German For Dummies

Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Introduction
	About This Book
	Conventions Used in This Book
	Foolish Assumptions
	Icons Used in This Book
	Beyond the Book
	Where to Go from Here
Part 1 Getting Started with German
	Chapter 1 You Already Know a Little German
		The German You Know
			Friendly allies (perfect cognates)
			Kissing cousins (near cognates)
			False friends
			Lenders and borrowers
		Using Basic Expressions
	Chapter 2 Pronunciation Basics
		Mouthing Off: Basic Pronunciation
			Dealing with stress in German
			Building the alphabet blocks
			Pronouncing vowels
			Pronouncing ä, ö, and ü
			Pronouncing diphthongs
			Pronouncing consonants
				Pronouncing “f,” “h,” “k,” “m,” “n,” “p,” “t,” “x,” and “ß”
				Pronouncing the German “r” and “l”
			Pronouncing combinations of consonants
				Pronouncing “ch,” “ck,” “sch,” “sp,” “st,” and “tsch”
	Chapter 3 Meeting and Greeting
		Getting Formal or Informal
		Saying “Hello,” “Goodbye,” and “How Are You?”
			Asking “How are you?”
			Replying to “How are you?”
		Introducing Yourself and Your Friends
			Introducing your friends
			Introductions for special occasions
			Introducing yourself
	Chapter 4 Getting Numbers, Time, and Measurements Straight
		Juggling Numbers
		Telling Time
			Asking for the time
			Telling time with the 12-hour clock
				On the hour
				Before and after the hour
			Using the 24-hour system
			Times of the day
			Days of the week
				Your basic days
		Naming the Months
		Measurements, Quantities, and Weights
	Chapter 5 The Nitty-Gritty: Basic German Grammar
		Getting a Handle on Parts of Speech
			Nouns
				Understanding a noun’s gender
				Making singular nouns plural
			Articles
				The definite articles (“der,” “die,” and “das”)
				The indefinite articles (“ein,” “eine,” and “ein”)
			Pronouns
			Adjectives
			Verbs
			Adverbs
		Constructing Simple Sentences
			Arranging words in the right order
			Putting the verb in second place
			Pushing the verb to the end
			Forming questions
		The Tenses: Past, Present, and Future
			Looking at the present
			Talking about the past: The perfect tense
				Forming the past participle of a weak verb
				Forming the past participle of a strong verb
			Writing about the past: Using the simple past tense of verbs
			Talking about the future
		Putting the Language in the Proper Case
			A quick trip through the different cases
			Why all these cases matter
				How pronouns change
				How definite articles change
				How indefinite articles change
				How possessives change
				How adjective endings change
	Chapter 6 Talking About Home and Family
		Living in an Apartment or House
			Describing life within four walls
			Asking the right questions
				The bathroom/toilet issue
				At the dinner table
		Talking About Your Family
Part 2 German in Action
	Chapter 7 Getting to Know You: Making Small Talk
		Talking About Yourself
			Describing your work
			Providing your name and number(s)
				Telling someone where you live
				Handing out your phone number and e-mail address
			Looking at possessive pronouns
		Talking About Cities, Countries, and Nationalities
			Revealing where you come from
			Using the all-important verb “sein”
			Asking people where they come from
			Discovering nationalities
			Chatting about languages you speak
		Making Small Talk About the Weather
			Noting what it’s like out there
			Discussing the temperature
			Describing the day’s weather
	Chapter 8 Asking for Directions
		“Wo?” — Asking Where Something Is
		“Wie weit?” How Far Is It?
		Going Here and There
		Asking “How Do I Get There?”
			Using “in” to get into a location
			Using “nach” to get to a city or country
			Using “zu” to get to institutions
		Describing a Position or Location in Relation to Some Other Place
		Getting Your Bearings Straight with Left, Right, North, and South
			Left, right, straight ahead
			The cardinal points
		Taking This or That Street
		Using Ordinal Numbers: First, Second, Third, and More
		Traveling by Car or Other Vehicle
	Chapter 9 Guten Appetit! Dining Out and Going to the Market
		Hast du Hunger? Hast du Durst?
		All about Meals
		Setting the Table for a Meal
		Dining Out: Visiting a Restaurant
			Deciding where to eat
			Making reservations
			Arriving and being seated
			Deciphering the menu
				Breakfast
				Appetizers
				Soups
				Main dishes
				Dessert
				Beverages
			Placing your order
			Applying the subjunctive to express your wishes
			Using modals to modify what you say
			Ordering something special
			Replying to “How did you like the food?”
			Asking for the check
		Shopping for Food
			Knowing where to shop
			Finding what you need
	Chapter 10 Shopping Made Easy
		Places to Shop around Town
		Finding Out about Opening Hours
		Navigating Your Way around a Store
		Just Browsing: Taking a Look at Merchandise
		Getting Assistance as You Shop
		Shopping for Clothes
			Familiarizing yourself with the colors available
			Knowing your size
			Trying on the items you find
		Paying for Your Shopping Items
		Comparatively Speaking: Making Comparisons among Items
	Chapter 11 Taking Care of Business and Telecommunications
		Phoning Made Simple
			Asking for your party
			Making the connection
		Making Appointments
		Sending Written Correspondence
			Sending a letter or postcard
				Buying stamps
				Putting your mail in the mailbox
				Asking for special services
			E-mailing
			Sending a fax
		Getting to Know the Office
			Mastering your desk and supplies
			Grasping Anglicisms
			Doing business in German
	Chapter 12 Recreation and the Great Outdoors
		Playing Sports
			Playing around with the verb “spielen”
			Verbalizing sports you enjoy
			Inviting someone to play
		Using Reflexive Verbs to Talk about Plans
			Getting reflexive
			Accusing and dating your pronouns
			Some common reflexive verbs
			Reflexive verbs that are flexible
		Exploring the Outdoors
			Getting out and going
			Things to see along the way
			Going to the mountains
			Going to the country
			Going to the sea
Part 3 German on the Go
	Chapter 13 Going Out on the Town
		What Would You Like to Do?
		Going to the Movies
			Getting to the show
			Buying tickets
		What Was That? The Simple Past Tense of “Sein”
		Going to the Museum
		Talking About Action in the Past
			Forming the past participle
				Weak (regular) verbs
				Strong (irregular) verbs
			Using “haben” in the perfect tense
			Using “sein” in the perfect tense
		Going Out for Entertainment
		How Was It? Talking About Entertainment
			Asking for an opinion
			Telling people what you think
		Going to a Party
			Getting an invitation
				Declining
				Accepting
			Talking about a party
	Chapter 14 Planning a Trip
		Getting Help from a Travel Agent
		Planning Ahead: Using the Future Tense
			Describing events in specific months
			Naming specific times in the months
			Rethinking dates
		Dealing with Passports and Visas
			The all-important passport
			Managing visas
	Chapter 15 Making Sense of Euros and Cents
		Heading to the ATM
		Getting Imperative
		Changing Currency
		Understanding the Euro and Other Currencies
	Chapter 16 Getting Around: Planes, Trains, Taxis, and Buses
		Using German at the Airport
			Getting your ticket and boarding pass
			Checking in
			Going through immigration
			Going through customs
		Traveling by Car
			Renting a car
			Making sense of maps
			Wrapping your brain around road signs
		Taking a Train
			Interpreting train schedules
			Getting information
			Buying tickets
				The basics
				Extras
		Knowing When to Separate Your Verbs
		Navigating Buses, Subways, and Taxis
			Catching the bus
			Taking a taxi
	Chapter 17 Finding a Place to Stay
		Finding a Hotel
		Reserving Rooms
			Saying when and how long you want to stay
			Specifying the kind of room you want
			Asking about the price
			Finalizing the reservation
		Checking In
			Stating how long you’re staying
			Filling out the registration form
			Getting keyed in
			Asking about amenities and facilities
				Your room
				The hotel
		Checking Out and Paying the Bill
			Asking for your bill
			Asking small favors
	Chapter 18 Handling Emergencies
		Requesting Help
			Shouting for help
			Reporting a problem
			Asking for English-speaking help
		Getting Medical Attention
			Describing what ails you
			Telling about any special conditions
			Getting an examination
			Specifying parts of the body
			Getting the diagnosis
			Getting treatment
		Talking to the Police
			Describing what was stolen
			Answering questions from the police
			Getting legal help
Part 4 The Part of Tens
	Chapter 19 Ten Ways to Pick Up German Quickly
		Labeling the World Around You
		Organizing Useful Expressions
		Writing Shopping Lists
		Using What You Know
		Thinking in German
		Language Learning Online
		Watching German TV Online
		Experimenting with What Works Best
		Eating German Cuisine
		Setting Goals and Rewarding Yourself
	Chapter 20 Ten Things Never to Say in German
		Using the Right Form of Address
		Addressing Service People Correctly
		Hot or Cold?
		I’m Not Loaded
		Speaking of the Law with Respect
		Using “Gymnasium” Correctly
		Knowing the Appropriate Form of “Know”
		Going to the Right Closet
		Using Bekommen Properly
		Using the Right Eating Verb
	Chapter 21 Ten Favorite German Expressions
		Alles klar!
		Wirklich
		Kein Problem
		Vielleicht
		Doch
		Unglaublich!
		Hoffentlich
		Wie schön!
		Genau!
		Stimmt’s?
	Chapter 22 Ten Phrases That Make You Sound German
		Schönes Wochenende!
		Gehen wir!
		Was ist los?
		Das klingt gut!
		Keine Ahnung
		Es zieht!
		Nicht zu fassen!
		Du hast Recht!/Sie haben Recht!
		Lass es!
		Nicht schlecht!
Part 5 Appendices
	Appendix A German-English Mini-Dictionary
		English-German Mini-Dictionary
			A
			B
			C
			D
			E
			F
			G
			H
			I
			J
			K
			L
			M
			N
			O
			P
			R
			S
			T
			U
			V
			W
			Y
			Z
	Appendix B Verb Tables
		Regular Verbs (No Stem Vowel Change)
		Special Conjugations
		Irregular and Modal Verbs
	Appendix C Answer Key
Index
EULA