Lesson 7-1 - Lektion 7-1
Conditional clauses in German
Lesson 7: At the restaurant. Activity 1
From this activity you will know how to:
- ask to recommend you a restaurant
- tell that you would like to have lunch (dinner)
- ask where the restaurant (café) is located
- ask when the restaurant (café) is open
Learn the words and expressions for the dialogue
to have lunch (dinner)
Where are we having lunch today?
restaurant
Would you like to go at the restaurant?
café
I’ll have dinner at the café.
to recommend
What do you recommend me?
quick, fast
She speaks very fast.
take / have a bite / snack
Have a bite!
restaurant, tavern; pub, bar; inn
Let’s go to the tavern!
oneself
I’ll do it myself.
to serve, to attend to
Who is serving here?
then
Good, I’ll call you then.
to open
When is the café open?
to believe; to think
I believe Fred is a chemist.
to close, to shut
This tavern is closed.
kitchen
Where is the kitchen?
to be exact, namely; since, as
I’ll go since it’s already late.
hunger
I’m hungry. (lit.: I have hunger)
Pay attention to the form and the usage of the words
The verb empfehlen (recommend) as sprechen, nehmen etc. (see lesson 2, activity 4 and lesson 6, activity 1) in 3rd person singular changes the root vowel -е to -i:
ich empfehle
wir empfehlen
er empfiehlt
Sie empfehlen
The adverb nämlich (to be exact, namely) can be used with another meaning expressing the cause of what was said in the previous sentence. In this case it is translated as: “since”, “the thing is...”:
Ich muß jetzt gehen. Es ist nämlich sehr spät.
I have to go now since it is very late.In the expression einen Imbiss zu sich nehmen (to have a snack) the pronoun sich in 1st person singular changes to mir:
Er nimmt einen Imbiss zu sich, but: Ich nehme einen Imbiss zu mir. (lit.: I take a snack to me)
The noun die Gaststätte has a general meaning for catering services and can be translated differently: restaurant, tavern; pub, bar; inn etc.
Remember the following ways of word-formation (1, 2, 4)
selbst + die Bedienung = die Selbstbedienung self-service
das Frühstück + en = frühstücken to (have) breakfast
zu Mittag essen = das Mittagessen lunch (midday meal)
zu Abend essen = das Abendessen dinner (evening meal)
Practise in reading the words
Ich möchte zu Mittag essen
Grammar points
-
Just like in English, there are subordinate clauses in German. However, the word order is different, namely:
a. the predicate is placed at the end of the sentence;
b. the variable part of the predicate (an auxiliary verb in perfekt, a modal verb, the link-verb) is placed at the very end;
c. the separable prefix is written as one word with the verb.
There are different types of subordinate (dependent) clauses. In this activity you will learn about the conditional clause which is introduced by the conjunction wenn (if). Meanwhile, the main clause often starts with the word so or dann, after which the predicate of the main clause is followed:
Wenn er mich anruft, so sage ich ihm das.
Wenn er kommen möchte, dann muß er mich anrufen.
Wenn es schon spät ist, muß ich nach Hause gehen. You already know that the predicate in German can be expressed with the link-verb sein and a noun or an adjective (see lesson 3, activity 2). The participle II can be the nominal part of the predicate. Such sentences express the result of a finished action:
Das Formular ist ausgefüllt. – The form has been filled in etc.
The predicate in German can be expressed with a set expression. In this case, the verb is placed on the second (first – in interrogative and imperative sentenсes) place, and the rest of the expression – at the end of the sentence:
zu Mittag essen – Ich esse heute im Hotel zu Mittag. usw.
Word order in subordinate clauses
Wenn er heute abend kommt, (dann) ruft er mich an.
Wenn er morgen abreist, gibt er mir seinen Reisepaß.
Wenn er heute kommen kann, (so) sagt er uns das.
Wenn er das Formular ausgefüllt hat, liegt es im Hotel.
Wenn er nach Berlin gekommen ist, besucht er uns bald.
Er ruft mich an, wenn er morgen abreist.
1. You are asked if you have done something. Give a positive answer. Ask the interlocutor the same question.
B. Ja, das Formular ist schon ausgefüllt.
Continue:
das Taxi bestellen, den Kollegen vorstellen, das Zimmer mieten, den Schrank öffnen, die Wohnung schließen.
2. You can comply with a request under a certain condition. Say it. Ask if the interlocutor can comply with your request.
B. Wenn ich Zeit habe, bestelle ich ein Taxi.
Continue:
dem Lehrer gratulieren, das Hotel anrufen, ins Restaurant kommen, einen Arzt empfehlen, mit uns zu Abend essen.
3. The interlocutor wants to know when you are going to the tavern. Answer the question. Ask the interlocutor the same thing.
B. Wenn ich essen möchte, gehe ich in eine Gaststätte.
Continue:
zu Mittag essen, zu Abend essen, frühstücken, einen Imbiss zu sich nehmen, Hunger haben, Zeit haben.
4. Explain the interlocutor why you are going to the café. Ask the interlocutor where (s)he is going to now.
B. Ich gehe jetzt in ein Cafe. Ich möchte nämlich essen.
Continue:
zu Mittag essen, zu Abend essen, frühstücken, etwas essen, einen Imbiss zu sich nehmen, Hunger haben.
5. Fill in the gaps with the appropriate words from the dialogue.
1. Ich möchte einen zu mir nehmen. 2. in der Gaststätte ist schnell. 3. Das ist sehr schön! Ich habe Hunger. 4. Wann ist die Gaststätte ? 5. Ich habe im Hotel .
6. Reconstruct the dialogue by filling in the gaps with the appropriate words.
.
.
Wo liegt diese Gaststätte?
Die Küche dort ist recht gut.
?
7. Try to reproduce the dialogue “Ich möchte zu Mittag essen” by memory.
Check yourself!
What expressions will you use if you want to:
ask to recommend you a restaurant
tell that you would like to have lunch (dinner)
ask where the restaurant (café) is located
ask when the restaurant (café) is open
