German · Intermediate (B1) · Chapter 12 of 12
Telling your story
Meine Geschichte
Put B1 German together: tell the story of your life, from the past to your plans, and understand someone else's story in an interview.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Tell your life story in the right order
- Say what happened after something else with nachdem
- Combine the B1 grammar in a longer conversation
- Talk about your plans for the future
Listen
In Ulm, Johanna Keller (32) from the local newspaper interviews Gül Yılmaz (63), who is retiring and handing over her tailoring workshop. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Johanna Keller
Frau Yılmaz, Ende des Monats hören Sie nach 30 Jahren mit Ihrer Werkstatt auf. Wie geht es Ihnen damit?
Mrs Yılmaz, at the end of the month you're giving up your workshop after 30 years. How do you feel about it?
Gül Yılmaz
Ein bisschen traurig bin ich schon. Aber ich freue mich auch auf die Zeit, die jetzt kommt.
I do feel a bit sad. But I'm also looking forward to the time that's coming now.
Johanna Keller
Erzählen Sie doch mal: Wie sind Sie nach Ulm gekommen?
Tell us: how did you come to Ulm?
Gül Yılmaz
Als ich 1983 aus Izmir kam, war ich zwanzig und sprach kein Wort Deutsch. Mein Mann arbeitete damals schon hier.
When I came from Izmir in 1983, I was twenty and didn't speak a word of German. My husband was already working here at the time.
Johanna Keller
Das war bestimmt nicht einfach.
That can't have been easy.
Gül Yılmaz
Nein. Aber ich habe abends einen Deutschkurs besucht, obwohl ich den ganzen Tag in einer Fabrik gearbeitet habe.
No. But I went to a German course in the evenings, although I worked in a factory all day.
Johanna Keller
Und wie sind Sie Schneiderin geworden?
And how did you become a tailor?
Gül Yılmaz
Nähen hatte ich schon als Kind von meiner Mutter gelernt. Nachdem unsere Kinder in die Schule gekommen waren, habe ich eine Ausbildung gemacht. 1996 habe ich dann meine eigene Werkstatt eröffnet.
I had learned to sew from my mother as a child. After our children had started school, I did an apprenticeship. Then in 1996 I opened my own workshop.
Johanna Keller
Ihre Kunden sagen, dass in Ihrer Werkstatt immer viel geredet wurde.
Your customers say there was always a lot of talking in your workshop.
Gül Yılmaz
Das stimmt. Hier haben sich Leute getroffen, die sich sonst nie kennengelernt hätten.
That's true. People met here who would never have got to know each other otherwise.
Johanna Keller
Und was passiert jetzt mit der Werkstatt?
And what's going to happen to the workshop now?
Gül Yılmaz
Die übernimmt meine Tochter, die auch Schneiderin ist. Und ich möchte mehr Zeit mit meinen Enkelkindern verbringen und im Winter nach Izmir fahren, um meine Schwester zu besuchen.
My daughter, who's a tailor too, is taking it over. And I'd like to spend more time with my grandchildren and go to Izmir in the winter to visit my sister.
Understand
nachdem: after something had happened
(after) connects two events in order. It sends the verb to the end, and the clause usually uses the Plusquamperfekt, because that event happened first:
Don't mix it up with + dative () or (after that), which starts a main clause with the verb next:
| Word | Type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| preposition + dative | ||
| verb next | ||
| verb at the end |
Your story: B1 grammar together
A life story uses almost everything from B1. Older speakers like Gül often use the Präteritum for the main events (, ); in conversation the Perfekt is just as correct ().
| Grammar | Example | Chapter |
|---|---|---|
| Präteritum, | , … | 1 |
| Plusquamperfekt | 1 | |
| …, | 2 | |
| passive | 3 | |
| relative clause | 7 | |
| … | …, | 8 |
| genitive | 10 | |
| Konjunktiv II (past) | …, | 11 |
Talking about your life
These phrases help you tell your own story. Put time words first and keep the verb in second position: For years, say 1983 or , never in 1983.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| I was born in Izmir in 1963. | |
| … | I grew up in … |
| I've lived in Ulm since 1983. | |
| I'm proud of my children. | |
| … | In the future I'd like to … |
More in the grammar: German numbers: from 0 to a million · The simple past (Präteritum): war, hatte, musste · Linking clauses: als, wenn, obwohl, damit, um … zu · Relative clauses: der Mann, der … · The genitive: des Kontos, der Firma · The passive: wird gemacht, wurde gemacht · The past perfect (Plusquamperfekt): hatte gemacht, war gegangen
New words
- die Werkstattworkshop · feminine, plural:
- damitwith it, about it · = How do you feel about it?
- das Wortword · neuter, plural: ; = not a word
- der Kurscourse · masculine, plural: ; = German course
- die Fabrikfactory · feminine, plural:
- der Schneider / die Schneiderintailor · plural: /
- nähento sew
- nachdemafter · sends the verb to the end, usually with the Plusquamperfekt
- in die Schule kommento start school
- übernehmento take over · Präsens: ; Perfekt:
- das Enkelkindgrandchild · neuter, plural:
- verbringento spend (time) · Perfekt: ; = to spend time
- geborenborn · = I was born in 1963.
- stolz aufproud of · + accusative:
Practise
1.Choose the right form. “Nachdem die Kinder in die Schule gekommen ___, habe ich eine Ausbildung gemacht.”
2.Complete the Plusquamperfekt.
I had already learned to sew from my mother as a child.
3.Complete with the Präteritum of .
When I came to Ulm in 1983, I didn't speak a word of German.
4.Complete with or .
People met here who would never have got to know each other otherwise.
5.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.How did you come to Ulm?
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
Als ich nach Ulm kam, sprach ich kein Wort Deutsch.
When I came to Ulm, I didn't speak a word of German.
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.