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A1 The lost key · 51 sentences
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Anna lives in Hamburg. She has a small flat and a cat. Today is Monday, and Anna is running late. She looks for her key, but she can't find it. Is it in the bag? No. Is it on the table? Not there either. The cat is sitting on the sofa and looks at Anna. Anna laughs. The key is under the cat! She takes the key and quickly goes to work. In the evening she buys the cat a fish. The cat is called Mimi. Mimi is three years old and very curious. She eats the fish very quickly. Then she lies on the sofa again. Anna sits next to her and drinks a tea. She thinks about the morning. Why is the key always under the cat? Mimi likes the key, because it shines. On Tuesday Anna gets up at seven o'clock. She has a shower, gets dressed and has breakfast. Today she has a plan. She hangs the key on the door. There she sees it every day. Mimi sits in front of the door and looks up. The key is too high for the cat. Anna is happy and goes to work. Anna works in a bookshop. She enjoys the work. She sells books and talks with lots of customers. Her colleague is called Petra. Petra asks Anna why she's in such a good mood. Anna tells the story of Mimi and the key. Petra laughs out loud. She has a cat too, but her cat hides socks. In the evening Anna comes home. She opens the door and calls for Mimi. But Mimi doesn't come. Anna searches in the kitchen, in the bathroom and in the bedroom. Where is the cat? Suddenly she hears a noise. It comes from the wardrobe. Anna opens the wardrobe, and there sits Mimi. She's lying on Anna's jumper, asleep. Next to her lie three socks and a pen. Anna has to laugh. Her cat collects things! Tomorrow Anna will buy a box for Mimi. Then the cat will have its own cupboard, and Anna will find her things again.
Explained for A1 The text reads like A1.
Anna can't find her key one morning, finds it under her cat Mimi, and discovers that Mimi collects things. The story uses the present tense, questions, separable and modal verbs, and the accusative and dative after prepositions.
AnnaSubject wohntVerb in Hamburg.Place
“Anna lives in Hamburg.”
wohnt
Regular verbs keep their stem and add an ending for the person: ich wohne, du wohnst, sie wohnt. Take the infinitive wohnen, drop -en to get the stem wohn-, and add -t for er, sie and es.
German Grammar A1, chapter 3 Practise regular verbs ›
in Hamburg
For where someone lives or is, use in with cities and countries: in Hamburg, in Deutschland. Cities have no article.
German Grammar A1, chapter 16
› tells us more about Anna
SieSubject hatVerb eine kleine Wohnung und eine Katze.Accusative
“She has a small flat and a cat.”
Sie hat
haben is one of the two most important verbs, and it's irregular: ich habe, du hast, er/sie/es hat, wir haben, ihr habt, sie/Sie haben. The pronoun sie replaces Anna, a woman.
German Grammar A1, chapter 2
eine kleine Wohnung
An adjective before a noun gets an ending. After eine with a feminine noun, the ending is -e: eine kleine Wohnung. You'll practise these endings at A2; for now, notice them.
German Grammar A2, chapter 10
› sets the scene
HeuteTime istVerb Montag, undConnector AnnaSubject istVerb spät dran.Manner
“Today is Monday, and Anna is running late.”
Heute ist Montag
In a German statement the conjugated verb is always in position 2. Here heute (today) takes position 1, so the verb ist comes right after it, and then the rest. It's never Heute Montag ist.
German Grammar A1, chapter 6
und Anna ist spät dran
und, aber, oder and denn sit in position 0: they join two sentences without taking a position. So after und the word order stays normal: Anna (1) ist (2).
German Grammar A1, chapter 19
› the problem starts
SieSubject suchtVerb ihren Schlüssel,Accusative aberConnector sieSubject findetVerb ihnAccusative nicht.Negation
“She looks for her key, but she can't find it.”
ihren Schlüssel … ihn
The direct object (what someone looks for, finds, has) is in the accusative. Only masculine words change: der becomes den, ein becomes einen, er becomes ihn. That's why it's ihren Schlüssel and then ihn.
German Grammar A1, chapter 10 Practise the accusative ›
ihren Schlüssel
ihr means her. It takes the same endings as ein: ihr Schlüssel (subject), ihren Schlüssel (accusative, masculine).
German Grammar A1, chapter 11
findet ihn nicht
nicht says that something doesn't happen. When it negates the whole sentence, it usually goes after the object, often at the very end.
German Grammar A1, chapter 9
› she starts searching
IstVerb erSubject in der Tasche?Place
“Is it in the bag?”
Ist er …?
For a yes/no question, put the verb first: Er ist in der Tasche becomes Ist er in der Tasche? Your voice goes up at the end.
German Grammar A1, chapter 7
in der Tasche
in, auf, unter and a few more take the dative when they say where something is (Wo?). In the dative, die becomes der and der/das become dem: in der Tasche, auf dem Tisch.
German Grammar A2, chapter 6
› the answer to her question
Nein.
“No.”
› she tries another place
IstVerb erSubject auf dem Tisch?Place
“Is it on the table?”
› another no
Auch nicht.Negation
“Not there either.”
› the cat enters the story
Die KatzeSubject sitztVerb auf dem SofaPlace undConnector schautVerb AnnaAccusative an.Verb end
“The cat is sitting on the sofa and looks at Anna.”
schaut Anna an
anschauen (to look at) is a separable verb: in a statement the prefix an splits off and goes to the end of the sentence. schauen sits in position 2, an at the end.
German Grammar A1, chapter 13
› her reaction
AnnaSubject lacht.Verb
“Anna laughs.”
› the surprise: here's the key
Der SchlüsselSubject liegtVerb unter der Katze!Place
“The key is under the cat!”
Der Schlüssel
Every German noun is der, die or das, and you often can't guess which: der Schlüssel, die Katze, das Sofa. Learn each noun with its article, because the article changes with the case.
German Grammar A1, chapter 4
› what she does next
SieSubject nimmtVerb den SchlüsselAccusative undConnector gehtVerb schnellManner zur Arbeit.Place
“She takes the key and quickly goes to work.”
nimmt
Some verbs change their vowel, but only for du and er/sie/es: ich nehme, du nimmst, sie nimmt. Others like it: sprechen (spricht), sehen (sieht), fahren (fährt).
German Grammar A1, chapter 5
zur Arbeit
Some prepositions always take the dative: mit, nach, bei, von, zu, aus, seit. zu der becomes the short form zur, and zu dem becomes zum.
German Grammar A1, chapter 15 Practise the dative ›
› a happy ending
Am AbendTime kauftVerb sieSubject der KatzeDative einen Fisch.Accusative
“In the evening she buys the cat a fish.”
der Katze einen Fisch
Some verbs (kaufen, geben, schenken, zeigen) can take two objects: the person who receives something in the dative (der Katze) and the thing in the accusative (einen Fisch). The person usually comes first.
German Grammar A2, chapter 5 Practise the dative ›
› introduces the cat
Die KatzeSubject heißtVerb Mimi.
“The cat is called Mimi.”
› describes Mimi
MimiSubject istVerb drei Jahre alt undConnector sehr neugierig.Manner
“Mimi is three years old and very curious.”
ist … sehr neugierig
After sein, an adjective takes no ending: Mimi ist neugierig, die Katze ist klein. Endings only appear before a noun: eine kleine Katze.
German Grammar A1, chapter 17
SieSubject frisstVerb den FischAccusative ganz schnell.Manner
“She eats the fish very quickly.”
DannTime liegtVerb sieSubject wiederTime auf dem Sofa.Place
“Then she lies on the sofa again.”
AnnaSubject sitztVerb neben ihrPlace undConnector trinktVerb einen Tee.Accusative
“Anna sits next to her and drinks a tea.”
SieSubject denktVerb an den Morgen.
“She thinks about the morning.”
denkt an den Morgen
Some verbs always come with the same preposition: denken an + accusative means to think about. Learn the verb, the preposition and the case together.
German Grammar A2, chapter 8
› Anna wonders
Warum liegtVerb der SchlüsselSubject immerTime unter der Katze?Place
“Why is the key always under the cat?”
› the answer
MimiSubject magVerb den Schlüssel,Accusative dennConnector erSubject glänzt.Verb
“Mimi likes the key, because it shines.”
denn er glänzt
denn (because) gives a reason. Like und and aber, it sits in position 0, so the normal order follows: er (1) glänzt (2). weil means the same but sends the verb to the end; you'll meet it at A2.
› the next day
Am DienstagTime stehtVerb AnnaSubject um sieben UhrTime auf.Verb end
“On Tuesday Anna gets up at seven o'clock.”
um sieben Uhr
um + number + Uhr gives the time something happens: um sieben Uhr (at 7 o'clock). For days, use am: am Dienstag.
German Grammar A1, chapter 8
› her morning
SieSubject duscht,Verb ziehtVerb sichAccusative anVerb end undConnector frühstückt.Verb
“She has a shower, gets dressed and has breakfast.”
zieht sich an
Some verbs need a reflexive pronoun when you do the action to yourself: sich anziehen (to get dressed). ich ziehe mich an, du ziehst dich an, sie zieht sich an.
German Grammar A2, chapter 4
HeuteTime hatVerb sieSubject einen Plan.Accusative
“Today she has a plan.”
› her plan
SieSubject hängtVerb den SchlüsselAccusative an die Tür.Place
“She hangs the key on the door.”
an die Tür
The prepositions that take the dative for Wo? (where something is) take the accusative for Wohin? (where it goes). She hangs the key an die Tür (movement); afterwards it hangs an der Tür (place).
› why the plan works
DortPlace siehtVerb sieSubject ihnAccusative jeden Tag.Time
“There she sees it every day.”
› the cat's reaction
MimiSubject sitztVerb vor der TürPlace undConnector schautVerb nach oben.Place
“Mimi sits in front of the door and looks up.”
› the plan works
Der SchlüsselSubject istVerb zu hochManner für die Katze.
“The key is too high for the cat.”
AnnaSubject istVerb zufriedenManner undConnector gehtVerb zur Arbeit.Place
“Anna is happy and goes to work.”
› Anna's job
AnnaSubject arbeitetVerb in einer Buchhandlung.Place
“Anna works in a bookshop.”
Die ArbeitSubject machtVerb ihrDative Spaß.Accusative
“She enjoys the work.”
Die Arbeit macht ihr Spaß
German says the work makes fun for her: the thing is the subject and the person is in the dative. Das macht mir Spaß = I enjoy that.
SieSubject verkauftVerb BücherAccusative undConnector sprichtVerb mit vielen Kunden.Dative
“She sells books and talks with lots of customers.”
Ihre KolleginSubject heißtVerb Petra.
“Her colleague is called Petra.”
PetraSubject fragtVerb Anna,Accusative warum sie so gute Laune hat.
“Petra asks Anna why she's in such a good mood.”
warum sie so gute Laune hat
A question inside a sentence is a subordinate clause: the verb goes to the end. Warum hat sie gute Laune? becomes Petra fragt, warum sie gute Laune hat.
German Grammar A2, chapter 14
AnnaSubject erzähltVerb die GeschichteAccusative von Mimi und dem Schlüssel.
“Anna tells the story of Mimi and the key.”
PetraSubject lachtVerb laut.Manner
“Petra laughs out loud.”
SieSubject hatVerb auch eine Katze,Accusative aberConnector ihre KatzeSubject verstecktVerb Socken.Accusative
“She has a cat too, but her cat hides socks.”
› back at home
Am AbendTime kommtVerb AnnaSubject nach Hause.Place
“In the evening Anna comes home.”
nach Hause
nach Hause is where you're going (home); zu Hause is where you are (at home).
German Grammar A2, chapter 7
SieSubject öffnetVerb die TürAccusative undConnector ruftVerb nach Mimi.
“She opens the door and calls for Mimi.”
› something is wrong
AberConnector MimiSubject kommtVerb nicht.Negation
“But Mimi doesn't come.”
AnnaSubject suchtVerb in der Küche, im Bad und im Schlafzimmer.Place
“Anna searches in the kitchen, in the bathroom and in the bedroom.”
WoPlace istVerb die Katze?Subject
“Where is the cat?”
PlötzlichTime hörtVerb sieSubject ein Geräusch.Accusative
“Suddenly she hears a noise.”
EsSubject kommtVerb aus dem Schrank.Place
“It comes from the wardrobe.”
› she finds the cat
AnnaSubject öffnetVerb den Schrank,Accusative undConnector daPlace sitztVerb Mimi.Subject
“Anna opens the wardrobe, and there sits Mimi.”
SieSubject liegtVerb auf Annas PulloverPlace undConnector schläft.Verb
“She's lying on Anna's jumper, asleep.”
Annas Pullover
To say whose something is, add -s to a name, without an apostrophe: Annas Pullover, Peters Auto.
Neben ihrPlace liegenVerb drei Socken und ein Kugelschreiber.Subject
“Next to her lie three socks and a pen.”
AnnaSubject mussVerb lachen.Verb end
“Anna has to laugh.”
muss lachen
Modal verbs (müssen, können, wollen, dürfen, sollen, mögen) are in position 2, and the main verb goes to the end as an infinitive: Anna muss lachen.
German Grammar A1, chapter 12
› what Anna realises
Ihre KatzeSubject sammeltVerb Sachen!Accusative
“Her cat collects things!”
MorgenTime kauftVerb AnnaSubject eine KisteAccusative für Mimi.
“Tomorrow Anna will buy a box for Mimi.”
› a happy ending
DannTime hatVerb die KatzeSubject ihren eigenen Schrank,Accusative undConnector AnnaSubject findetVerb ihre SachenAccusative wieder.
“Then the cat will have its own cupboard, and Anna will find her things again.”