German für Dummies

Dr. Paulina Christensen und Anne Fox sind erfahrene Deutschlehrer. Auch Wendy Foster unterrichtet Deutsch. Sie ist Autorin von "Intermediate German for Dummies".

"Einführung in die deutsche Sprache mit Englisch als Ausgangssprache. Wie bei den meisten "für Dummies"-Büchern spielt auch hier der Spaß am Lernen eine wichtige Rolle:Sprachlicher Input wechselt sich mit interessant-amüsanten und landeskundlichen Infos ab. Die Sätze und Dialoge sind praxisnah...."(EKZ im Oktober 2019)

• About the Authors 7Introduction 19About This Book 19Conventions Used in This Book 19Foolish Assumptions 21How This Book is Organized 21Part I: Getting Started 22Part II: German in Action 22Part III: German on the Go 22Part IV: The Part of Tens 22Part V: Appendixes 22Icons Used in This Book 22Where to Go from Here 23Part I Getting Started 25Chapter 1 You Already Know a Little German 27The German You Know 27Friendly allies (perfect cognates) 27Kissing cousins (near cognates) 29False friends 30Lenders and borrowers 32Using Popular Expressions 35Chapter 2 The Nitty-Gritty: Basic German Grammar 37Getting a Handle on Parts of Speech 38Nouns 38Articles 39Pronouns 40Adjectives 40Verbs 41Adverbs 42Constructing Simple Sentences 42Arranging words in the right order 43Putting the verb in second place 43Pushing the verb to the end 44Forming questions 44The Tenses: Past, Present, and Future 45Looking at the present 45Talking about the past: The perfect tense 46Writing about the past: Using the simple past tense of verbs 48Talking about the future 48Putting the Language in the Proper Case 49A quick trip through the different cases 49Why all these cases matter 50Chapter 3 Hallo! Pronunciation and Basic Expressions 55Mouthing Off: Basic Pronunciation 55Dealing with stress in German 55Building the alphabet blocks 56Pronouncing vowels 56Pronouncing ä, ö, and ü 58Pronouncing diphthongs 59Pronouncing consonants 59Pronouncing combinations of consonants 60Getting Formal or Informal 62Saying “Hello”, “Goodbye”, and “How are You?” 63Asking “How are you?” 64Replying to “How are you?” 65Introducing Yourself and Your Friends 67Introducing your friends 67Introductions for special occasions 67Chapter 4 Getting Numbers, Time, and Measurements Straight 73Juggling Numbers 73Telling Time 75Asking for the time 75Telling time with the 12-hour clock 76Using the 24-hour system 77Times of the day 77Days of the week 77Naming the Months 79Measurements, Quantities, and Weights 80Chapter 5 Talking about Home and Family 85Living in an Apartment or House 85Describing life within four walls 85Asking the right questions 86Talking about Your Family 87Part II German in Action 93Chapter 6 Getting to Know You: Making Small Talk 95Talking about Yourself 95Describing your work 95Providing your name and number(s) 97Looking at possessive pronouns 99Conversing about Cities, Countries, and Nationalities 100Revealing where you come from 100Using the all-important verb “sein” 101Asking people where they come from 102Discovering nationalities 103Chatting about languages you speak 104Making Small Talk about the Weather 106Noting what it’s like out there 106Discussing the temperature 107Describing the day’s weather 107Chapter 7 Asking for Directions 111“Wo?” – Asking Where Something is 111“Wie weit?” How Far is It? 113Going Here and There 114Asking “How Do I Get There?” 114Using “in” to get into a location 115Using “nach” to get to a city or country 116Using “zu” to get to institutions 116Describing a Position or Location in Relation to Some Other Place 117Getting Your Bearings Straight with Left, Right, North, and South 119Left, right, straight ahead 120The cardinal points 120Taking This or That Street 121Using Ordinal Numbers: First, Second, Third, and More 121Traveling by Car or Other Vehicle 124Chapter 8 Guten Appetit! Dining Out and Going to the Market 127Hast du Hunger? Hast du Durst? 127All about Meals 128Setting the Table for a Meal 129Dining Out: Visiting a Restaurant 130Deciding where to eat 130Making reservations 132Arriving and being seated 134Deciphering the menu 135Placing your order 139Applying the subjunctive to express your wishes 139Using modals to modify what you say 141Ordering something special 142Replying to “How did you like the food?” 142Asking for the check 143Shopping for Food 145Knowing where to shop 145Finding what you need 145Chapter 9 Shopping Made Easy 149Places to Shop around Town 149Finding Out about Opening Hours 150Navigating Your Way around a Store 150Just Browsing: Taking a Look at Merchandise 152Getting Assistance as You Shop 152Shopping for Clothes 153Familiarizing yourself with the colors available 155Knowing your size 156Trying on the items you find 157Paying for Your Shopping Items 159Comparatively Speaking: Making Comparisons Among Objects 161Chapter 10 Going Out on the Town 163What Would You Like to Do? 163Going to the Movies 164Getting to the show 164Buying tickets 165What Was That? The Simple Past Tense of “Sein” 167Going to the Museum 167Talking about Action in the Past 169Forming the past participle 170Using “haben” in the perfect tense 171Using “sein” in the perfect tense 172Going Out for Entertainment 173How Was It? Talking about Entertainment 175Asking for an opinion 175Telling people what you think 175Going to a Party 177Getting an invitation 177Talking about a party 178Chapter 11 Taking Care of Business and Telecommunications 181Phoning Made Simple 181Asking for your party 182Making the connection 183Making Appointments 185Leaving Messages 186A Few Words about Dative Pronouns 187Sending Written Correspondence 188Sending a letter or postcard 188E-mailing 190Sending a fax 190Getting to Know the Office 191Mastering your desk and supplies 192Doing business in German 193Chapter 12 Recreation and the Great Outdoors 197Playing Sports 197Playing around with the verb “spielen” 197Verbalizing sports you enjoy 198Inviting someone to play 199Using Reflexive Verbs to Talk about Plans 200Getting reflexive 200Accusing and dating your pronouns 200Some common reflexive verbs 201Reflexive verbs that are flexible 204Exploring the Outdoors 204Getting out and going 204Things to see along the way 204Going to the mountains 206Going to the country 208Going to the sea 210Part III German on the Go 213Chapter 13 Planning a Trip 215Getting Help from a Travel Agent 215Planning Ahead: Using the Future Tense 217Describing events in specific months 218Naming specific times in the months 219Rethinking Dates 219Dealing with Passports and Visas 220The all-important passport 220Inquiring about visas 221Chapter 14 Making Sense of Euros and Cents 223Changing Currency 223Heading to the ATM 226Getting Imperative 227Understanding the Euro and Other Currencies 228Chapter 15 Getting Around: Planes, Trains, Taxis, and Buses 231Using German at the Airport 231Getting your ticket 231Checking in 232Going through immigration 234Going through customs 235Traveling by Car 235Renting a car 236Making sense of maps 238Wrapping your brain around road signs 238Taking a Train 239Interpreting train schedules 239Getting information 239Buying tickets 240Knowing When to Separate Your Verbs 241Navigating Buses, Subways, and Taxis 242Catching the bus 243Getting a taxi 244Chapter 16 Finding a Place to Stay 247Finding a Hotel 247Reserving Rooms 248Saying when and how long you want to stay 248Specifying the kind of room you want 249Asking about the price 250Finalizing the reservation 250Checking In 252Stating how long you’re staying 252Filling out the registration form 252Getting keyed in 253Asking about amenities and facilities 253Checking Out and Paying the Bill 256Asking for your bill 256Asking small favors 257Chapter 17 Handling Emergencies 261Requesting Help 261Shouting for help 261Reporting a problem 262Asking for English-speaking help 262Getting Medical Attention 262Describing what ails you 263Telling about any special conditions 264Getting an examination 265Specifying parts of the body 266Getting the diagnosis 267Getting treatment 269Talking to the Police 270Describing what was stolen 271Answering questions from the police 272Getting legal help 273Part IV The Part of Tens 277Chapter 18 Ten Ways to Pick Up German Quickly 279Labeling the World Around You 279Organizing Useful Expressions 279Writing Shopping Lists 280Thinking in German 280Using Language CDs and Downloads 280Watching German TV and Listening to German Radio Online 281Trying an Interactive German Program 281Watching German Movies 281Reading German Publications 281Eating German Cuisine 282Chapter 19 Ten Things Never to Say in German 283Using the Right Form of Address 283Addressing Service People Correctly 283Hot or Cold? 284I’m Not Loaded 284Speaking of the Law with Respect 284Using “Gymnasium” Correctly 284Knowing the Appropriate Form of “Know” 285Going to the Right Closet 285Using Bekommen Properly 285Using the Right Eating Verb 286Chapter 20 Ten Favorite German Expressions 289Alles klar! 289Wirklich 289Kein Problem 289Vielleicht 290Doch 290Unglaublich! 290Hoffentlich 290Wie schön! 290Genau! 290Stimmt’s? 291Chapter 21 Ten Phrases That Make You Sound German 293Schönes Wochenende! 293Gehen wir! 293Was ist los? 293Das klingt gut! 293Keine Ahnung 294Es zieht! 294Nicht zu fassen! 294Du hast Recht!/Sie haben Recht! 294Lass es! 294Nicht schlecht! 294Part V Appendixes 293A: German-English Mini-Dictionary 295B: Verb Tables 313Regular Verbs (No Stem Vowel Change) 313Special Conjugations 314Irregular and Modal Verbs 316C: On the CD 325D: Answer Key 327Index 331