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Beginners’ German: food and drink
Beginners’ German: food and drink

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2 Ordering breakfast

Activity 4

Here is a chance to practise the forms of essen you learned in the previous section. Write down the missing forms of the verbs to complete the sentences. Try it from memory first – but you can check back if you need.

  • 1. Was _________ Sie zum Frühstück?
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  • 2. Ich _________ Brötchen mit Schinken.
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  • 3. Was _________ du zum Frühstück?
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  • 4. Ich _________ Müsli und Jogurt.
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  • 5. Was _________ ihr zum Frühstück?
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  • 6. Wir _________ Brot mit Butter und Käse.
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  • 7. Und was _________ Andreas?
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  • 8. Er _________ Toast mit Marmelade.
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Answer

  1. Was essen Sie zum Frühstück?
  2. Ich esse Brötchen mit Schinken.
  3. Was isst du zum Frühstück?
  4. Ich esse Müsli und Jogurt.
  5. Was esst ihr zum Frühstück?
  6. Wir essen Brot mit Butter und Käse.
  7. Und was isst Andreas?
  8. Er isst Toast mit Marmelade.
  • Vokabeln
  • Sorten (f. pl.) kinds, sorts

Activity 5

It’s breakfast time at a hotel in Munich. Listen to the recording, then list the following items in the order in which the restaurant supervisor, Frau Vogt, mentions them. You don’t need to understand everything she says. Just focus on the items listed below.

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Using the following two lists, match each numbered item with the correct letter.

  1. Brot

  2. Obst

  3. Käse

  4. Wurst

  5. Jogurt

  6. Marmeladen

  7. Kaffee

  8. Vollkornbrötchen

  • a.2

  • b.8

  • c.3

  • d.7

  • e.4

  • f.5

  • g.1

  • h.6

The correct answers are:
  • 1 = g
  • 2 = a
  • 3 = c
  • 4 = e
  • 5 = f
  • 6 = h
  • 7 = d
  • 8 = b

Answer

Note: One of the words, Marmeladen (jams), is a plural.

Culture: German bread

You may have heard Frau Vogt say that she liked to eat Vollkornbrötchen (wholemeal rolls). She also said, ‘ Bei uns gibt es verschiedene Brotsorten.’ Over 300 different varieties of bread are produced in Germany, with many regional specialities. These include various types of Schwarzbrot (wholegrain rye bread), crusty bread from the Black Forest (Schwarzwälder Krustenbrot), dark rye bread from Westphalia (Westfälischer Pumpernickel), and many varieties of bread roll (Brötchen), which are known as Schrippen in and around Berlin, Semmeln or Weckerl in southern Germany and Austria, and Rundstücke in northern Germany.

Described image
Figure 4

Activity 6

Now see how much of the new vocabulary you remember. In the audio clip below, you’ll hear two hotel guests being asked what they are having for breakfast. Notice the use of the verb frühstücken (to have breakfast). Then list the pictures (a)–(d) beneath the audio clip, in the order in which they are mentioned.

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Figure 5

Using the following two lists, match each numbered item with the correct letter.

  1. Picture (a)

  2. Picture (c)

  3. Picture (d)

  4. Picture (b)

  • a.2

  • b.3

  • c.4

  • d.1

The correct answers are:
  • 1 = d
  • 2 = a
  • 3 = b
  • 4 = c

Answer

  1. (a) Brötchen, Marmelade, verschiedene Wurstsorten
  2. (c) Tee, Kaffee
  3. (d) Cornflakes, Müsli
  4. (b) Orangensaft, Kaffee

Skills: Learning vocabulary by saying it out loud

You might like to try the following strategy for learning new words and phrases:

  1. Look at the word or phrase.
  2. Check its pronunciation using recordings, if available.
  3. Speak it out loud.
  4. Cover the text.
  5. Speak it out loud again.
  6. Write it down from memory.
  7. Check your spelling.

If you want a really challenging word to learn, try Frühstücksbüffet!

Activity 7

Here you review the expressions you have come across so far. You are playing the part of a member of the hotel staff. Listen to the questions and answers, and practise saying the answers yourself. You may want to use the transcript to help you.

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How would you have answered the last two questions? Practise giving your own answers out loud.