German All-in-One For Dummies E-Book

Wendy Foster

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Fremdsprachen
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 914

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2013

Beschreibung

Learn to speak German? Easy. German All-in-One For Dummies conveniently combines titles from the German Dummies library into one handy guide that covers all of the bases of the German language. For those looking to master fluency in this popular language, this book and CD combo are an efficient and logical choice. German All-in-One For Dummies brings together content from German For Dummies, 2nd Edition, German For Dummies Audio Set, German Phrases For Dummies, Intermediate German For Dummies, and German Essentials For Dummies. ??Plus, it includes a new CD that allows for even more opportunities to practice speaking the language, as well as additional content on grammar and usage to empower you to use and speak German like a native. * Offers instruction and practice exercises for both speaking and writing German * Helps you prepare to demonstrate proficiency in conversational German If you want to improve your German, whether it's for work, travel, or enjoyment, German All-in-One For Dummies has you covered.

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German All-in-One For Dummies®

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Copyright © 2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2013935672

ISBN 978-1-118-49140-9 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-118-61260-6 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-61270-5 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-61271-2 (ebk)

Manufactured in the United States of America

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About the Authors

Wendy Foster was born in Connecticut and grew up in Scituate, Massachusetts. While studying in France, she traveled around Europe and became curious about the German language and culture. After graduating with a teaching certificate and a degree in French, she decided to return to Europe to study German. Her love of the Alps inspired her to live in Munich, where she spent 30 years. During that time, she completed her German studies at the Sprachen-und-Dolmetscher-Institut in Munich and later her MA in French at Middlebury College in Paris. Her professional experience includes teaching Business English, German, French, and intercultural communication skills. She also does editing for online German education programs. A few years ago, she returned to her New England roots. When she’s not teaching ESL or German at the Boston Language Institute, she works from her home overlooking a spectacular salt marsh that constantly beckons her to go kayaking, exploring, and swimming.

Paulina Christensen has been working as a writer, editor, and translator for almost ten years. She holds a degree in English and German literature and has developed, written, and edited numerous German-language textbooks and teachers’ handbooks for Berlitz International. Her work as a translator ranges from new media art to science fiction (Starlog magazine). She occasionally works as a court interpreter and does consulting and interpreting at educational conferences, as well as voice-overs for educational videos and CDs. Dr. Christensen received her MA and PhD from Düsseldorf University, Germany, and has taught at Berlitz Language Schools, New York University, and Fordham University.

Anne Fox has been working as a translator, editor, and writer for the past 12 years. She studied at Interpreters’ School, Zurich, Switzerland, and holds a degree in translation. Her various assignments have taken her to outer space, hyperspace, and around the world. She has also taught at Berlitz Language Schools and worked as a legal and technical proofreader in the editorial departments of several law firms. Most recently she has been developing, writing, and editing student textbooks and teacher handbooks for Berlitz.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to all those who enjoy speaking German and appreciate the rich cultural heritage of German-speaking people. I also dedicate this work to Phil Kehoe, whose unflagging support of my endeavors serves as a constant inspiration to me. — Wendy Foster

Author’s Acknowledgments

I would like to express my deep appreciation to the editorial staff at Wiley for their insight, patience, and expertise, especially my project editor Vicki Adang, copy editor Amanda Langferman, acquisitions editor Michael Lewis, and technical editors Candis Carey and Susan Reinhardt. The careful guidance provided by these professionals has greatly enhanced the quality of this book. My sincere thanks to all of you. — Wendy Foster

Publisher’s Acknowledgments

We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments at http://dummies.custhelp.com. For other comments, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 877-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax [phone].

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German All-in-One For Dummies®

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Table of Contents

Introduction

About This Book

Conventions Used in This Book

Foolish Assumptions

How This Book Is Organized

Book I: Getting Started with German

Book II: Speaking German on the Go

Book III: Assembling the Grammatical Foundations for Communication

Book IV: Building Detail and Precision in Your Communication

Book V: The Appendixes

Icons Used in This Book

Where to Go from Here

Book I: Getting Started with German

Chapter 1: Warming Up to German Basics

Starting with What You Already Know

Friendly allies: Kindergarten and more (perfect cognates)

Kissing cousins (near cognates)

False friends

Lenders and borrowers

Using Popular Expressions

Handling Basic Pronunciation

Understanding stress in German

Constructing the alphabet blocks

Pronouncing vowels

Pronouncing ä, ö, and ü

Pronouncing diphthongs

Pronouncing consonants

Pronouncing consonant combinations

Chapter 2: Handling Numbers, Times, Dates, and Measurements

Doing the Numbers

Counting off with cardinal numbers

Getting in line with ordinal numbers

Telling Time

Using the 12-hour clock

Using the 24-hour system

Describing times of the day

Expressing Dates

Recounting the days

Knowing the names of the months and seasons

Writing dates the European way

Referring to specific dates

Naming specific times in the months

Celebrating holidays

Measurements, Quantities, and Weights

Chapter 3: Meeting and Greeting: Guten Tag!

Getting Formal or Informal

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

Saying “Guten Tag” and “Auf Wiedersehen”

Asking “Wie geht es Ihnen?”

Giving a response to “Wie geht es Ihnen?”

Introducing Yourself and Your Friends

Introducing your friends

Making introductions for special occasions

Introducing yourself

Talking about Yourself

Describing your work

Providing names and numbers

Discussing Cities, Countries, and Nationalities

Saying where you come from

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 4: Talking about Home, Family, Friends, and Daily Life

Describing Where You Live

Looking at your living quarters: Mein Haus

Naming furnishings and appliances

Talking about Family

Naming your relatives

Family pets

Discussing Friends, Acquaintances, and Neighbors

Spending Time at Your Home or Someone Else’s

Daily routine

Das Wochenende: The weekend

Doing and saying the right thing

Playing Sports

Playing around with the verb “spielen”

Verbalizing sports you enjoy

Inviting someone to play

Chapter 5: Talking Telecommunications, Business, and Current Events

Making a Phone Call

Asking for your party

Making the connection

Making appointments

Leaving messages

Writing Your Message

Beginning and ending a letter

Sending mail the old-fashioned way

E-mailing and faxing

Settling In at the Office

Organizing your desk and supplies

Interacting with coworkers

Doing business in German

Tuning In to Current Events

Newspapers and magazines

Television, radio, and the web

Chapter 6: Shopping Simplified

Getting Familiar with the German Shopping Experience

Identifying types of shops

Determining a store’s hours

Finding your way around a department store

Browsing and responding to “Kann ich Ihnen helfen?”

Getting assistance

Shopping for Clothes

Characterizing various clothing items

Knowing your size

Trying on clothes

Making Your Purchase

Preparing to pay for your items

Getting a tax refund on your purchases

Chapter 7: Dining Out and Buying Food: Guten Appetit!

Talking about Eating and Drinking

Saying you’re hungry and thirsty: Hast du Hunger? Hast du Durst?

Talking about meals: Guten Appetit!

Setting the table

Going to a Restaurant: Das Restaurant

Deciding where to eat

Making reservations

Arriving and being seated

Checking Out the Menu: Die Speisekarte

Looking at breakfast, lunch, and dinner items

Understanding cooking terms

Quenching your thirst

Placing Your Order

Ordering politely

Asking for assistance

Ordering something special

Finishing Your Meal and Getting the Check

Replying to “How did you like the food?” “Hat es Ihnen geschmeckt?”

Asking for the check

Shopping for Food

Knowing where to shop

Finding what you need

Book II: Speaking German on the Go

Chapter 1: Locating Places

Getting Yourself Oriented

Finding out where something is

Asking how far something is: Ist es weit von hier?

Getting more specific directions

Asking How to Get from One Place to Another

Asking how to get to a location

Asking how to get to a city or country

Asking how to get to a specific building

Describing Where Something Is Located

Locating one place in relation to another

Going left, right, straight ahead: Links, rechts, geradeaus

Using compass points

Understanding Where to Go

Pointing out the first, second, or third street

Following directions: Take this street

Traveling by Car — das Auto — or Other Vehicle

Chapter 2: Going Out on the Town

Taking in the Sights

Deciding what to see

Taking a sightseeing tour

Making plans

Heading to the Movies

Going to the show

Buying tickets

Going to the Museum

Discovering different types of museums

Talking about museums

Attending Cultural Performances

Deciding where to go

Going to a concert

How Was It? Talking about Entertainment

Asking about the entertainment

Telling people what you think

Going to a Party

Getting an invitation

Talking about the party

Chapter 3: Planning a Pleasure Trip: Gute Reise!

Getting Ready for Your Trip

Finding travel information online

Getting help from a travel agent

Packing your bags

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

Dealing with Passports and Visas

Keeping tabs on your passport

Inquiring about visas

Handling Money

Changing currency: Geldwechsel

Understanding the euro and other currencies

Heading to the ATM

Chapter 4: Finding a Place to Stay: Gute Nacht!

Finding Accommodations

Making a Reservation

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 essentials

Making the Most of Your Stay

Making special requests

Pointing out problems

Checking Out and Paying the Bill

Asking for the bill

Asking small favors

Chapter 5: Getting Around

Going through the Airport

Getting your ticket and checking in

Going through passport control

Going through customs

Traveling by Car

Renting a car

Making sense of road maps

Understanding and observing road signs

Identifying parts of a car

Taking the Train

Interpreting train schedules

Getting more information

Buying train tickets

Navigating Buses, Subways, Streetcars, and Taxis

Purchasing a ticket

Boarding the bus, subway, or streetcar

Getting a taxi

Chapter 6: Handling Emergencies: Hilfe!

Requesting Help

Shouting for help

Reporting a problem

Asking for English-speaking help

Handling Health Issues

Describing what ails you

Talking about any special conditions

Getting an examination

Specifying parts of the body

Understanding the diagnosis

Getting treatment

Going to a pharmacy

Handling Police Matters

Describing what was stolen

Giving a description of the thief

Getting legal help

Book III: Assembling the Grammatical Foundations for Communication

Chapter 1: Laying Out the Basics to Build Sentences

Identifying the Parts of Speech

Nouns

Pronouns

Articles

Adjectives

Verbs

Adverbs

Conjunctions

Prepositions

Understanding Grammar Terms

Conjugating verbs and understanding tenses

Familiarizing yourself with gender, number, and case

Grammar terms that describe words, parts of words, and word groupings

Understanding Word Order

Arranging words in the right order

Putting the verb in second place

Pushing the verb to the end

Forming questions

Checking Out the Tenses: Present, Past, and Future

Looking at the present

Talking about the past

Writing about the past

Talking about the future

Finding Meaning through Context

Using a Bilingual Dictionary

Making the right choice

Performing a word search

Chapter 2: Sorting Out Word Gender and Case

Classifying Nouns and Pronouns with Gender

Identifying German genders and figuring out which one to use

Eyeing nouns with more than one gender and meaning

Pinning Down Plurals

Knowing the five plural forms

Taking note of nouns that are only singular or plural

Mastering the Art of Articles

Identifying singular nouns with indefinite articles

Knowing when not to use articles

Calling All Cases: The Roles Nouns and Pronouns Play

Identifying the four cases

Eyeing the similarities and differences

Understanding nouns with case endings

Putting Pronouns in Place

Getting personal with personal pronouns

Relating to relative pronouns

Demonstrating demonstrative pronouns

Discovering Dative Verbs

Considering How Case Affects Adjectives

How possessives change

How adjective endings change

Chapter 3: Dealing with the Here and Now: The Present Tense

Grasping the Specifics of Subject Pronouns

Assigning person and number to subject pronouns

Distinguishing among the three forms of “you”

Distinguishing among “she,” “they,” and the formal “you”

Getting Your Verbs in Shape

Agreeing with the regulars

Conjugating verbs with spelling changes

Conjugating the irregulars haben and sein: To have and to be

Using the Very Versatile Present Tense

Stating Information with the Passive

Forming the passive

Using the passive

Recognizing the impersonal passive

Chapter 4: Asking and Answering Questions

Knowing How to Formulate Questions

Inverting word order for yes/no questions

Gathering information with question words: Who, what, why, and more

Forming indirect questions

Checking information: Tag! You’re it, aren’t you?

Making choices: Asking what kind of. . . ?

Answering with Yes

Variations on yes

Emphasizing yes

Responding with No: The Difference between Kein and Nicht

Negating with nicht

Negating with kein

Avoiding blunt negative replies

Asking and Answering Questions with Wo- and Da- Compound Words

Combining question words: Compounds with wo-

Explaining yes and no answers by using da- compounds

Sounding Diplomatic: Using Maybe, Suggesting, and Refusing Politely

Chapter 5: Describing and Comparing with Adjectives and Adverbs

Organizing Adjectives: Opposites, Cognates, and Collocations

Letting opposites attract

A family resemblance: Describing with cognates

Putting collocations and word partnerships into action

Helping Adjectives Meet a Satisfying End

Forming endings on adjectives not preceded by der- or ein- words

Adding endings for preceded adjectives

Using the right endings with possessive adjectives

Understanding Types of Adverbs

Describing time with adverbs

Using adverbs to indicate place

Looking at adverbs of manner and degree

Eyeing adverbs that describe cause

Putting Adverbs and Adverbial Expressions in Their Proper Place

Comparing with Regular Adjectives and Adverbs: Fast, Faster, Fastest

Comparing two things

Absolutely the most! Discussing superlatives

Considering common comparisons

Adding the umlaut in regular comparisons

Using Irregular Comparison Forms

Comparing Equals and Nonequals

Identifying Unique Adjective and Adverb Groups

Adjectives that act as nouns

Participles that function as adjectives or adverbs

Adverbs that modify adjectives

Chapter 6: Modifying Verbs with Helpers: The Modal Auxiliaries

Grasping the Basics of Modal Verbs

Identifying modals: Assistants with attitude

Understanding word order and modals

May I? Dürfen, the Permission Verb

Forming dürfen

Using dürfen

You Can Do It! Können, the Ability Verb

Forming können

Using können

I Like That: Mögen, the Likeable Verb

Forming mögen

Using mögen

What Would You Like? Möchten, the Preference Verb

Forming möchten

Using möchten

Do I Have To? Müssen, the Verb of Necessity

Forming müssen

Using müssen

Should I or Shouldn’t I? Sollen, the Duty Verb

Forming sollen

Using sollen

I Want to Be Famous: Wollen, the Intention Verb

Forming wollen

Using wollen

Chapter 7: Instructing and Commanding: The Imperative Mood

Getting into the Imperative Mood

Grasping the three imperative forms

Punctuating commands

Commanding with regular verbs

Commanding with irregular verbs

Grasping Formal Commands

Using the formal “you” form: Sie

Obeying orders

Understanding signs

Reading instructions

Giving Informal Directives

Using the singular “you” form: du

Using the plural informal “you” form: ihr

Giving Directives Politely and Making Suggestions

Chapter 8: Sorting Out Separable- and Inseparable-Prefix Verbs

Looking at the Prefix

Parting Ways: Simplifying Separable-Prefix Verbs

Getting the hang of separable prefixes

Using separable-prefix verbs in the present tense

Together Forever: Investigating Inseparable-Prefix Verbs

Understanding inseparable-prefix combinations

Putting inseparable-prefix verbs into the present tense

Double-Crossers: Dealing with Dual-Prefix Verbs

Grasping dual-prefix verb distinctions

Looking at dual-prefix verbs in the present tense

Book IV: Building Detail and Precision in Your Communication

Chapter 1: Tying Ideas Together with Conjunctions and Relative Pronouns

Conjunctions and Clauses: Reviewing the Terminology

Connecting with Coordinating Conjunctions

Using coordinating conjunctions

Working on word order

Getting Support from Subordinating Conjunctions

Using subordinating conjunctions

Putting words in the proper order

Joining with Relative Pronouns

Knowing how to make the connection with relative pronouns

Forming sentences with relative clauses

Chapter 2: Specifying Relationships with Prepositions

Prepping for Prepositions with a Few Basic Guidelines

Grasping the importance of case

Understanding where meaning fits in

Accusative, Dative, and Genitive Cases: How the Rest of the Phrase Shapes Up

No finger pointing: Accusative prepositions

Dative prepositions

Genitive prepositions

Tackling Two-Way Prepositions: Accusative/Dative

Understanding Quirky Combinations

Chapter 3: Using Reflexives and Other Verb Combinations

Identifying Types of Idiomatic Verb Expressions

In the Looking Glass: Reflecting on Reflexive Verbs

Self-ish concerns: Meeting the reflexive pronouns

Identifying which verbs need to be reflexive

Combining Verbs with Prepositions

Seeing how prepositions transform verbs

Knowing common combos in the accusative case

Eyeing common combos in the dative case

Chapter 4: Conversing about the Past: The Present Perfect and Past Perfect

Forming the Present Perfect with Haben

Forming the present perfect with regular weak verbs

Forming the present perfect with irregular weak verbs

Forming the present perfect with strong verbs

Forming the present perfect with verbs ending in -ieren

Forming the Present Perfect with Sein

Eyeing the Present Perfect: German versus English

One for all: Representing three English tenses

Opting for the German present

Using Modal Auxiliary Verbs in Present Perfect

Forming modal verbs in present perfect

Understanding word order with modal verbs

Using Separable- and Inseparable-Prefix Verbs in Present Perfect

Separable-prefix verbs

Inseparable-prefix verbs

Describing with Past Perfect

Chapter 5: Narrating the (Simple) Past: Fact and Fiction

Conjugating the Simple Past

Forming regular (weak) verbs in simple past

Forming irregular (strong) verbs in simple past

Forming haben and sein in simple past

Forming modals in simple past

Contrasting Tenses

Chapter 6: Looking to the Future (And Avoiding It)

The Future Is Now: Using the Present Tense Instead

Seeing when German present works perfectly

Saying when: Using future time expressions with the present tense

Peering into the Future with Werden

Forming the future: Werden + infinitive verb

Using the future: Assuming, hoping, and emphasizing intentions

Using the future to express probability

Talking about What Will Have Happened: The Future Perfect

Forming the future perfect

Using the future perfect

Chapter 7: Describing Your Mood: Summing Up the Subjunctive

Terms and Conditions: Unraveling Subjunctive Terminology

Getting in the mood

Comparing subjunctive types and the conditional

The Present Subjunctive II: Knowing How and When to Use It

Creating the present Subjunctive II with würde

Forming the Subjunctive II of haben, sein, and modal verbs

Using the present Subjunctive II

Forming and Using the Past Subjunctive II

Forming the past Subjunctive II

Using the past Subjunctive II

Two-timing the past subjunctive: Using double infinitives

Subjunctive I: Using It in Indirect Discourse

Recognizing the present Subjunctive I

Recognizing the past Subjunctive I

Book V: The Appendixes

Appendix A: Verb Tables and Case Charts

Present and simple past tenses

Present perfect tense

Future tense

Subjunctive mood

Regular verbs (no stem change in the simple past)

Regular verbs (with stem ending in -d, -t, -fn, or -gn)

Irregular weak verbs (stem change in the simple past)

Verbs with auxiliary haben

Verbs with auxiliary sein

Verbs with present-tense vowel change in second- and third-person singular

Verbs with a past participle ending in -t

Verbs with a past participle ending in -en

Articles

Pronouns

Adjectives

Prepositions

Appendix B: German-English Mini-Dictionary

Appendix C: English-German Mini-Dictionary

Appendix D: Fun & Games

Book I, Chapter 1: Warming Up to German Basics

Book I, Chapter 2: Handling Numbers, Times, Dates, and Measurements

Book I, Chapter 3: Meeting and Greeting: Guten Tag!

Book I, Chapter 4: Talking about Home, Family, Friends, and Daily Life

Book I, Chapter 5: Talking Telecommunications, Business, and Current Events

Book I, Chapter 6: Shopping Simplified

Book I, Chapter 7: Dining Out and Buying Food: Guten Appetit!

Book II, Chapter 1: Locating Places

Book II, Chapter 2: Going Out on the Town

Book II, Chapter 3: Planning a Pleasure Trip: Gute Reise!

Book II, Chapter 4: Finding a Place to Stay: Gute Nacht!

Book II, Chapter 5: Getting Around

Book II, Chapter 6: Handling Emergencies: Hilfe!

Book III, Chapter 1: Laying Out the Basics to Build Sentences

Book III, Chapter 2: Sorting Out Word Gender and Case

Book III, Chapter 3: Dealing with the Here and Now: The Present Tense

Book III, Chapter 4: Asking and Answering Questions

Book III, Chapter 5: Describing and Comparing with Adjectives and Adverbs

Book III, Chapter 6: Modifying Verbs with Helpers: The Modal Auxiliaries

Book III, Chapter 7: Instructing and Commanding: The Imperative Mood

Book III, Chapter 8: Sorting Out Separable- and Inseparable-Prefix Verbs

Book IV, Chapter 1: Tying Ideas Together with Conjunctions and Relative Pronouns

Book IV, Chapter 2: Specifying Relationships with Prepositions

Book IV, Chapter 3: Using Reflexives and Other Verb Combinations

Book IV, Chapter 4: Conversing about the Past: The Present Perfect and Past Perfect

Book IV, Chapter 5: Narrating the (Simple) Past: Fact and Fiction

Book IV, Chapter 6: Looking to the Future (And Avoiding It)

Book IV, Chapter 7: Describing Your Mood: Summing Up the Subjunctive

Appendix E: About the CD

Cheat Sheet

Download CD Content

Introduction

Starting out on the journey of speaking another language and discovering a foreign culture is like opening a window to the world. By learning to speak German, you’re preparing yourself to communicate in the most widely spoken language of the European Union. Perhaps you’re getting ready for a business or pleasure trip to Europe, perhaps you’re studying German in school, or maybe you’re simply curious about exploring Germany and its culture, including its language.

As you consider the plethora of language learning options out there, you’ll find methods that promise you’ll succeed in just a few easy steps, or better yet, while you’re sleeping. Other programs take a significant chunk out of your budget and your spare time yet still don’t deliver on their promises. This book lets you delve into the language at your own pace, and you can study the chapters in any order you want. Ample cross-referencing allows you to easily find any supporting information you need. Whatever your reasons for wanting to acquire some German, choosing German All-in-One For Dummies offers you a great opportunity to reach your goals.

About This Book

With German All-in-One For Dummies, you find a wealth of resources in one volume. You get straightforward information on the nuts and bolts of understanding and using the language as it’s spoken today in German-speaking countries.