German · Elementary (A2) · Chapter 9 of 12
Directions and transport
Mit der Bahn unterwegs
Buy a train ticket in German, ask about platforms, delays and changing trains, and understand and give instructions with the imperative.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Buy a single or return ticket
- Ask about platforms, changes and delays
- Give instructions to du, ihr and Sie
- Say where to with in den, ins and in die
Listen
Günter Weber buys a train ticket at the ticket office of Kiel station. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Günter
Guten Tag. Eine Fahrkarte nach Köln, bitte.
Hello. A ticket to Cologne, please.
Clerk
Einfach oder hin und zurück?
Single or return?
Günter
Hin und zurück. Ich komme am Sonntag zurück.
Return. I'm coming back on Sunday.
Clerk
Der nächste Zug fährt um 10:12 Uhr von Gleis 4. In Hamburg müssen Sie umsteigen.
The next train leaves at 10:12 from platform 4. You have to change in Hamburg.
Günter
Fährt kein Zug direkt nach Köln?
Isn't there a train that goes straight to Cologne?
Clerk
Heute leider nicht. Aber in Hamburg haben Sie zwölf Minuten Zeit.
Not today, I'm afraid. But you have twelve minutes in Hamburg.
Günter
Und bei Verspätung?
And if there's a delay?
Clerk
Keine Sorge. Dann nehmen Sie einfach den nächsten Zug nach Köln.
Don't worry. Then just take the next train to Cologne.
Günter
Gut. Und wie komme ich zu Gleis 4?
Good. And how do I get to platform 4?
Clerk
Gehen Sie hier rechts in die Halle und dann geradeaus.
Go right here into the main hall and then straight on.
Günter
Vielen Dank.
Thank you very much.
Clerk
Gern. Gute Reise!
You're welcome. Have a good trip.
Understand
The imperative: telling people what to do
You know the polite form from A1: the verb first, then : For , use the normal form without : , For , take the form, drop the ending -st and leave out : → If the stem ends in -t or -d, add -e:
Verbs that change e to i or ie keep the change: → , → Verbs that change a to ä don't: → Separable prefixes go to the end: is irregular: (be on time), , Add to sound friendly.
| Infinitive | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| (to wait) | |||
- Nimm den nächsten Zug!Take the next train.
- Wartet bitte am Gleis!Please wait on the platform.
Where or where to? Wo? + dative, Wohin? + accusative
, , , , and a few others can take two cases. When they say where something is (), they take the dative, as you know: , . When they say where to, a movement to a place (), they take the accusative: , .
The accusative uses the object forms you know: masculine , feminine , neuter , plural . So only the masculine is different from , , . is shortened to : .
| Gender | (dative) | (accusative) |
|---|---|---|
| masculine | ||
| feminine | ||
| neuter | ||
| masculine |
- Ich lege die Tasche auf den Tisch.I put the bag on the table.
More in the grammar: The dative case · The imperative: Geh! Geht! Gehen Sie!
New words
- die Fahrkarteticket (for a train, bus or tram) · feminine, plural:
- einfachsingle, one-way (ticket); simple; just · … = Just take …
- oderor
- hin und zurückreturn (ticket), there and back
- zurückkommento come back · separable: ; Perfekt:
- der nächste Zugthe next train · = next
- das Gleisplatform, track · neuter, plural: ; = from platform 4
- umsteigento change (trains, buses) · separable: ; Perfekt:
- direktdirect(ly), straight
- die Verspätungdelay · feminine, plural: ; = The train is late.
- Keine Sorge.Don't worry.
- die Hallehall; (station) concourse · feminine, plural: ; = into the hall
- Gute Reise!Have a good trip. · = trip, journey
Practise
1.Tell a friend (du) to take the next train.
2.Tell two friends () to change trains in Hamburg. Complete with .
Change trains in Hamburg.
3.Where to? Write , or .
We're going to the park today.
4.Write or .
I'm going to the cinema this evening.
5.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.The train is ten minutes late.
6.Match the words from the station.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
Eine Fahrkarte nach Köln, hin und zurück, bitte.
A return ticket to Cologne, please.
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.