Latest / Learn German with Fexingo / German Directions: At the Corner
Transcript
- Lucas: Welcome back to Learn German with Fexingo. I'm Lucas, and as always, Luna is here with me. Luna: Hey everyone. I'm Luna, and I'm so ready to learn some more German. Lucas: Today, we're going to talk about something that's really useful when you're walking around a German town. We're going to focus on 'an der Ecke', which means 'at the corner'. Luna: Oh, that's perfect. Because last time we did 'up and down', and now we're getting even more precise. Lucas: Exactly. And we'll also cover how to say things are to the left or right of the corner. Luna: Great. So 'an der Ecke' – let me try that. 'An der Ecke'. Lucas: Perfect. Now, imagine you're looking for a supermarket. You might ask, 'Wo ist der Supermarkt?' That means 'Where is the supermarket?' Luna: Wo ist der Supermarkt? So if I'm lost, I can just ask that. Lucas: Exactly. And someone might answer, 'Er ist an der Ecke.' That means 'It's at the corner.' Luna: Er ist an der Ecke. So the supermarket is at the corner. But how do I know which corner? There are so many. Lucas: Good question. You can add more direction. For example, 'Links von der Ecke' means 'to the left of the corner'. Luna: Links von der Ecke. And what about 'rechts'? That's right. Lucas: Yes, 'Rechts von der Ecke' is 'to the right of the corner'. Luna: Rechts von der Ecke. So I can get really specific. Lucas: Let's practice with a quick scene. You're in a new town and you ask a local, 'Wo ist der Supermarkt?' Luna: Wo ist der Supermarkt? Lucas: They say, 'Er ist an der Ecke, links von der Ecke.' Luna: So it's at the corner, to the left. That's clear. Lucas: Now, you might also hear 'an der Ecke' in other contexts. Like, 'Die Bäckerei ist an der Ecke.' The bakery is at the corner. Luna: Oh, that's nice. So I can use it for any place. Lucas: Yes, for any place that's located at a corner. It's a very handy phrase. Luna: I can already imagine walking around and using these. But I need to practice saying them quickly. Lucas: Let's do a quick drill. I'll say the English, and you say the German. Lucas: At the corner. Luna: An der Ecke. Lucas: Where is the supermarket? Luna: Wo ist der Supermarkt? Lucas: It's at the corner. Luna: Er ist an der Ecke. Lucas: To the left of the corner. Luna: Links von der Ecke. Lucas: To the right of the corner. Luna: Rechts von der Ecke. Lucas: That's really good, Luna. Your pronunciation is getting better every episode. Luna: Thanks. It helps that we practice so much. Lucas: And you know, it's because we want to make sure you actually remember these phrases. That's our goal at Fexingo. Luna: Yeah, and I think the repetition is what makes it stick. Lucas: Speaking of sticking around, I want to mention something. You know how we never have ads on this show? That's because listeners like you support us. If Fexingo has been helping you make progress with German, consider supporting us too. You can do that at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Luna: Yeah, it's a simple way to say thanks and keep the show going. Lucas: Now, back to our corners. Let's put it all together with a mini dialogue. Luna: Okay, I'm ready. Lucas: You're looking for a pharmacy. You ask, 'Wo ist die Apotheke?' Luna: Wo ist die Apotheke? Lucas: And someone says, 'Sie ist an der Ecke, rechts von der Ecke.' Luna: So it's at the corner, to the right. That's easy. Lucas: Now you try a full sentence. Say 'The bakery is at the corner, to the left.' Luna: Die Bäckerei ist an der Ecke, links von der Ecke. Lucas: Perfect. You're already using it naturally. Luna: I'm feeling pretty confident. But I wonder, is it always 'an der Ecke' or can you say 'bei der Ecke'? Lucas: Usually 'an der Ecke' is the standard. 'Bei' can also be used, but 'an' is more common for corners. Luna: Good to know. So I'll stick with 'an der Ecke'. Lucas: Let's do one more practice round. Repeat after me: 'Wo ist der Bahnhof?' Luna: Wo ist der Bahnhof? Lucas: That means 'Where is the train station?' And the answer: 'Er ist an der Ecke.' Luna: Er ist an der Ecke. Lucas: Now let's switch it up. Ask me where the supermarket is. Luna: Wo ist der Supermarkt? Lucas: Er ist an der Ecke, links von der Ecke. Luna: So it's at the corner, to the left. I got it. Lucas: Great. And just to review, we have 'an der Ecke', 'links von der Ecke', 'rechts von der Ecke'. Luna: An der Ecke, links von der Ecke, rechts von der Ecke. I think I've got it. Lucas: You're doing fantastic. And remember, practice these phrases when you're out and about. Imagine you're in a German city. Luna: I will. This episode has been really helpful. Lucas: We hope you enjoyed this little corner of German. Until next time, keep practicing. Luna: Tschüss and see you soon!