German · Elementary (A2) · Chapter 8 of 12
Plans and invitations
Pläne und Einladungen
Make, accept, decline and change plans in German, give reasons with weil, suggest things with Lass uns … and use sich treffen.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Suggest doing something together
- Say no and give a reason with weil
- Change a plan and agree on a time and place
- Use reflexive verbs like sich treffen
Listen
In Mannheim, Moritz asks his friend Hanna what she's doing at the weekend. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Moritz
Hanna, hast du am Freitagabend Zeit? Wollen wir ins Kino gehen?
Hanna, are you free on Friday evening? Shall we go to the cinema?
Hanna
Am Freitag kann ich leider nicht, weil ich bis acht arbeiten muss.
Unfortunately I can't on Friday, because I have to work until eight.
Moritz
Schade. Und am Samstag?
What a shame. And on Saturday?
Hanna
Samstag geht. Aber lass uns lieber etwas draußen machen, weil das Wetter schön wird.
Saturday's fine. But let's do something outside instead, because the weather's going to be nice.
Moritz
Gute Idee. Wie wäre es mit einer Radtour am Rhein?
Good idea. How about a bike ride along the Rhine?
Hanna
Super, das mache ich gern. Wann treffen wir uns?
Great, I'd love to. When shall we meet?
Moritz
Um zehn? Wir können uns am Wasserturm treffen.
At ten? We can meet at the water tower.
Hanna
Zehn ist ein bisschen früh. Geht es auch um elf?
Ten is a bit early. Does eleven work too?
Moritz
Klar. Dann um elf am Wasserturm.
Sure. Eleven at the water tower, then.
Hanna
Ich freue mich! Soll ich Brötchen mitbringen?
I'm looking forward to it. Shall I bring some rolls?
Moritz
Ja, gern. Ich bringe Äpfel und Wasser mit.
Yes, please. I'll bring apples and water.
Hanna
Perfekt. Bis Samstag!
Perfect. See you on Saturday.
Understand
Giving a reason: weil
(because) sends the verb to the end of its part of the sentence: If there are two verbs, the one that changes with the person comes last: , .
Separable verbs join up again at the end: . Always put a comma before . , and are different: they just join two sentences and don't move the verb:
| Main clause | … | verb at the end |
|---|---|---|
Reflexive verbs: sich treffen, sich freuen
Some verbs need an extra word that points back to the subject, a reflexive pronoun, like English “myself”: (I'm happy, I'm looking forward to it), (we meet up). In the dictionary these verbs have in front: , .
The reflexive pronoun usually comes right after the verb: In a question, it comes after , , and so on: To say what you're looking forward to, use :
| Person | Pronoun | Example |
|---|---|---|
| / / | ||
| / |
Making suggestions
…? (shall we …?) and … (let's …) put the second verb at the end: …? (how about …?) is followed by a noun in the dative, because of . …? (shall I …?) offers to do something.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Shall we go to the cinema? | |
| Let's do something outside. | |
| How about a bike ride? | |
| Shall I bring something? | |
| Saturday's fine. | |
| I can't then, unfortunately. |
More in the grammar: Modal verbs: können, müssen, wollen … · Word order · Reflexive verbs: sich freuen, sich treffen · Talking about the future: present tense and werden
New words
- Wollen wir …?Shall we …? · = to want:
- ins Kino gehento go to the cinema · = cinema, plural:
- weilbecause · the verb goes to the end
- Schade.What a shame. / Pity.
- Lass uns …Let's … · = Let's go.
- draußenoutside, outdoors
- Wie wäre es mit …?How about …? · + dative:
- die Radtourbike ride, cycling trip · feminine, plural: ; = bike
- sich treffento meet (up) ·
- klarsure, of course · informal
- sich freuento be happy; to look forward to · = I'm looking forward to Saturday.
- Soll ich …?Shall I …?
- mitbringento bring (along) · separable: ; Perfekt:
Practise
1.Which sentence is correct?
2.Write the reflexive pronoun.
When shall we meet?
3.Write the reflexive pronoun.
I'm looking forward to the weekend.
4.Complete the reason with the right form of .
I'm not coming along because I don't have time.
5.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.Shall we go to the cinema?
6.Match the German with the English.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
Wollen wir am Samstag ins Kino gehen?
Shall we go to the cinema on Saturday?
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.