As a Tourist in the City
Als Tourist in der Stadt
- Common activities during a city trip.
- Asking information at the tourist office.
- Know practical survival phrases as a tourist to navigate in the city.
This A2 lesson helps you navigate city life in German, teaching key phrases like Sehenswürdigkeiten (sights), Stadtplan (city map), and Orientierung (orientation). Practice asking nach dem Weg (for directions) and recommendations at a Touristenbüro or Café.
Vocabulary (11) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Übung 1: Conversation exercise
Anleitung:
- Describe what this tourist in Copenhagen is doing in the pictures. (Describe what this tourist in Copenhagen is doing in the pictures.)
- What could the person say in any of the situations? (What could the person say in any of the situations?)
- Do you still send postcards from your holidays? To whom do you send them? (Do you still send postcards from your holidays? To whom do you send them?)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
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Die Frau nimmt ein Taxi. The woman takes a taxi. |
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Ich habe die Wegbeschreibung auf der Karte nachgeschlagen. I looked up the directions on the map. |
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Können Sie mir sagen, wie ich zum Denkmal komme? Can you tell me how to get to the monument? |
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Haben Sie einen Studentenrabatt? Do you have a student discount? |
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Ich benutze mein Handy, um zum Museum zu navigieren. I use my phone to navigate to the museum. |
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Können Sie ein Foto von mir machen? Can you take a picture of me? |
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Ich muss eine Postkarte an meine Familie schicken. I have to send a postcard to my family. |
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Exercise 2: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 3: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Ich ___ dir, zuerst die Altstadt zu besichtigen.
(I ___ you to visit the old town first.)2. Letztes Jahr habe ich eine Sehenswürdigkeit sehr gut ___ .
(Last year I ___ a sight very well.)3. Ich ___ mich immer am großen Stadtplan am Markt.
(I ___ myself always by the large city map at the market.)4. Heute habe ich mich schnell im Zentrum der Stadt ___ .
(Today I quickly ___ myself in the city center.)Exercise 4: As a tourist in the city – orientation in the museum
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Empfehlen - to recommend
Präsens
- ich empfehle
- du empfiehlst
- er/sie/es empfiehlt
- wir empfehlen
- ihr empfehlt
- sie/Sie empfehlen
Empfehlen - to recommend
Perfekt
- ich habe empfohlen
- du hast empfohlen
- er/sie/es hat empfohlen
- wir haben empfohlen
- ihr habt empfohlen
- sie/Sie haben empfohlen
Sich orientieren - to orient oneself
Präsens
- ich orientiere mich
- du orientierst dich
- er/sie/es orientiert sich
- wir orientieren uns
- ihr orientiert euch
- sie/Sie orientieren sich
Kaufen - to buy
Präsens
- ich kaufe
- du kaufst
- er/sie/es kauft
- wir kaufen
- ihr kauft
- sie/Sie kaufen
Schreiben - to write
Präsens
- ich schreibe
- du schreibst
- er/sie/es schreibt
- wir schreiben
- ihr schreibt
- sie/Sie schreiben
Lernen - to learn
Präsens
- ich lerne
- du lernst
- er/sie/es lernt
- wir lernen
- ihr lernt
- sie/Sie lernen
Grammar Share Copied!
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Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
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As a Tourist in the City – Lesson Overview
This A2-level lesson is designed to help you navigate common situations as a tourist in a German-speaking city. You'll learn how to ask for information at the tourist office, order food and drinks in a café, and request directions to important places like the train station. The lesson focuses on essential vocabulary, polite expressions, and helpful verb conjugations in everyday contexts.
Key Dialogue Themes
- Tourist Office Inquiries: Asking about popular sightseeing spots like der Dom (the cathedral), das Stadtmuseum (the city museum), and park visiting hours.
- Café Recommendations: How to inquire about today's special dishes, order sugar-free options, and understand simple food-related vocabulary like Apfelstrudel (apple strudel) and Kürbissuppe (pumpkin soup).
- Directions to the Train Station: Polite ways to ask for and understand walking directions, recognizing signs, and estimating travel time by foot.
Practical Vocabulary and Expressions
Throughout this lesson, you'll encounter useful words and phrases like:
- empfehlen – to recommend
- öffnen – to open (used when talking about opening hours)
- orientieren – to orient oneself
- Spezialität – specialty
- Wegbeschreibung – directions
These terms are valuable for everyday interactions in German cities, helping you communicate clearly and politely.
Verb Conjugation Highlights
Mastering verb forms is crucial for meaningful conversations. This lesson covers verbs like empfehlen (to recommend) and sich orientieren (to find one's way) in present and perfect tenses with examples such as:
- Ich empfehle dir, zuerst die Altstadt zu besichtigen. (I recommend you visit the old town first.)
- Heute habe ich mich schnell im Zentrum der Stadt orientiert. (Today I quickly found my way in the city center.)
Short Story for Contextual Learning
A practical mini-story illustrates how these verbs and phrases come together during a city visit. It encourages you to engage with the language through meaningful context, enhancing retention and understanding.
Differences Between English and German in Tourist Interactions
German often uses reflexive verbs when talking about finding one's way, like sich orientieren, literally "to orient oneself," whereas English usually just says "to find directions" or "navigate." Also, asking politely is very important in German, commonly starting requests with phrases like können Sie mir bitte... (can you please...). The word order in questions can differ, so familiarizing yourself with how to form polite requests will improve your interactions.
Useful phrases include:
- Können Sie mir bitte sagen...? – Can you please tell me...?
- Gibt es auch... – Is there also...
- Wie komme ich zum... – How do I get to...
By mastering these expressions and structures, you'll gain confidence in engaging with locals and making your city visits more enjoyable.
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