German · Elementary (A2) · Chapter 10 of 12
Describing people
Wie sieht er aus?
Describe what people look like and what they're like in German, use adjective endings after ein, and say what someone was like.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Say what someone looks like
- Describe someone's personality
- Use adjective endings after ein, eine and einen
- Say what someone was like in the past
Listen
In Potsdam, Yasmin asks her flatmate Zoe to pick up her cousin Malik from the station. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Yasmin
Zoe, kannst du morgen meinen Cousin vom Bahnhof abholen? Ich muss leider arbeiten.
Zoe, can you pick up my cousin from the station tomorrow? Unfortunately I have to work.
Zoe
Klar. Aber ich kenne ihn nicht. Wie sieht er aus?
Sure. But I don't know him. What does he look like?
Yasmin
Malik ist groß und schlank und hat kurze schwarze Haare.
Malik is tall and slim and has short black hair.
Zoe
Hat er einen Bart?
Does he have a beard?
Yasmin
Ja, einen kurzen Bart. Und er trägt oft eine rote Jacke.
Yes, a short beard. And he often wears a red jacket.
Zoe
Gut. Und wie ist er so?
Good. And what's he like?
Yasmin
Sehr nett und lustig. Als Kind war er sehr schüchtern, aber heute redet er viel.
Very nice and funny. As a child he was very shy, but now he talks a lot.
Zoe
Und was macht er in Potsdam?
And what's he doing in Potsdam?
Yasmin
Er besucht mich für eine Woche. Er war noch nie hier.
He's visiting me for a week. He's never been here before.
Zoe
Und wann kommt er an?
And when does he arrive?
Yasmin
Um 15:40 Uhr. Warte am besten am Gleis.
At 15:40. It's best to wait on the platform.
Zoe
Okay. Dann finde ich ihn bestimmt.
OK. Then I'm sure I'll find him.
Understand
What does he look like?
Ask (What does he look like?). is a separable verb that changes its vowel: … . Answer with + adjective () or with + noun (). (to wear) is for clothes and glasses:
(hair) is plural in German, and (glasses) is singular:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| / | tall / short |
| slim | |
| / | short / long hair |
| / / | blond / brown / black hair |
| a beard | |
| glasses |
Adjective endings after ein
After or , an adjective has no ending: Before a noun, it needs an ending. After , and , the ending shows the gender: , , (shirt).
As the object, masculine is followed by -en: Feminine and neuter don't change. Plural nouns without an article take -e: . After or in the plural, the ending is -en: . Two adjectives both get the ending: .
| Use | masculine | feminine | neuter | plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| subject | ||||
| object |
- Malik ist ein großer Mann.Malik is a tall man.
- Sie trägt ein schwarzes Kleid.She's wearing a black dress.
What is someone like? What were they like?
asks about someone's personality. For what someone was like in the past, use and : (in the past, before) often goes with them:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| nice, kind | |
| funny, fun | |
| friendly | |
| quiet, calm | |
| shy | |
| open, outgoing |
- Früher hatte sie lange Haare.She used to have long hair.
- Als Kind war ich sehr ruhig.As a child I was very quiet.
More in the grammar: Adjective endings after ein, kein and mein · The simple past (Präteritum): war, hatte, musste
New words
- der Cousin / die Cousinecousin (male / female) · plural: /
- abholento pick up, to collect · separable:
- kennento know (a person, a place) · = I don't know him.
- aussehento look (like) · separable: ; = What does he look like?
- die Haarehair · plural; = one hair
- der Bartbeard · masculine, plural:
- tragento wear; to carry · ,
- als Kindas a child
- schüchternshy
- redento talk, to chat
- besuchento visit · Perfekt: (no ge-)
- noch nienever (before) · = I've never been here before.
- ankommento arrive · separable: ; Perfekt:
- bestimmtdefinitely, surely · = Then I'm sure I'll find him.
Practise
1.Which sentence is correct?
2.Complete with and the right ending.
She's wearing a red jacket.
3.Complete with and the right ending.
Malik is a tall man.
4.Complete with the Präteritum of .
As a child he was very shy.
5.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.What does your cousin look like?
6.Match the words that describe people.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
Wie sieht er aus?
What does he look like?
Listen, then say it out loud, as close to the recording as you can.
Check
Five questions on this chapter. Then mark it as finished to add its words to your review deck.
0 of 5 answered.