Everyday services
Alltägliche Dienstleistungen
- Describe the location of services on a map.
- Ask for the opening hours of a certain service.
- The state passive in German
- The past participle: formation and usage
- The past participle: formation and use - in-depth
Learn how to talk about everyday German services and their opening hours using Zustandspassiv and the past participle. Practice useful vocabulary like pharmacy, bakery, and bank, and understand how to say if a place is open or closed in natural conversations.
Vocabulary (17) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Reorder sentences
Instruction: Make correct sentences and translate.
Exercise 2: Match a word
Instruction: Match the translations
Exercise 3: Cluster the words
Instruction: Assign the words to the appropriate categories to better learn the connection with different service locations and their opening hours.
Dienstleistungsorte
Öffnungszeiten und Status
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
Die Post
The post office
2
Geschlossen
Closed
3
Der Frisör
The hairdresser
4
Die Apotheke
The pharmacy
5
Warten
To wait
Übung 5: Conversation exercise
Anleitung:
- What did Eva do today? Where did she pass by? (What did Eva do today? Where did she pass by?)
- Where have you been today? (Where have you been today? )
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
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Eva ist heute Morgen ins Fitnessstudio gegangen. Eva has gone to the gym this morning. |
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Danach ist sie bei der Bäckerei vorbeigegangen, um etwas zu essen zu kaufen. Afterwards she has passed by the bakery to buy some food. |
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Sie ist abends an der Bank vorbeigegangen. She has passed by the bank in the evening. |
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Ich bin heute ins Krankenhaus gegangen, weil ich dort als Arzt arbeite. I have gone to the hospital today because I work there as a doctor. |
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Ich bin heute Morgen wegen meiner Kinder in der Schule gewesen. I have been to the school this morning because of my children. |
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Ich bin heute zur Universität und zur Bibliothek gegangen. I have gone to the university and the library today. |
| ... |
Exercise 6: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 7: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Die Tankstelle ____ an Werktagen von 6 bis 22 Uhr geöffnet.
(The gas station ____ open on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.)2. Das Café neben der Bücherei ____ heute geschlossen.
(The café next to the library ____ closed today.)3. Die Bäckerei ____ nach dem Feiertag wieder geöffnet.
(The bakery ____ open again after the holiday.)4. Die Post ____ samstags nur vormittags geöffnet.
(The post office ____ only open on Saturday mornings.)Exercise 8: Daily Services: Waiting for the Hairdresser
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Warten - wait
Präsens
- ich warte
- du wartest
- er/sie/es wartet
- wir warten
- ihr wartet
- sie/Sie warten
Sein - be
Präsens
- ich bin
- du bist
- er/sie/es ist
- wir sind
- ihr seid
- sie/Sie sind
Öffnen - open
Partizip II
- geöffnet
Sitzen - sit
Präsens
- ich sitze
- du sitzt
- er/sie/es sitzt
- wir sitzen
- ihr sitzt
- sie/Sie sitzen
Anrufen - call
Präsens
- ich rufe an
- du rufst an
- er/sie/es ruft an
- wir rufen an
- ihr ruft an
- sie/Sie rufen an
Schließen - close
Partizip II
- geschlossen
Exercise 9: Das Zustandspassiv im Deutschen
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: The state passive in German
Show translation Show answersist, geöffnet, organisiert, ist geschlossen, ist organisiert, geschlossen, sind, gepflegt, sind gegossen
Exercise 10: Das Partizip II: Bildung und Verwendung
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: The past participle: formation and usage
Show translation Show answersGetrocknet, Gespielt, Gewaschen, Gekauft, Geschlossen, Gegossen, Benutzt, Gemietet
Exercise 11: Das Partizip II: Bildung und Verwendung - Vertiefung
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: The past participle: formation and use - in-depth
Show translation Show answersAufgestanden, Reserviert, Repariert, Ausgesehen, Studiert, Kennengelernt, Ausgeruht, Angeschaut
Grammar Share Copied!
It's not the most exciting thing, we admit, but it’s absolutely essential (and we promise it'll pay off)!
A1.38.3 Grammatik
Das Partizip II: Bildung und Verwendung - Vertiefung
The past participle: formation and use - in-depth
Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Warten to wait Share Copied!
prasens
| German | English |
|---|---|
| (ich) warte | I wait |
| (du) wartest | You wait |
| (er/sie/es) wartet | he/she/it waits |
| (wir) warten | we wait |
| (ihr) wartet | you wait |
| (sie) warten | they wait |
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Everyday Services in German: Understanding the Passive Status and Past Participles
This lesson introduces you to useful German phrases and grammar structures related to everyday service places such as pharmacies, banks, bakeries, post offices, and fitness studios. You will learn how to understand and describe their opening hours and current status using the German Zustandspassiv (state passive) with the past participle (Partizip II).
Key Grammar Focus: Zustandspassiv and Partizip II
The Zustandspassiv is used to express states or conditions resulting from an action. In daily life contexts, it helps you describe whether a place is open (ist geöffnet) or is closed (ist geschlossen). The past participle (Partizip II) form of verbs like öffnen (to open) and schließen (to close) is essential for this structure.
Vocabulary: Service Locations and Status Expressions
- Service Places: die Apotheke (pharmacy), die Bank (bank), die Bäckerei (bakery), die Post (post office), der Frisör (hairdresser)
- Status and Opening Hours: geöffnet (opened), geschlossen (closed), ist geöffnet (is open), ist geschlossen (is closed)
Practical Examples and Dialogues
Examples you will encounter include sentences like Das Fitnessstudio ist sonntags geschlossen. (The gym is closed on Sundays) and questions such as Entschuldigung, ist die Apotheke heute geöffnet? (Excuse me, is the pharmacy open today?). Dialogues help you practice asking for locations and times, e.g., "Where is the bakery on the map?" and "What are the opening hours of the post office?"
German vs. English: Important Notes
In German, stating that a service place is open or closed commonly uses the Zustandspassiv with "sein" + past participle, e.g., ist geöffnet rather than the English simple adjective "open." Also, note that German verbs often appear in separable prefix forms such as anrufen (to call), where the prefix moves in sentence structure. Expressions about opening hours focus on fixed times and days, which is practical for everyday conversations.
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