German · Intermediate (B1) · Chapter 9 of 12
Health and lifestyle
Gesund leben
Talk about healthy habits in German: zu + infinitive after Es ist wichtig and Ich versuche, advice with du solltest, and adjective endings.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Talk about habits, exercise and food
- Use zu + infinitive: Es ist wichtig, … zu …
- Give and justify advice
- Use adjective endings with and without an article
Listen
In Heidelberg, Stefan (56) visits his daughter Marie (27), who is a physiotherapist. He has back pain. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Marie
Papa, was ist los? Tut dir wieder der Rücken weh?
Dad, what's wrong? Is your back hurting again?
Stefan
Ja, seit einer Woche. Ich glaube, ich sitze einfach zu viel am Schreibtisch.
Yes, for a week now. I think I just sit at my desk too much.
Marie
Das glaube ich auch. Es ist wichtig, jede Stunde kurz aufzustehen und sich zu bewegen.
I think so too. It's important to get up briefly every hour and move around.
Stefan
Ich weiß. Aber im Büro habe ich oft keine Zeit, eine Pause zu machen.
I know. But at the office I often don't have time to take a break.
Marie
Fünf Minuten hast du immer. Und du solltest regelmäßig Sport machen. Warum fährst du nicht mit dem Rad ins Büro?
You always have five minutes. And you should do sport regularly. Why don't you cycle to the office?
Stefan
Mit dem alten Fahrrad, das in der Garage steht? Das ist doch kaputt.
With the old bike that's in the garage? It's broken.
Marie
Dann kauf dir ein neues. Ein gutes Fahrrad ist billiger als ein neuer Rücken.
Then buy yourself a new one. A good bike is cheaper than a new back.
Stefan
Da hast du recht. Und deine Mutter sagt, ich esse abends zu viel Schokolade.
You're right there. And your mother says I eat too much chocolate in the evening.
Marie
Das stimmt ja auch. Versuch doch, abends frisches Obst zu essen. Das ist viel gesünder.
Well, that's true. Why not try eating fresh fruit in the evening? It's much healthier.
Stefan
Das wird schwierig. Aber ich habe schon angefangen, jeden Morgen zehn Minuten Übungen zu machen.
That'll be difficult. But I've already started doing ten minutes of exercises every morning.
Marie
Das ist super. Ich zeige dir heute noch zwei einfache Übungen für den Rücken.
That's great. I'll show you two easy exercises for your back today.
Stefan
Danke, Marie. Es ist schön, eine Tochter zu haben, die Physiotherapeutin ist.
Thanks, Marie. It's nice to have a daughter who's a physiotherapist.
Understand
zu + infinitive: Es ist wichtig, … zu …
After many expressions, the next verb comes at the end with in front of it: A comma separates the two parts. With separable verbs, goes in the middle: , .
Modal verbs never take : , but .
| German | English |
|---|---|
| , … … | It's important to … |
| , … … | I try to … |
| , … … | I've started to / started …ing |
| , … … | I've stopped …ing |
| / , … … | I have no time / I don't feel like …ing |
Giving advice
(you should) is the Konjunktiv II of and the most common way to give a friend advice: A softer way is , … or a question: To justify your advice, add a reason with , or a comparison:
- Du solltest jede Stunde eine kurze Pause machen.You should take a short break every hour.
- Versuch doch, nicht so lange am Schreibtisch zu sitzen.Why not try not to sit at your desk for so long?
Adjective endings: the full picture
After / / , the article already shows the gender, so the adjective only needs -e or -en: , but . After , the adjective shows the gender: , . After any article in the dative, and in the plural after or , the ending is always -en.
With no article (common with food and with plurals), the adjective takes the ending that / / would have: , , , . The table shows the subject form; as an object, only the masculine changes: , , .
| Gender | after / / | after / | no article | dative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| masculine | ||||
| feminine | ||||
| neuter | ||||
| plural |
More in the grammar: Adjective endings after ein, kein and mein · Linking clauses: als, wenn, obwohl, damit, um … zu · Relative clauses: der Mann, der … · The Konjunktiv II: würde, hätte, wäre, könnte
New words
- der Schreibtischdesk · masculine, plural:
- wichtigimportant · , … … = It's important to …
- sich bewegento move, to get some exercise ·
- die Pausebreak · feminine, plural: ; = to take a break
- regelmäßigregular, regularly
- Sport machento do sport, to exercise · = sport
- das Fahrradbicycle, bike · neuter, plural: ; short:
- versuchento try · Perfekt: (no ge-)
- frischfresh
- das Obstfruit · neuter, no plural
- gesundhealthy · = healthier; = unhealthy
- aufhörento stop · separable: ; , … … = to stop …ing
- die Übungexercise · feminine, plural:
- der Physiotherapeut / die Physiotherapeutinphysiotherapist · plural: /
Practise
1.Which sentence is correct?
2.Complete with and .
It's important to get up briefly every hour.
3.Complete with the right form of .
With the old bike? It's broken.
4.Complete with the right form of .
Why not try eating fresh fruit in the evening?
5.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.I've started doing exercises every morning.
6.Match the words with their meanings.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
Es ist wichtig, sich regelmäßig zu bewegen.
It's important to get exercise regularly.
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.