A job after
When you simply say what someone does for work, use the job word after without an article: . Many job words have a feminine form ending in -in: and . Learn the word appropriate to the person; a noun’s grammatical gender does not tell you who is doing every kind of work.
Greta ist Bäckerin.Greta is a baker.
Ich bin Ingenieur.I am an engineer.
Ich bin Ingenieurin.I am an engineer.
Say where you come from
Put before a city name: . You do not need an article before . A city you come from is not necessarily your nationality. Use for a job, for where you come from, and for a language.
Working and speaking
The regular verb needs an extra e before endings starting with t, so it is easy to say: , . changes e to i with and the 3rd person singular. The other present-tense forms keep e. Formal uses the same verb form as plural .
| Person | Work | Speak |
|---|---|---|
Ask someone to slow down
You can already use and . A complete polite request is The changed verb is , and stays in its infinitive at the end, just as with the modal verbs in the first module.
Practice 1/5 · Finding words
Notice the useful forms
Tap every form of arbeiten and sprechen.
. .
Greta works. She speaks German.
. .
We work tomorrow. You speak German today (several people).
. .
You work here. I speak English.
. ?
I work today. Do you speak English (polite)?
Practice 2/5 · The right form
A working day
Choose the right word for the gap.
Ich heute.
I work today.
Du hier.
You work here.
Die Lehrerin morgen.
The teacher works tomorrow.
Wir heute nicht.
We do not work today.
Ihr morgen.
You work tomorrow (several people).
Sie hier?
Do you work here (polite)?
Who speaks which language?
Choose the right word for the gap.
Ich Englisch.
I speak English.
Du sehr schnell.
You speak very fast.
Lotte Deutsch.
Lotte speaks German.
Wir langsam.
We speak slowly.
Ihr Englisch.
You speak English (several people).
Sie Deutsch?
Do you speak German (polite)?
Practice 3/5 · Fill the gaps
Complete the conversation
Fill the gaps with the words from the box.
Greta Bäckerin. Sie im Café.
Greta is a baker. She works in the café.
Ich aus Hamburg. Ich Englisch.
I come from Hamburg. I speak English.
Sie hier? Ja, wir hier.
Do you work here (polite)? Yes, we work here.
Ihr Deutsch. Ich heute.
You speak German (several people). I work today.
Du langsam. Wir Deutsch.
You speak slowly. We speak German.
Ihr heute. Sie Englisch?
You work today (several people). Do you speak English (polite)?
Practice 4/5 · Building sentences
Put the message together
Put the words in order.
I come from Hamburg.
Greta is a baker.
Can you speak more slowly, please?
You work tomorrow (several people).
Practice 5/5 · In situations
Respond to the situation
Choose the right words for the situation.
Frau Brandt has read the form much too quickly. You need another chance to understand her.
You say:
This asks for the change you need, using polite Sie.
Frau Brandt has read the form much too quickly. You need another chance to understand her.
You say:
This asks for the change you need, using polite Sie.
You recognise a visitor’s accent and want to check whether you can speak English together.
You say:
The question asks about a language, not the person’s job or location.
You recognise a visitor’s accent and want to check whether you can speak English together.
You say:
The question asks about a language, not the person’s job or location.
Greta introduces herself and explains what she does in the café.
Greta says:
A bare job word follows sein, and Bäckerin matches Greta’s work.
Unit complete
