this lesson you can:
Name family members
Describe family relationships
talking about what you’re thinking, believing, hoping
Elisabeth, Bruno and Steve talk about family. Notice the words they use about family members.
Touch the video to start it.
Elisabeth, Bruno and Steve talk about family. Notice the words they use about family members.
Touch the video to start it.
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Vienna | |
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Salzburg | |
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Germany |
How explained in the first chapter, this terms are seldom used in the spoken language.
How explained in the first chapter, this terms are seldom used in the spoken language.
In German, there is a small, but significant language difference between being in love with someone and being only friends. The nouns are the same: Freund/Freundin.
In German, there is a small, but significant language difference between being in love with someone and being only friends. The nouns are the same: Freund/Freundin.
If you are asked about your civil status, say:
If you are asked about your civil status, say:
Arrange correctly: Click at the speaker-button on the left and drag them to the corresponding word on the right side.
Arrange correctly: Click at the speaker-button on the left and drag them to the corresponding word on the right side.
![]() | ![]() | married |
![]() | my husband | |
![]() | my boyfriend | |
![]() | divorced |
Say that yours husband’s name is Bruno.
Say that yours husband’s name is Bruno.
If you live with someone you use the word zusammenleben. This is a regular verb and it is used with "mit + dative"
If you live with someone you use the word zusammenleben. This is a regular verb and it is used with "mit + dative"
Terms of endearment for the mother are: Mama, Mami
Terms of endearment for the mother are: Mama, Mami
Terms of endearment for the father are: Papa, Papi
Terms of endearment for the father are: Papa, Papi
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He lives in Bristol together with his girlfriend Sheena and her son Phil. | |
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He lives in Bristol together with his girlfriend Sheena and their son Phil. | |
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He lives in Bristol together with his wife Sheena and their son Phil. | |
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He lives in Bristol together with his friend Sheena and her son Phil. |
Arrange correctly: Click at the speaker-button on the left and drag them to the corresponding word on the right side.
Arrange correctly: Click at the speaker-button on the left and drag them to the corresponding word on the right side.
![]() | ![]() | I have two daughters. |
![]() | My father lives together with his girlfriend. | |
![]() | I live alone with my dog. | |
![]() | My parents have separated. |
If siblings only share either mother or father use this terms:
If siblings only share either mother or father use this terms:
Arrange correctly: Click at the speaker-button on the left and drag them to the corresponding word on the right side.
Arrange correctly: Click at the speaker-button on the left and drag them to the corresponding word on the right side.
![]() | ![]() | the middlest sister |
![]() | the younger sister | |
![]() | the oldest brother | |
![]() | the little brother |
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He has four siblings: a younger brother, a twin brother and two half-sister. | |
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He has four sisters. a older sister, a twin sister and two half-sisters. | |
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He has four siblings: a younger sister, a twin sister and two half-brothers. | |
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He has four siblings: a older sister, a twin sister and two half-brothers. |
Grandparents, the parents of parents, are named with die Großeltern.
Terms of endearment for the grandmother are: Oma
Terms of endearment for the grandfather are: Opa
Grandparents, the parents of parents, are named with die Großeltern.
Terms of endearment for the grandmother are: Oma
Terms of endearment for the grandfather are: Opa
When talking about children's children you say:
When talking about children's children you say:
The next generations always get a (or one more) “Ur-” before: die Urenkel.
The next generations always get a (or one more) “Ur-” before: die Urenkel.
Arrange correctly: Click at the speaker-button on the left and drag them to the corresponding word on the right side.
Arrange correctly: Click at the speaker-button on the left and drag them to the corresponding word on the right side.
![]() | ![]() | the middlest sister |
![]() | the little brother | |
![]() | the great-grandmother | |
![]() | the oldest brother |
Say that your grandmother has seven grandchildren.
Say that your grandmother has seven grandchildren.
If you are married you get some “new” parents:
If you are married you get some “new” parents:
Arrange correctly: Click at the speaker-button on the left and drag them to the corresponding word on the right side.
Arrange correctly: Click at the speaker-button on the left and drag them to the corresponding word on the right side.
![]() | ![]() | the mother-in-law |
![]() | the niece | |
![]() | the brother-in-law | |
![]() | the nephew |
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The daughter of my aunt is my cousin. | |
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The son of my uncle is my cousin. | |
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The daughter of my uncle is my cousin. | |
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The son of my aunt is my cousin. |
In german, the genitive designates a relationship between two nouns in which one of them belongs to the other. The “owner” is in genitive and after the noun belonging (to) him/her.
der Vater des Kindes [the child’s father]
die Frau meines Bruders [my brother’s wife]
die Tochter seiner Schwester [his sister’s daughter]
! Exception: Names stand before the noun that belongs to the person and gets - independent of the gender - the ending “-s”.
Elisabeths Mann [Elisabeth’s husband]
Paulas Tante [Paula’s aunt]
Exception: All names ending with -s, -tz, -x or -z. This is not pronounceable with an additional "-s", so it is omitted. In written German, there is an apostroph:
Exception: All names ending with -s, -tz, -x or -z. This is not pronounceable with an additional "-s", so it is omitted. In written German, there is an apostroph:
Fritz'Cousine
! Remember: These are the endings of articles and nouns in genitive:
In german, the genitive designates a relationship between two nouns in which one of them belongs to the other. The “owner” is in genitive and after the noun belonging (to) him/her.
der Vater des Kindes [the child’s father]
die Frau meines Bruders [my brother’s wife]
die Tochter seiner Schwester [his sister’s daughter]
! Exception: Names stand before the noun that belongs to the person and gets - independent of the gender - the ending “-s”.
Elisabeths Mann [Elisabeth’s husband]
Paulas Tante [Paula’s aunt]
Exception: All names ending with -s, -tz, -x or -z. This is not pronounceable with an additional "-s", so it is omitted. In written German, there is an apostroph:
Exception: All names ending with -s, -tz, -x or -z. This is not pronounceable with an additional "-s", so it is omitted. In written German, there is an apostroph:
Fritz'Cousine
! Remember: These are the endings of articles and nouns in genitive:
* There are some masculine nouns in German, so-called weak nouns, building their genitive with -(e)n.
For example: der Junge - des Jungen [the boy]
der Architekt - des Architekten [the architect]
To be sure how it is right you can use a dictionary. There the genitive ending is often extra specified.
* There are some masculine nouns in German, so-called weak nouns, building their genitive with -(e)n.
For example: der Junge - des Jungen [the boy]
der Architekt - des Architekten [the architect]
To be sure how it is right you can use a dictionary. There the genitive ending is often extra specified.
Arrange correctly: Click at the speaker-button on the left and drag them to the corresponding word on the right side.
Arrange correctly: Click at the speaker-button on the left and drag them to the corresponding word on the right side.
![]() | ![]() | my nephew’s mother |
![]() | my mother’s nephew | |
![]() | his stepbrother’s grandfather | |
![]() | his grandfather’s stepbrother |
Transform the terms in parentheses in genitive and insert they into the phrases.
For example: das Buch __________ (meine Tante)
Transform the terms in parentheses in genitive and insert they into the phrases.
For example: das Buch __________ (meine Tante)
das Auto ________________ (mein Vater)
das Auto ________________ (mein Vater)
_________________ Geschwister (Bruno)
_________________ Geschwister (Bruno)
die Tante ________________ (seine Mutter)
die Tante ________________ (seine Mutter)
die Schwiegermutter _____________ (der Enkel)
die Schwiegermutter _____________ (der Enkel)
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My aunt’s daughter is my cousin. | |
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My daughter’s aunt is my sister. | |
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My mother’s brother is my uncle. | |
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My uncle’s father is my grandfather. |
Say this is your boyfriend’s daughter.
Say this is your boyfriend’s daughter.
Ask if they meet (see) each other often. (You are familiar with them.)
Ask if they meet (see) each other often. (You are familiar with them.)
Arrange correctly: Click at the pronoun on the left and drag them to the corresponding form of the verb on the right side.
Arrange correctly: Click at the pronoun on the left and drag them to the corresponding form of the verb on the right side.
er | ![]() | versteht euch |
ihr | verstehen uns | |
ich | verstehe mich | |
wir | versteht sich |
The use of the pronoun “man” is very common when the person that is carrying out the action is not important.
Man fährt zwei Stunden bis zu meinen Eltern. [One drives two hours to my parents.]
Man muss das Zimmer buchen. [One have to book the room.]
“Man” is not declined (it doesn’t change) and only can be used in the nominative singular, that means as subject of a clause.
The use of the pronoun “man” is very common when the person that is carrying out the action is not important.
Man fährt zwei Stunden bis zu meinen Eltern. [One drives two hours to my parents.]
Man muss das Zimmer buchen. [One have to book the room.]
“Man” is not declined (it doesn’t change) and only can be used in the nominative singular, that means as subject of a clause.
Verbs like “glauben” (to believe), ´”denken” (to think) and “hoffen” (to hope) often demands a subordinate clause which describes the contents of the believe, the thoughts, the hopes.
These are usually build with the subordinate conjunction “dass” (that).
Ich glaube, dass sie einen Bruder bekommt. [I believe that she’ll get a brother.]
Ich denke, dass ich sie treffen werde. [I think that I’ll meet them.]
! Remember: If you talking about plans you use the future tense in German.
Ich hoffe, dass wir bald heiraten werden. [I hope that we will marry soon.]
Verbs like “glauben” (to believe), ´”denken” (to think) and “hoffen” (to hope) often demands a subordinate clause which describes the contents of the believe, the thoughts, the hopes.
These are usually build with the subordinate conjunction “dass” (that).
Ich glaube, dass sie einen Bruder bekommt. [I believe that she’ll get a brother.]
Ich denke, dass ich sie treffen werde. [I think that I’ll meet them.]
! Remember: If you talking about plans you use the future tense in German.
Ich hoffe, dass wir bald heiraten werden. [I hope that we will marry soon.]
Arrange correctly: Click at the pronoun on the left and drag them to the corresponding form of the verb on the right side.
Arrange correctly: Click at the pronoun on the left and drag them to the corresponding form of the verb on the right side.
ihr | ![]() | hofft |
ich | denkst | |
du | glaube | |
wir | denken |
Say that you are divorced:
Say that you are divorced:
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Urgroßmutter | |
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Tante | |
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Schwiegermutter | |
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Großmutter |
Say it's your daughter:
Say it's your daughter:
Arrange correctly: Click at the speaker-button on the left and drag them to the corresponding word on the right side.
Arrange correctly: Click at the speaker-button on the left and drag them to the corresponding word on the right side.
![]() | ![]() | the grandfather |
![]() | the half-brother | |
![]() | the sister | |
![]() | the niece |
Ask Steve if he is married: (you are familiar)
Ask Steve if he is married: (you are familiar)
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Are you separated? | |
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Are you married? | |
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Are you divorced? | |
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Are you single? |
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Your aunt’s mother | |
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Your mother’s aunt | |
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Your mother’s mother | |
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Your mother’s sister |
Say he gets along well with his parents.
Say he gets along well with his parents.
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I think that they’ll meet soon. | |
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I believe that they’ll get along soon. | |
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I hope that they’ll get along soon. | |
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I hope that they’ll meet soon. |
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If the person carrying out the action is not important. | |
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If the action is not important. |
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Section completed | ![]() |
Exercise | Result | Your answer | Correct answer |