German For Dummies^®, 2nd Edition

Table of Contents

About This Book

Conventions Used in This Book

Foolish Assumptions

How This Book Is Organized

Part I: Getting Started

Part II: German in Action

Part III: German on the Go

Part IV: The Part of Tens

Part V: Appendixes

Icons Used in This Book

Where to Go from Here

Chapter 1: You Already Know a Little German

The German You Know

Friendly allies (perfect cognates)

Kissing cousins (near cognates)

False friends

Lenders and borrowers

Using Popular Expressions

Chapter 2: The Nitty-Gritty: Basic German Grammar

Getting a Handle on Parts of Speech

Nouns

Articles

Pronouns

Adjectives

Verbs

Adverbs

Constructing Simple Sentences

Arranging words in the right order

Putting the verb in second place

Pushing the verb to the end

Forming questions

The Tenses: Past, Present, and Future

Looking at the present

Talking about the past: The perfect tense

Writing about the past: Using the simple past tense of verbs

Talking about the future

Putting the Language in the Proper Case

A quick trip through the different cases

Why all these cases matter

Chapter 3: Hallo! Pronunciation and Basic Expressions

Mouthing Off: Basic Pronunciation

Dealing with stress in German

Building the alphabet blocks

Pronouncing vowels

Pronouncing ä, ö, and ü

Pronouncing diphthongs

Pronouncing consonants

Pronouncing combinations of consonants

Getting Formal or Informal

Saying “Hello,” “Goodbye,” and “How Are You?”

Asking “How are you?”

Replying to “How are you?”

Introducing Yourself and Your Friends

Introducing your friends

Introductions for special occasions

Introducing yourself

Chapter 4: Getting Numbers, Time, andMeasurements Straight

Juggling Numbers

Telling Time

Asking for the time

Telling time with the 12-hour clock

Using the 24-hour system

Times of the day

Days of the week

Naming the Months

Measurements, Quantities, and Weights

Chapter 5: Talking about Home and Family

Living in an Apartment or House

Describing life within four walls

Asking the right questions

Talking about Your Family

Part II: German in Action

Chapter 6: Getting to Know You: Making Small Talk

Talking about Yourself

Describing your work

Providing your name and number(s)

Looking at possessive pronouns

Conversing about Cities, Countries, and Nationalities

Revealing where you come from

Using the all-important verb “sein”

Asking people where they come from

Discovering nationalities

Chatting about languages you speak

Making Small Talk about the Weather

Noting what it’s like out there

Discussing the temperature

Describing the day’s weather

Chapter 7: Asking for Directions

“Wo?” — Asking Where Something Is

“Wie weit?” How Far Is It?

Going Here and There

Asking “How Do I Get There?”

Using “in” to get into a location

Using “nach” to get to a city or country

Using “zu” to get to institutions

Describing a Position or Location in Relation to Some Other Place

Getting Your Bearings Straight with Left, Right, North, and South

Left, right, straight ahead

The cardinal points

Taking This or That Street

Using Ordinal Numbers: First, Second, Third, and More

Traveling by Car or Other Vehicle

Chapter 8: Guten Appetit! Dining Out and Going to the Market

Hast du Hunger? Hast du Durst?

All about Meals

Setting the Table for a Meal

Dining Out: Visiting a Restaurant

Deciding where to eat

Making reservations

Arriving and being seated

Deciphering the menu

Placing your order

Applying the subjunctive to express your wishes

Using modals to modify what you say

Ordering something special

Replying to “How did you like the food?”

Asking for the check

Shopping for Food

Knowing where to shop

Finding what you need

Chapter 9: Shopping Made Easy

Places to Shop around Town

Finding Out about Opening Hours

Navigating Your Way around a Store

Just Browsing: Taking a Look at Merchandise

Getting Assistance as You Shop

Shopping for Clothes

Familiarizing yourself with the colors available

Knowing your size

Trying on the items you find

Paying for Your Shopping Items

Comparatively Speaking: Making Comparisons Among Objects

Chapter 10: Going Out on the Town

What Would You Like to Do?

Going to the Movies

Getting to the show

Buying tickets

What Was That? The Simple Past Tense of “Sein”

Going to the Museum

Talking about Action in the Past

Forming the past participle

Using “haben” in the perfect tense

Using “sein” in the perfect tense

Going Out for Entertainment

How Was It? Talking about Entertainment

Asking for an opinion

Telling people what you think

Going to a Party

Getting an invitation

Talking about a party

Chapter 11: Taking Care of Business and Telecommunications

Phoning Made Simple

Asking for your party

Making the connection

Making Appointments

Leaving Messages

A Few Words about Dative Pronouns

Sending Written Correspondence

Sending a letter or postcard

E-mailing

Sending a fax

Getting to Know the Office

Mastering your desk and supplies

Doing business in German

Chapter 12: Recreation and the Great Outdoors

Playing Sports

Playing around with the verb “spielen”

Verbalizing sports you enjoy

Inviting someone to play

Using Reflexive Verbs to Talk about Plans

Getting reflexive

Accusing and dating your pronouns

Some common reflexive verbs

Reflexive verbs that are flexible

Exploring the Outdoors

Getting out and going

Things to see along the way

Going to the mountains

Going to the country

Going to the sea

Part III: German on the Go

Chapter 13: Planning a Trip

Getting Help from a Travel Agent

Planning Ahead: Using the Future Tense

Describing events in specific months

Naming specific times in the months

Rethinking Dates

Dealing with Passports and Visas

The all-important passport

Inquiring about visas

Chapter 14: Making Sense of Euros and Cents

Changing Currency

Heading to the ATM

Getting Imperative

Understanding the Euro and Other Currencies

Chapter 15: Getting Around: Planes, Trains, Taxis, and Buses

Using German at the Airport

Getting your ticket

Checking in

Going through immigration

Going through customs

Traveling by Car

Renting a car

Making sense of maps

Wrapping your brain around road signs

Taking a Train

Interpreting train schedules

Getting information

Buying tickets

Knowing When to Separate Your Verbs

Navigating Buses, Subways, and Taxis

Catching the bus

Getting a taxi

Chapter 16: Finding a Place to Stay

Finding a Hotel

Reserving Rooms

Saying when and how long you want to stay

Specifying the kind of room you want

Asking about the price

Finalizing the reservation

Checking In

Stating how long you’re staying

Filling out the registration form

Getting keyed in

Asking about amenities and facilities

Checking Out and Paying the Bill

Asking for your bill

Asking small favors

Chapter 17: Handling Emergencies

Requesting Help

Shouting for help

Reporting a problem

Asking for English-speaking help

Getting Medical Attention

Describing what ails you

Telling about any special conditions

Getting an examination

Specifying parts of the body

Getting the diagnosis

Getting treatment

Talking to the Police

Describing what was stolen

Answering questions from the police

Getting legal help

Part IV: The Part of Tens

Chapter 18: Ten Ways to Pick Up German Quickly

Labeling the World Around You

Organizing Useful Expressions

Writing Shopping Lists

Thinking in German

Using Language CDs and Downloads

Watching German TV and Listening to German Radio Online

Trying an Interactive German Program

Watching German Movies

Reading German Publications

Eating German Cuisine

Chapter 19: Ten Things Never to Say in German

Using the Right Form of Address

Addressing Service People Correctly

Hot or Cold?

I’m Not Loaded

Speaking of the Law with Respect

Using “Gymnasium” Correctly

Knowing the Appropriate Form of “Know”

Going to the Right Closet

Using Bekommen Properly

Using the Right Eating Verb

Chapter 20: Ten Favorite German Expressions

Alles klar!

Wirklich

Kein Problem

Vielleicht

Doch

Unglaublich!

Hoffentlich

Wie schön!

Genau!

Stimmt’s?

Chapter 21: Ten Phrases That Make You Sound German

Schönes Wochenende!

Gehen wir!

Was ist los?

Das klingt gut!

Keine Ahnung

Es zieht!

Nicht zu fassen!

Du hast Recht!/Sie haben Recht!

Lass es!

Nicht schlecht!

Part V: Appendixes

Appendix B: Verb Tables

Appendix C: On the CD

Appendix D: Answer Key

Cheat Sheet

Download CD/DVD Content