📘 Colloquial German for Beginners
🗺️ UNIT 5: Travel and Directions
🗣️ Dialogue 1 – Asking for Directions (Standard German)
Note: No video available. Use text-to-speech buttons.
Basic Phrases:
- Entschuldigung! – Excuse me!
- Wo ist ...? – Where is ...?
- Geradeaus – Straight ahead
- Wie lange dauert es? – How long does it take?
- Gibt es ...? – Is there ...?
- Vielen Dank! – Thank you very much!
Anna: Entschuldigung, wo ist der Bahnhof?
Passant: Der Bahnhof ist dort drüben, geradeaus.
Anna: Wie lange dauert es zu Fuß?
Passant: Etwa zehn Minuten.
Anna: Gibt es einen Bus dorthin?
Passant: Ja, der Bus Nummer 5 fährt zum Bahnhof.
Anna: Vielen Dank!
Passant: Gern geschehen!
📝 Translation
Anna: Excuse me, where is the train station?
Passerby: The train station is over there, straight ahead.
Anna: How long does it take on foot?
Passerby: About ten minutes.
Anna: Is there a bus there?
Passerby: Yes, bus number 5 goes to the station.
Anna: Thank you very much!
Passerby: You’re welcome!
🗣️ Dialogue 2 – Finding the Museum (Colloquial German)
Note: No video available. Use text-to-speech buttons.
Basic Phrases:
- Hey! – Hey!
- Wo is’n ...? – Where’s ...?
- Einfach geradeaus – Just straight ahead
- Wie lang braucht man? – How long does it take?
- Gibt’s ...? – Is there ...?
- Danke, Mann! – Thanks, man!
Ben: Hey, wo is’n das Museum?
Passant: Da drüben, einfach geradeaus.
Ben: Wie lang braucht man da hin?
Passant: So zehn Minuten, schätze ich.
Ben: Gibt’s ’nen Bus?
Passant: Klar, die Linie 3 fährt da hin.
Ben: Danke, Mann!
Passant: Kein Ding!
📝 Translation
Ben: Hey, where’s the museum?
Passerby: Over there, just straight ahead.
Ben: How long does it take to get there?
Passerby: About ten minutes, I guess.
Ben: Is there a bus?
Passerby: Sure, line 3 goes there.
Ben: Thanks, man!
Passerby: No problem!
🗣️ Dialogue 3 – Finding the Castle (Bavarian)
Note: No video available. Use text-to-speech buttons.
Basic Phrases:
- Servus! – Hello!
- Wo is ...? – Where is ...?
- Grad aus – Straight ahead
- Wui lang braucht ma? – How long does it take?
- Gibt’s ...? – Is there ...?
- Jo, danke! – Yeah, thanks!
Sepp: Servus, wo is des Schloss?
Passant: Do drübn, grad aus.
Sepp: Wui lang braucht ma?
Passant: So z’ehn Minutn, g’fui.
Sepp: Gibt’s an Bus?
Passant: Jo, da Bus 7 foa da hi.
Sepp: Jo, danke!
Passant: Gern g’scheh!
📝 Translation
Sepp: Hello, where’s the castle?
Passerby: Over there, straight ahead.
Sepp: How long does it take?
Passerby: About ten minutes, I’d say.
Sepp: Is there a bus?
Passerby: Yeah, bus 7 goes there.
Sepp: Yeah, thanks!
Passerby: You’re welcome!
🗣️ Dialogue 4 – Finding the Town Hall (Swabian)
Note: No video available. Use text-to-speech buttons.
Basic Phrases:
- Grüß di! – Hello!
- Wo is ...? – Where is ...?
- Gradaus – Straight ahead
- Wia lang braucht ma? – How long does it take?
- Gibt’s ...? – Is there ...?
- Jo, gudd, danke! – Yeah, good, thanks!
Lena: Grüß di, wo is des Rathaus?
Passant: Da drüba, gradaus.
Lena: Wia lang braucht ma?
Passant: So zäh Minuta, würd i sag.
Lena: Gibt’s an Bus?
Passant: Jo, d’Linie 4 fahrt do hi.
Lena: Jo, gudd, danke!
Passant: Gudd, bittschö!
📝 Translation
Lena: Hello, where’s the town hall?
Passerby: Over there, straight ahead.
Lena: How long does it take?
Passerby: About ten minutes, I’d say.
Lena: Is there a bus?
Passerby: Yeah, line 4 goes there.
Lena: Yeah, good, thanks!
Passerby: You’re welcome!
🧠 Vocabulary
Asking for Directions
Standard: Entschuldigung
Colloquial: Hey
Bavarian: Servus
Swabian: Grüß di
Meaning: Hello/Excuse me
Standard: Wo ist ...?
Colloquial: Wo is’n ...?
Bavarian: Wo is ...?
Swabian: Wo is ...?
Meaning: Where is ...?
Standard: Wie lange dauert es?
Colloquial: Wie lang braucht man?
Bavarian: Wui lang braucht ma?
Swabian: Wia lang braucht ma?
Meaning: How long does it take?
Giving Directions
Standard: Geradeaus
Colloquial: Einfach geradeaus
Bavarian: Grad aus
Swabian: Gradaus
Meaning: Straight ahead
Standard: Dort drüben
Colloquial: Da drüben
Bavarian: Do drübn
Swabian: Da drüba
Meaning: Over there
Standard: Zum Bahnhof
Colloquial: Da hin
Bavarian: Da hi
Swabian: Do hi
Meaning: To the train station
Places and Transport
Standard: Bahnhof
Colloquial: Bahnhof
Bavarian: Bahnhof
Swabian: Bahnhof
Meaning: Train station
Standard: Museum
Colloquial: Museum
Bavarian: Museum
Swabian: Museum
Meaning: Museum
Standard: Schloss
Colloquial: Schloss
Bavarian: Schloss
Swabian: Schloss
Meaning: Castle
Standard: Rathaus
Colloquial: Rathaus
Bavarian: Rathaus
Swabian: Rathaus
Meaning: Town hall
Standard: Bus
Colloquial: Bus
Bavarian: Bus
Swabian: Bus
Meaning: Bus
Standard: Minuten
Colloquial: Minuten
Bavarian: Minutn
Swabian: Minuta
Meaning: Minutes
📚 Grammar: Directions and Questions
Dort drüben (Over there)
Preposition: Dort drüben
Standard: Dort drüben
Colloquial: Da drüben
Bavarian: Do drübn
Swabian: Da drüba
Example: Der Bahnhof ist dort drüben.
Geradeaus (Straight ahead)
Preposition: Geradeaus
Standard: Geradeaus
Colloquial: Einfach geradeaus
Bavarian: Grad aus
Swabian: Gradaus
Example: Gehen Sie geradeaus.
Zum Bahnhof (To the train station)
Preposition: Zum Bahnhof
Standard: Zum Bahnhof
Colloquial: Da hin
Bavarian: Da hi
Swabian: Do hi
Example: Gibt es einen Bus zum Bahnhof?
Imperative for Directions
Explanation: The imperative is used to give directions or commands, such as telling someone where to go. In German, the imperative for "du" drops the "-en" from the infinitive, and "Sie" uses the infinitive with the pronoun.
Conjugation (Gehen):
- du: Geh! – Go!
- Sie: Gehen Sie! – Go!
Example: Geh geradeaus!
Translation: Go straight ahead!
Example: Gehen Sie zum Bahnhof.
Translation: Go to the train station.
Question Formation (Wo and Wie)
Explanation: Questions starting with "wo" (where) or "wie" (how) are common when asking for directions. The verb comes second, followed by the subject or object.
Structure: Wo + Verb + Subject/Object?
Example: Wo ist der Bahnhof?
Translation: Where is the train station?
Structure: Wie + Adjective/Adverb + Verb + Subject?
Example: Wie lange dauert es?
Translation: How long does it take?
Colloquial Note: In informal settings, "Wo is’n ...?" replaces "Wo ist ...?" and "Wie lang braucht man?" replaces "Wie lange dauert es?"
Example: Wo is’n das Museum? / Wie lang braucht man?
🧩 Exercises
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blank
Complete the sentences in Standard German.
- 1. ______ ist der Bahnhof?
- 2. Gehen Sie ______.
- 3. Gibt es einen ______ zum Museum?
Exercise 2: Match the Phrase
Match phrases to their dialects.
- 1. Wo is’n das Museum?
- 2. Wo is des Schloss?
- 3. Wo ist der Bahnhof?
Exercise 3: Translate
Translate to English.
- 1. Wie lange dauert es?
- 2. Gibt’s ’nen Bus?
Exercise 4: True or False
Are these statements true or false?
- 1. “Servus” is used in Standard German.
- 2. “Einfach geradeaus” is colloquial.
📖 Reading
Text 1: A Tourist in the City (Standard German)
Es ist ein schöner Tag in der Stadt. Ein Tourist sucht den Bahnhof. Er fragt eine Passantin: „Entschuldigung, wo ist der Bahnhof?“ Sie antwortet: „Gehen Sie geradeaus, er ist dort drüben.“ Der Tourist fragt: „Wie lange dauert es?“ Sie sagt: „Etwa zehn Minuten.“ Der Tourist bedankt sich und geht los. Die Stadt ist lebendig und voller Menschen.
📝 Translation
It’s a beautiful day in the city. A tourist is looking for the train station. He asks a passerby: “Excuse me, where is the train station?” She replies: “Go straight ahead, it’s over there.” The tourist asks: “How long does it take?” She says: “About ten minutes.” The tourist thanks her and sets off. The city is vibrant and full of people.
📘 Glossary
Schöner Tag: Beautiful day
Stadt: City
Tourist: Tourist
Passantin: Passerby (female)
Entschuldigung: Excuse me
Geradeaus: Straight ahead
Dort drüben: Over there
Wie lange dauert es: How long does it take?
Etwa: About
Minuten: Minutes
🧩 Questions
- 1. Where does the tourist want to go?
- 2. What directions are given?
Text 2: A Chill Day in the City (Colloquial German)
Is’ ’n mega Tag in der Stadt. ’n Tourist sucht’s Museum. Er fragt ’nen Typ: „Hey, wo is’n das Museum?“ Der Typ sagt: „Da drüben, geh einfach geradeaus.“ Der Tourist fragt: „Wie lang braucht man?“ Der Typ grinst: „So zehn Minuten.“ Der Tourist sagt: „Danke, Mann!“ und läuft los. Die Stadt is’ voll chill und bunt.
📝 Translation
It’s a mega day in the city. A tourist is looking for the museum. He asks a guy: “Hey, where’s the museum?” The guy says: “Over there, just go straight ahead.” The tourist asks: “How long does it take?” The guy grins: “About ten minutes.” The tourist says “Thanks, man!” and heads off. The city is totally chill and colorful.
📘 Glossary
Mega Tag: Great day
Stadt: City
’n Tourist: Tourist
Sucht’s: Looking for
Typ: Guy
Hey: Hey
Da drüben: Over there
Geh einfach geradeaus: Just go straight ahead
Wie lang braucht man: How long does it take?
So zehn Minuten: About ten minutes
🧩 Questions
- 1. What is the tourist looking for?
- 2. How is the city described?
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