Lesson 11-3 - Lektion 11-3
Infinitive with particle zu
Lesson 11: Mail – phone – bank. Activity 3
From this activity you will know how to:
- ask to make a telephone call somewhere
- order a conversation with another city
- call an international phone line
- find out how long you will have to wait
Learn the words and expressions for the dialogue
distant; far (away) from
It is located far away from the city.
to phone; to make a telephone call
Where can I make a telephone call?
cabin; cubicle
Cabin 8 is free.
direct(ly); straight
The street goes straight to the post office.
office; operator; exchange
Is this the operator?
to belong
The car belongs to me.
connection; line
I cannot get a connection.
moment
(One) moment, I’ll have a look right away!
to try, to attempt
Try it one more time!
connection, link, line, contact
Do you have a connection with Vienna?
immediately, straight or right away, at once
I’d like to come at once.
line; cable, wire
Get off the line!
to call; to cry; to shout
Call the doctor, please!
bad, poor
The room is not bad.
to hear; to listen
I don’t hear you well.
loud
Speak louder, please!
Pay attention to the form and the usage of the words
The word fern in compound words can be translated differently: die Fernverbindung «long-distance line», das Fernamt «telephone exchange», «operator» (meaning: an international office that receives phone calls), das Ferngespräch «long-distance call», das Fernsehen «television», das Fernstudium «distance learning».
The noun der Moment is used the same way as the word der Augenblick: Einen Moment! Ich sehe nach. One moment! I’ll have a look.
When talking on the phone, in order not to make a mistake, the word zwo is used instead of the numeral zwei:
Wie ist Ihre Telefonnummer? — ZwoZwo AchtNull EinsDrei.
What is your telephone number? — 22 80 13.Note the difference in the stress between English hello! [he'ləʊ] (on the phone) and German hallo! [ˈhalo].
The verb wählen is used in two meanings:
a) «to choose»: Haben Sie schon gewählt?
Have you already chosen something? (a dish in a restaurant)
b) «to dial»: Wählen Sie diese Nummer noch einmal!
Dial this number one more time!
Remember the following ways of word-formation (1, 2)
fern + das Amt = das Fernamt long-distance office
zurück + rufen = zurückrufen to call back
Practise in reading the words
Das Ferngespräch
***
Wie buchstabiert man auf deutsch?
| А | Anton | I | Ida | R | Richard |
| Ä | Ärger | J | Julius | S | Siegfried |
| В | Berta | К | Kaufmann | Sch | Schule |
| С | Cäsar | L | Ludwig | T | Theodor |
| Ch | Charlotte | M | Martha | U | Ulrich |
| D | Dora | N | Nordpol | Ü | Übermut |
| Е | Emil | О | Otto | V | Viktor |
| F | Friedrich | Ö | Ökonom | W | Wilhelm |
| G | Gustav | P | Paula | X | Xanthippe |
| Н | Heinrich | Q | Quelle | Y | Ypsilon |
| Z | Zacharias | ||||
- Ich heiße Dombrowski
- Können Sie das buchstabieren?
- D wie Dora
О wie Otto
M wie Marta...
Grammar points
You already know that, just like in English, there is the infinitive in German, however, unlike English, it does not have the particle “to”, just the ending -en (which actually existed in old English). It’s one of the main verb forms and is used to make present and future tenses. Moreover, the infinitive is used with the modal verbs können, dürfen, müssen, sollen, mögen, wollen and also with the verb lassen. At the same time, unlike English, the infinitive goes at the end of the sentence, and in a subordinate clause takes next to last position.
Kann ich Herrn Krause sprechen?
Can I speak with Mr. Krause?
Ich weiß nicht, ob er morgen zur Konferenz kommen kann.
I don’t know if he will be able to come to the conference tomorrow.In addition to modal verbs and the verb lassen, the infinitive can be used with: a) another verb, b) a noun, c) an adjective. In these cases, the particle zu goes before the infinitive which now has the logical translation into English: to (or gerund sometimes). With separable verbs, the particle zu goes between the prefix and the root of a verb. The infinitive with a group of corresponding words may form a special infinitive group which is separated by a comma. The infinitive takes the last position:
Ich habe oft versucht, eine Verbindung mit Dresden zu bekommen.
I often tried getting a connection with Dresden.
Ist es möglich, den Direktor noch einmal anzurufen?
Is it possible to call the director one more time?
Wir haben den Wunsch, morgen diese Ausstellung zu besuchen.
We have the wish to visit this exhibition tomorrow.
The usage of the infinitive with and without the particle zu
Ich möchte morgen abreisen.
Sie sollen das Zimmer bestellen.
Wo kann man den Wagen parken?
Ich lasse mich im Hotel rasieren.
Er hat sich einen Anzug machen lassen.
Ich bin froh, Sie auf der Konferenz zu sehen.
Ich habe den Wunsch, nach Leipzig zu fahren.
Es war nicht möglich, Sie anzurufen.
1. You are asked if you want to perform a particular action. Give a positive answer.
B. Ja, ich wollte schon lange die Ausstellung besuchen.
Continue:
nach Lübeck fahren, nach Wolgograd telefonieren, den Direktor sprechen, an der Konferenz teilnehmen, den Arzt holen.
2. You want to make a call to another city. What will you say to the operator? What is a possible answer?
B. Kabine zwei. Sie können direkt wählen.
Continue:
Salzburg, Moskau, Kiew, Riga, Frankfurt/Main, Düsseldorf, Bremen, Braunschweig, Bochum, Hamburg, München.
3. You are not able to phone to another city. Ask for a piece of advice. What advice is it possible for you to hear?
B. Ich rate Ihnen, das Fernamt anzurufen.
Continue:
direkt wählen, noch einmal versuchen, die Nummer nicht so schnell wählen, zurückzurufen.
4. You want to order an international phone call. Say it to the operator. What possible answer can you hear as a reply?
B. Moment, ich versuche, die Verbindung sofort zu bekommen.
Continue:
Berlin — 20 36 35; Koblenz — 67 85 05;
Wolgograd — 315 35 61; Moskau —197 95 28
5. Fill in the gaps with the appropriate words from the dialogue.
1. Ich möchte nach Moskau . 2. Berlin, Platz 16 — Bitte ein Gespräch nach Riga. 3. Wem der Anschluss? 4. Die ist besetzt. 5. Moment, ich , die Verbindung sofort zu bekommen.
6. Reconstruct the dialogue by filling in the gaps with the appropriate words.
***
7. Try to reproduce the dialogue “Das Ferngespräch” by memory.
Check yourself!
What expressions will you use if you want to:
ask to make a telephone call somewhere
order a conversation with another city
call an international phone line
find out how long you will have to wait
