Know Your Language

Answers

1. Ist das dein Vater? (Is this your father?)

2. Ja, das ist mein Vater. (Yes, this is my father.)

3. Wo ist deine Mutter? (Where is your mother?)

4. Meine Mutter ist zu Hause. (My mother is at home.)

5. Wir sind aus Indien. (We are from India.)

6. Sind Sie aus Paris? (Are you from Paris?)

7. Ich bin aus Paris. (I am from Paris.)

8. Bist du Studentin? (Are you a student?)

9. Nein, ich bin keine Studentin. Ich bin Lehrerin. (No, I am not a student. I am a teacher.)

10. Ihr seid Studenten. (You are students.)

11. Er ist 20 Jahre alt. (He is 20 years old.)

12. Wie alt bist du? (How old are you?)

13. Das ist nicht mein Buch. (This is not my book.)

14. Eva ist meine Schwester. (Eva is my sister.)

15. Ist das dein Bruder? (Is this your brother?)

16. Wir sind aus Japan. (We are from Japan.)

Did you get everything right? Ich gratuliere Ihnen! (I congratulate you.)

Language Learning:

Learning a new language is sometimes difficult because you may not have anyone to talk to in that language. What can you do then? Talk to yourself in the new language. Think in that language. It will be fun and you will also learn faster. You won't be shy with yourself.

Nine-tenths of education is encouragement.   Anatole France

German worksheet: sein

Fill in the blanks with a form of sein (bin, bist, ist, sind, seid).  

1. __________ das dein Vater? (Is this your father?)

2. Ja, das __________ mein Vater. (Yes, this is my father.)

3. Wo __________ deine Mutter? (Where is your mother?)

4. Meine Mutter __________ zu Hause. (My mother is at home.)

5. Wir __________ aus Indien. (We are from India.)

6. __________ Sie aus Paris? (Are you from Paris?)

7. Ich ____________ aus Paris. (I am from Paris.)

8. _________ du Studentin? (Are you a student?)

9. Nein, ich ___________ keine Studentin. Ich __________ Lehrerin. (No, I am not a student. I am a teacher.)

10. Ihr _________ Studenten. (You are students.)

11. Er __________ 20 Jahre alt. (He is 20 years old.)

12. Wie alt _________ du? (How old are you?)

13. Das _________ nicht mein Buch. (This is not my book.)

14. Eva __________ meine Schwester. (Eva is my sister.)

15. __________ das dein Bruder? (Is this your brother?)

16. Wir ___________ aus Japan. (We are from Japan.)

 You will find the answers in the next blog. Viel Gluck! (Wish you all the best!) 

Conjugation of German verbs: sein (to be)

sein Konjugation

ich       bin      ( I am)

du        bist      (you are)

er         ist       (he is)

sie       ist        (she is)

Sie      sind       (You are: respect form)

sie      sind        (they are)

wir      sind        (we are)

ihr      seid        (they are: plural form of du)

1. I am Peter. 

Ich bin Peter. 

2. Er ist mein Bruder. 

He is my brother. 

3. Sie ist meine Schwester.

She is my sister. 

4. Wir sind Freunde. 

We are friends. 

5. Bist du Eva?

Are you Eva?

6. Sie sind mein Vater und meine Mutter. 

They are my father and my mother. 

7. Ihr seid Studenten.

You are students. 

8. Eva (sie) ist jung. 

Eva (she) is young. 

9. Peter (he) ist Arzt. 

Peter (he) is a doctor.

10. Mein Vater (he) ist Lehrer.

My father is a teacher.

11. Sind Sie Lehrer?

Are you a teacher?

12. Bist du Karin?

Are you Karin?

Tip:

In English, we ask: Are you a teacher? 

In German, we do not use the article a in this case. Instead, we ask: Are you teacher?

Sind Sie Lehrer? Sind Sie Eva? Bist du Student? Ich bin Arzt. 

Is that your brother? Ist das dein Bruder?

A: Hello! Wie geht's? 

Hello, how are you?

B: Danke, gut. Und wie geht es dir?

Thank you, good. And how are you?

A: Prima!

Excellent!

B: Und wer ist das?

And who is this?

A: Das is mein Bruder. Er heisst Klaus. Klaus, das ist mein Freund, Peter. 

This is my brother. His name is Klaus. Klaus, this is my friend Peter. 

B: Freue mich, dich zu treffen. 

Pleased to meet you. 

C: Ich freue mich auch.

Pleased to meet you too.

B: Was machst du Klaus?

What are you doing Klaus?

C: Ich bin in der Schule. Ich bin in der elften Klasse. 

I am in school. I am in the 11th standard. 

B: Studierst du Englisch?

Do you study English?

C: Ja, wir studierien Englisch. 

Yes, we study English.

B: Spichst du gern Englisch?

Do you like to speak English?

C: Nein, aber ich lese Englisch gern.

No, but I like to read English. 

Sprichst du Englisch?

Do you speak English?

B: Ja, aber ich spreche nicht sehr gut!

Yes, but I don't speak it very well.

B: Gehen wir? Es ist spät. Der Film beginnt. 

Shall we go? It is late. The film will start. 

"Change your language, and you change your thoughts." Karl Albrecht. 

Breaking the Ice at the Office

 It's easy to break the ice when in school or in college. But it seems ridiculously difficult at the office, especially when you have just begun your career. 

When you see someone at the office, what do you do? How do you make yourself at ease?

You: Hello. I'm Mahesh. (Extend your hand for a handshake.)

A: Hello, Mahesh. I'm Arjun. (Accepting and shaking hands.) You must be new around here. I haven't seen you before. 

You: Yes, as a matter of fact, I just joined last week.

A: Welcome to the organization! I hope you like it here.

You: Of course! Which department are you in?

A: I am in the marketing department. 

You: That's why I haven't seen you around. You must be travelling. 

A: Yes, all the time! And which department are you in?

You: I am in the service department. Two doors away from you then.

A: Yes. So we will be seeing one another often and I will probably need your help now and then. 

You: Any time! Nice meeting you.

A: Nice meeting you too. Have a great day!

You: You too!

A comfortable feeling is established. No personal questions are asked (like: Are you married?/How is your boss?). Keep it friendly and casual so that you are comfortable bumping into the person in the corridor or in a meeting. Ice breakers are about making someone's acquaintance, not becoming their bosom pal! Make sure you switch on that pleasant smile of yours and establish eye contact. 

"Your reputation is in the hands of others. That's what a reputation is. You can't control that. The only thing you can control is your character."Dr. Wayne W. Dyer