German · Intermediate (B1) · Chapter 10 of 12
Money and everyday services
Auf der Bank
Open a bank account in German: the genitive with des and der, während and wegen, the passive with modal verbs, and formal requests.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Open a bank account and ask about fees
- Understand the genitive: des Kontos, der Bank
- Understand forms: Das muss unterschrieben werden
- Make formal requests with Könnten Sie …?
Listen
In Magdeburg, Lukas Hartmann (19) has just started an apprenticeship. He opens his first bank account with an adviser, Frau Petersen (50s). Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Frau Petersen
Guten Tag, Herr Hartmann. Was kann ich für Sie tun?
Hello, Mr Hartmann. What can I do for you?
Lukas
Guten Tag. Ich möchte ein Girokonto eröffnen. Ich habe gerade eine Ausbildung angefangen, und meine Firma möchte mein Geld auf ein Konto überweisen.
Hello. I'd like to open a current account. I've just started an apprenticeship, and my company wants to pay my money into an account.
Frau Petersen
Gern. Während der Ausbildung ist das Konto bei uns kostenlos.
Certainly. While you're doing your apprenticeship, the account is free with us.
Lukas
Super. Was brauchen Sie von mir?
Great. What do you need from me?
Frau Petersen
Ich brauche Ihren Ausweis und den Namen Ihrer Firma.
I need your ID card and the name of your company.
Lukas
Hier ist mein Ausweis. Die Firma heißt Elektro Schulze.
Here's my ID card. The company is called Elektro Schulze.
Frau Petersen
Danke. Dann füllen Sie bitte dieses Formular aus. Am Ende muss es noch unterschrieben werden.
Thank you. Then please fill in this form. At the end it needs to be signed.
Lukas
Könnten Sie mir noch sagen, ob es Gebühren für die Karte gibt?
Could you also tell me if there are any fees for the card?
Frau Petersen
Nein, die Karte ist auch kostenlos. Aber wenn Sie am Automaten einer anderen Bank Geld abheben, kann das etwas kosten.
No, the card is free too. But if you take money out at another bank's cash machine, that can cost something.
Lukas
Gut zu wissen. Wie viel kann ich am Tag abheben?
Good to know. How much can I take out per day?
Frau Petersen
Bis zu 1.000 Euro. Die Karte wird Ihnen innerhalb einer Woche per Post geschickt.
Up to 1,000 euros. The card will be sent to you by post within a week.
Lukas
Vielen Dank, Frau Petersen. Auf Wiedersehen.
Thank you very much, Ms Petersen. Goodbye.
Understand
The genitive: des Kontos, der Bank
The genitive shows that something belongs to someone or something, like English “of” or “'s”: (the name of the company), (another bank's cash machine). With names, German just adds -s, with no apostrophe: .
Masculine and neuter nouns use or , and the noun adds -s, or -es after -s, -ß, -z and many one-syllable words: , , . Feminine and plural nouns use , and the noun doesn't change. , and take the same endings as : , .
| Article | masculine | feminine | neuter | plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| / / | ||||
| / | – | |||
| / |
Genitive or von? während, wegen, innerhalb
The genitive is typical of written and formal German: forms, contracts, letters from the bank. In everyday speech, people often use + dative instead: . Both are correct.
A few prepositions take the genitive: (during), (because of) and (within): , , . In speech you'll also hear with the dative (), but in writing use the genitive.
- Während der Woche arbeite ich in Magdeburg.During the week I work in Magdeburg.
- Wegen des Regens sind wir zu Hause geblieben.We stayed at home because of the rain.
Forms and formal requests
Forms and instructions often use the passive with a modal verb: the modal verb in second position, then the participle and at the end: (the form has to be signed). (the card can be picked up at the bank).
At the bank or the post office, polite requests use the Konjunktiv II or : …?, ,
| German | English |
|---|---|
| This still needs to be signed here. | |
| The money will be transferred tomorrow. | |
| Could you show me that, please? | |
| I have one more question. |
More in the grammar: The genitive: des Kontos, der Firma · The Konjunktiv II: würde, hätte, wäre, könnte · The passive: wird gemacht, wurde gemacht
New words
- das Girokontocurrent account · neuter, plural: ; = account
- überweisento transfer (money) · Perfekt: (no ge-)
- währendduring · + genitive:
- kostenlosfree (of charge)
- der AusweisID card · masculine, plural: ; also
- ausfüllento fill in (a form) · separable:
- das Formularform · neuter, plural:
- unterschreibento sign · Perfekt: (no ge-); = signature
- die Gebührfee, charge · feminine, plural:
- die Kartecard · feminine, plural: ; also
- der Automatmachine; cash machine · masculine, plural: ; also
- abhebento take out, to withdraw (money) · separable: ; Perfekt:
- innerhalbwithin · + genitive:
- per Postby post · = post; post office
Practise
1.Complete with the genitive: “der Name ___ Firma”.
2.Complete with the article.
During the apprenticeship the account is free.
3.Complete the passive.
The form still has to be signed.
4.Complete with in the genitive.
I need a copy of your ID card.
5.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.The card will be sent to you by post.
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
Ich möchte ein Girokonto eröffnen.
I'd like to open a current account.
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.