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Leitfaden · Einheit 2 · A1
First Words
Articles, three genders, greetings, and numbers
- 1
Der, die, das: three genders
Every German noun is masculine, feminine or neuter — learn each one with its article.
Lektion öffnen- German has three genders: der (masculine), die (feminine), das (neuter).
- All nouns are capitalised — learn each one with its article: der Tisch, die Lampe, das Buch.
- -ung, -heit, -keit, -schaft → die; -chen, -lein → das.
- Das Mädchen is neuter: grammar follows the ending.
- Pronouns follow the gender, even for things: er (der), sie (die), es (das).
- 2
Ein, eine — and more than one
The words for “a”, plural nouns, and simple adjectives — at the Sunday flea market.
Lektion öffnen- A / an: ein for masculine and neuter, eine for feminine: ein Stuhl, eine Lampe, ein Buch.
- Every plural takes die, whatever the gender.
- Plural endings vary (-e, -n, -en, -er, -s, sometimes an umlaut) — learn them with the noun: das Buch, die Bücher.
- After sein, adjectives never change: Die Bücher sind alt.
- ß is a sharp ss: groß.
- 3
Numbers: eins to zwanzig
Count to twenty, say how old you are, give your phone number — and ask what something costs.
Lektion öffnen- null, eins, zwei, drei, vier, fünf, sechs, sieben, acht, neun, zehn, elf, zwölf.
- 13–19 add -zehn — but sechzehn and siebzehn are shortened.
- zwanzig is 20; above that the units come first: einundzwanzig.
- zwo is a common spoken form of zwei, especially on the phone.
- Age: Wie alt bist du? — Ich bin … (Jahre alt).
- Prices: Was kostet das? — one thing kostet, several things kosten.
- 4
Bitte, danke — and a welcome dinner
The courtesy words you'll use every day, then Marina's welcome dinner at Marcos's house.
Lektion öffnen- Bitte = please, you're welcome, and (as Bitte schön) here you are.
- Danke / Danke schön / Vielen Dank — answered with Bitte or Gern geschehen.
- Entschuldigung! to get attention or say sorry; Wie bitte? when you didn't catch something.
- Mir geht's gut, danke. Und dir? / Und Ihnen?
- Tschüss for everyday goodbyes, Auf Wiedersehen when formal; Gute Nacht never greets.