Informal and polite
Lotte is a child, so you use informal with her. You also use with Mikesch and with adults who agree to it. Use polite with Frau Brandt. Keep the matching verb form: , but ; , but . means your when you address someone with .
| Person | To be | To have | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| you are · you have (informal) | |||
| you are · you have (informal) | |||
| you are · you have (polite) | |||
| you are · you have (polite) | |||
The forms of
means to have. The forms and are shorter than the dictionary form . Learn the complete set; , plural and polite all use , while uses .
| Person | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | ||
| I have | ||
| I have | ||
| you have (informal) | ||
| you have (informal) | ||
| · · | he has · she has · it has | |
| he has · she has · it has | ||
| Plural | ||
| we have | ||
| we have | ||
| you have (informal, several people) | ||
| you have (informal, several people) | ||
| they have | ||
| they have | ||
| Polite address: one or more people | ||
| you have (polite) | ||
| you have (polite) | ||
Having things and feeling hungry
Use to talk about something you have. The phrases (a house), (a café), (a cat) and (the key) let you practise the verb with different things. Learn these object phrases whole here; article endings are explained separately.
German also uses in the phrase . and both mean I am hungry. Use the noun with , or the describing word with .
Ich habe Hunger.I am hungry.
Ich habe Hunger.I am hungry.
Lotte hat eine Oma.Lotte has a grandmother.
Wir haben ein Café.We have a café.
Answer no; make a sentence negative
is a separate answer meaning no. means not inside a sentence. German keeps the ordinary verb form: becomes . There is no special negative form of or .
Put directly before a description or place you want to deny: , , . To deny an entire action with one verb, it often comes towards the end: . That action pattern returns in scene 4. Do not use in place of .
| Use | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Answer | No. | |
| No. | ||
| Description | I am not hungry. | |
| I am not hungry. | ||
| Place | The key is not here. | |
| The key is not here. | ||
Whose key is it?
For this scene, learn as You have my key and as Is that your key? The endings of the ownership words are a separate topic. is also a whole useful phrase: I am going to the café.
Du hast den Schlüssel.You have the key.
Du hast den Schlüssel.You have the key.
Sie haben den Schlüssel.You have the key (polite).
Sie haben den Schlüssel.You have the key (polite).
Nein. Er ist nicht böse.No. He is not naughty.
Practice 1/5 · Finding words
What does each person have?
Tap the forms of haben.
.
I have the key.
.
Lotte is hungry.
.
You have a cat.
.
We have a café.
.
You are hungry (several people).
.
You have a house (polite).
Practice 2/5 · The right form
A different subject, a different ending
Choose the right word for the gap.
Ich Hunger.
I am hungry.
Du den Schlüssel.
You have the key.
Hilde ein Haus.
Hilde has a house.
Lotte eine Oma.
Lotte has a grandmother.
Wir ein Café.
We have a café.
Ihr Hunger.
You are hungry (several people).
Hilde und Lotte Hunger.
Hilde and Lotte are hungry.
Sie eine Katze.
You have a cat (polite).
No, or not?
Choose the right word for the gap.
, das ist nicht mein Haus.
No, that is not my house.
Hilde ist hier.
Hilde is not here.
Ich bin hungrig.
I am not hungry.
Mikesch ist böse.
Mikesch is not naughty.
Practice 3/5 · Fill the gaps
Possession or a description?
Use sein for who or how someone is; use haben for what someone has.
Hallo! Ich Lukas. Ich den Schlüssel.
Hello! I am Lukas. I have the key.
Hallo! Ich Lena. Ich den Schlüssel.
Hello! I am Lena. I have the key.
Lotte Hunger. Sie hungrig.
Lotte is hungry. She is hungry.
Wir ein Café. Das Café unten.
We have a café. The café is downstairs.
Ihr eine Katze. Sie hier.
You have a cat (several people). It is here.
Sie ein Haus. Es hier.
You have a house (polite). It is here.
Practice 4/5 · Building sentences
Build useful statements
Put the words in order.
I am hungry.
The café is downstairs.
Lotte has the key.
We have a house.
You have a cat (several people).
Mikesch is not naughty.
Practice 5/5 · Matching
Who is being addressed?
Match each line to its meaning and the people it addresses.
Unit complete
