Latest / Learn German with Fexingo / German at the Hardware Store Advanced
Transcript
- Lucas: Welcome back to another episode of Learn German with Fexingo. I am Lucas. Luna: And I am Luna. We are back with more practical German for everyday life. Lucas: Today we are heading somewhere very specific. A place where you might feel a little lost if you do not know the words. Luna: Oh no. Is it the tax office? Or maybe the DMV? Lucas: No, it is much more fun. We are going to the hardware store. The Baumarkt. Luna: Right. The last time we talked about hardware stores, we covered the basics. But today we are going deeper. Lucas: Exactly. In previous episodes, we learned how to ask where things are. Now we need to find specific items and get help with them. Luna: I love this. I have a broken shelf at home. I need to fix it. Lucas: Then you will need some tools. Let us start with the first phrase. It is very useful when you cannot find what you need. Luna: Okay. What is the phrase? Lucas: The phrase is: Wo finde ich die Batterien? Luna: Wo finde ich die Batterien? Lucas: Good. Wo finde ich means 'where can I find'. Die Batterien means 'the batteries'. Luna: So it is literally 'Where can I find the batteries?' Lucas: Yes. You say it slowly: Wo finde ich die Batterien? Luna: Wo finde ich die Batterien? Lucas: Perfect. Now say it normally, like you are walking through the aisles. Luna: Wo finde ich die Batterien? Lucas: Great. Imagine you are holding an old remote control. You press a button. Nothing happens. Luna: Ugh. Dead batteries. So you go to the store and ask: Wo finde ich die Batterien? Lucas: Exactly. And the clerk will point you to aisle four. But let us move on. You have your batteries. Now you need a tool. Luna: A screwdriver? That is easy. Ich brauche einen Schraubenzieher. Lucas: Wait. Let us practice that one first. It is our second phrase. Ich brauche einen Schraubenzieher. Luna: Ich brauche einen Schraubenzieher. Lucas: Break it down. Ich brauche means 'I need'. Einen Schraubenzieher means 'a screwdriver'. Luna: Schraubenzieher. That is a long word. Lucas: It is compound word magic. Schraube is screw. Ziehen is pull. But together it just means screwdriver. Say it slowly. Luna: Ich brauche einen Schraubenzieher. Lucas: Very good. Now say it like you are talking to the shop assistant. Luna: Ich brauche einen Schraubenzieher. Lucas: Nailed it. You walk up to the counter. You hold out your hand. You say: Ich brauche einen Schraubenzieher. Luna: And they hand me the right size. Or do they? Lucas: Sometimes they hand you the wrong size. And that leads to our third phrase. When something does not fit. Luna: Oh no. Not again. Lucas: The phrase is: Das ist zu klein. Luna: Das ist zu klein. Lucas: Das ist means 'that is'. Zu klein means 'too small'. Simple. Luna: Das ist zu klein. Lucas: Say it slowly for clarity. Das ist zu klein. Luna: Das ist zu klein. Lucas: Now naturally. You look at the screw. It falls into the hole. It is useless. Luna: I shake my head. Das ist zu klein. Lucas: Correct. The clerk says, 'Oh, sorry. Here is the big one.' You try it. It fits perfectly. Luna: But wait. I need to put the screw in the wall. I need to drill a hole. Lucas: Ah. Do you own a drill? Or do you need the store to do it for you? Luna: I do not have a drill. I need them to help me. Lucas: Then you use our fourth phrase. Haben Sie ein Loch gebohrt? Luna: Haben Sie ein Loch gebohrt? Lucas: Haben Sie means 'do you have'. Ein Loch means 'a hole'. Gebohrt means 'drilled'. Luna: So it is 'Do you have a hole drilled?' Which sounds weird in English, but works in German. Lucas: Yes. It implies 'Can you drill a hole for me?' Say it slowly. Luna: Haben Sie ein Loch gebohrt? Lucas: Good. Now say it with a polite question tone. Luna: Haben Sie ein Loch gebohrt? Lucas: Perfect. The clerk smiles. They take your wood board to the cutting station. Luna: And then I have one more thing. I bought a piece of wood. It is too long. Lucas: Right. You need it cut to size. Our final phrase. Können Sie das zuschneiden? Luna: Können Sie das zuschneiden? Lucas: Können Sie means 'can you'. Das means 'that'. Zuschneiden means 'cut to size'. Luna: Können Sie das zuschneiden? Lucas: Say it slowly. Können Sie das zuschneiden? Luna: Können Sie das zuschneiden? Lucas: Now naturally. You hand the board to the machine operator. Luna: Können Sie das zuschneiden? Lucas: Excellent. You walk out with your shelf, your screws, your batteries, and your new screwdriver. Luna: I feel so powerful. I can fix anything now. Lucas: You can. Let us review the phrases quickly. Wo finde ich die Batterien? Luna: Ich brauche einen Schraubenzieher. Lucas: Das ist zu klein. Luna: Haben Sie ein Loch gebohrt? Lucas: Können Sie das zuschneiden? Luna: These are so useful. Thank you, Lucas. Lucas: Of course. Before we go, I want to mention something important. Luna: Oh? What is it? Lucas: If Fexingo has been helping you make actual progress with this language, consider supporting us. Luna: Yeah. Listener support keeps these episodes ad-free and consistent. Lucas: You can visit buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo — that's F. E. X. I. N. G. O. Luna: It really helps us keep making content like this every week. Lucas: Thanks for listening. See you next time.