Holiday disaster?
Urlaubskatastrophe?
- Report stolen or lost items at the police station.
- Asking for help with documents at the embassy or consulate.
- Contact emergency services.
This lesson covers reporting a stolen bag (die gestohlene Tasche melden) and seeking help at the consulate (Hilfe im Konsulat). Key vocabulary includes Diebstahl (theft), Pass (passport), Geldbörse (wallet), and Notruf (emergency call). Practice expressing lost items and emergency situations clearly in German.
Vocabulary (11) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Übung 1: Conversation exercise
Anleitung:
- What bad things can happen on a trip? (What bad things can happen on a trip? )
- What can you do when it happens to you? (What can you do when it happens to you?)
- Has one of those situations ever happened to you? (Has one of those situations ever happened to you?)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
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Ihr Geld kann gestohlen werden. Your money can get stolen. |
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Jemand kann Ihre Tasche stehlen. Somebody can steal your bag. |
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Man kann sich bei einer Wanderung verlaufen. You can get lost on a hike. |
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Du kannst immer Leute um Hilfe bitten. You can always ask people for help. |
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Es ist wichtig, eine Reiseversicherung zu haben. It is important to have a travel insurance. |
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Ich habe mein Handy schon einmal verloren. I have already lost my phone once. |
| ... |
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 ___ meinen Geldbeutel auf der Bahnhofstoilette verloren.
(I ___ lost my wallet in the train station toilet.)2. Könnten Sie bitte sagen, ob jemand meinen Ausweis gefunden ___?
(Could you please say if someone has found my ID ___?)3. Ich ___ den Diebstahl gestern bei der Polizei gemeldet.
(I ___ reported the theft to the police yesterday.)4. Wer ___ mein Handy gestohlen?
(Who ___ stole my phone?)Exercise 4: Holiday disaster?
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Verlieren - lose
Perfekt
- ich habe verloren
- du hast verloren
- er/sie/es hat verloren
- wir haben verloren
- ihr habt verloren
- sie/Sie haben verloren
Haben - have
Perfekt
- ich habe gehabt
- du hast gehabt
- er/sie/es hat gehabt
- wir haben gehabt
- ihr habt gehabt
- sie/Sie haben gehabt
Sein - be
Perfekt
- ich bin gewesen
- du bist gewesen
- er/sie/es ist gewesen
- wir sind gewesen
- ihr seid gewesen
- sie/Sie sind gewesen
Sein - be
Präteritum
- ich war
- du warst
- er/sie/es war
- wir waren
- ihr wart
- sie/Sie waren
Werden - become
Präteritum
- ich wurde
- du wurdest
- er/sie/es wurde
- wir wurden
- ihr wurdet
- sie/Sie wurden
Können - can
Präsens
- ich kann
- du kannst
- er/sie/es kann
- wir können
- ihr könnt
- sie/Sie können
Grammar Share Copied!
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Holiday Disaster? – Lesson Overview
This lesson focuses on practical communication in German for situations involving lost or stolen belongings during travel. It suits A2 learners who want to handle emergencies like reporting thefts, seeking help at consulates, and making emergency calls confidently.
Key Situations Covered
- Reporting a stolen bag at the police station – Learn how to describe the incident and provide important details.
- Getting assistance at the consulate – Practice dialogs to request help with lost travel documents.
- Making an emergency call – Master phrases to communicate urgent information clearly and calmly.
Important Vocabulary and Expressions
The lesson introduces useful words and phrases such as:
- Diebstahl melden (to report theft)
- Reisepass verloren (lost passport)
- Notruf absetzen (to make an emergency call)
- Fundbüro (lost and found office)
- Vorläufige Dokumente ausstellen (issue provisional documents)
Grammar Highlights
The focus is on the Perfekt tense to talk about past events, using verbs like haben, sein, and verlieren. You'll also encounter some Präteritum forms that help narrate past situations, such as war (was) and wurde (was done/occurred).
Example Mini-Story
The mini-story recounts a real-life situation: "Letzte Woche habe ich meinen Geldbeutel im Zug verloren." This story combines vocabulary and grammar to create a natural context for learning.
Helpful Phrases and Differences
In German, formal and precise descriptions are common when reporting incidents or requesting assistance. For example, instead of simply saying "I lost my wallet," it is more typical to specify when and where it was lost, like "Meine Tasche wurde gestern Nachmittag im Café gestohlen." The phrase Ich möchte einen Diebstahl melden directly translates to "I would like to report a theft," which is a polite yet clear way to start official conversations.
Keep in mind that some modal verbs like können (can) and auxiliary verbs haben and sein are essential for forming perfect tense and polite requests. For example, Haben Sie einen anderen Ausweis dabei? means "Do you have another ID with you?"
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