LESSON NOTES

ICH MÖCHTE EINE BRIEFMARKE KAUFEN

It’s time to go shopping! In this lesson you’ll learn a number of useful
phrases for shopping in German-speaking areas. You’ll also be
introduced to the concept of modal verbs within the context of
shopping.

INTRODUCTION
In the introduction to this week’s lesson, Mark and Thomas have the
following conversation which introduces the new word trotzdem,
meaning “nevertheless”.

Mark: Wie geht’s dir heute?

Thomas: Mir geht’s sehr gut, Mark. Wie geht’s dir?
Mark: Mir geht’s gut, aber heute bin ich ein bisschen müde.

Coffee Break German

Thomas: Ah, das macht nichts. Sollen wir trotzdem anfangen?
Mark: Ja, los geht’s.

Lesson 16 aber heute bin ich ein bisschen müde

but today I’m a little tired.
Study Notes
Note that since this clause begins with heute, the subject and the
verb swap places.

das macht nichts

that doesn’t matter

Coffee Break German: Lesson 16 - Notes page 1 of 19 Coffee Break German: Lesson 16 - Notes page 2 of 19
Literally, das macht nichts means “that makes nothing”. Cents: €32,99 rather than £32.99 as it would be written in the UK.
Note also that when writing thousands, the thousands separator is a
trotzdem point/full stop: €2.300,19 compared to £2,300.19.
nevertheless
das macht einundfünfzig Euro, fünfunddreißig
sollen wir trotzdem anfangen? (€51,99)
should we begin nevertheless? should we start nonetheless? that makes €51.99

In Germany and Austria the currency is the Euro (€), but in

Switzerland the currency is the Swiss Frank (CHF).
REVIEW
Since this lesson focuses on the top of shopping, Thomas starts by das macht elf Franken neunundneunzig (CHF 11,99)
testing Mark on some of the words and phrases linked to this topic that makes CHF 11.99 (11 franks, 99 cents)
which were covered in a previous lesson:
das macht vierhundertsiebzehn Euro,
wie viel kostet das? neunundsiebzig (€417,79)
how much does that/it cost? that makes €417.79

kann ich Ihnen helfen? das macht fünftausenddreihundertsechsen Euro

can I help you? und achtzig Cent (€5.316,80)
that makes €5,316.80
ich schaue nur, danke
I’m just looking, thanks

Mark and Thomas also take the opportunity to practise some larger FOUR KEY VERBS
numbers within the context of prices. In this lesson which focuses on shopping, we learn four main verbs:

es kostet zweiunddreißig Euro, neunundneunzig kaufen

(€32,99) to buy
that/it costs €32.99
anprobieren
Note that when giving prices in German, Austria and Switzerland, a to try on
comma is used instead of a point/full stop between the Euros and

Coffee Break German: Lesson 16 - Notes page 3 of 19 Coffee Break German: Lesson 16 - Notes page 4 of 19
zahlen
to pay
nehmen
to take
We will use these verbs in a number of phrases using other verbs we
already know, building new phrases and manipulating the language.
These phrases will focus around the use of certain modal verbs.
These are verbs which indicate an element of intention, possibility,
permission, ability and obligation. This will become clear as we see
the following examples.
In the first example, Thomas introduces the word eine Briefmarke:
eine Briefmarke (f)
a stamp
Consider the following phrase:
ich möchte eine Briefmarke kaufen
I would like to buy a stamp
Translated literally, the phrase would mean “I would like a stamp to
buy”, with the infinitive “to buy” coming at the end of the sentence.
We have already come across the expression ich möchte on a
number of occasions, as in ich möchte einen Kaffee, “I would like
a coffee”. You can use ich möchte with another verb in the
infinitive, but in this case you must send the infinitive to the end of
the sentence. Ich möchte is an example of a modal verb. It indicates
desire to do something. Another example is:
Coffee Break German: Lesson 16 - Notes page 5 of 19
ich möchte einen Kaffee kaufen
I would like to buy a coffee
Note in this example that it is clear that einen Kaffee is in the
accusative case as it is the object of the sentence. Likewise, eine
Briefmarke in the previous example was also in the accusative, but
it is not as easy to see this since the indefinite article for a feminine
word does not change in its accusative form.
GRAMMAR GURU
Ich möchte is part of the verb mögen, and we will also be looking
at können (to be able) and wollen (to want) in this lesson. Our
Grammar Guru will provide further details
about these verbs, and we’ll learn to conjugate
each of the verbs in turn.
Today we are learning about shopping in a
German-speaking country and Thomas is
introducing us to some more modal verbs. I’m
sure you’ll get used to the idea that modal
verbs send the infinitive to the end, as we saw
previously with:
Können Sie mir bitte die Rechnung bringen?
“Can you please bring me the bill?”
So we’ve already come across the verb können, but in this lesson
we’re going to learn the full conjugation of this verb, and we’ll also
learn to conjugate two other verbs which we’ll be using in this
lesson: mögen and wollen.
Now these are all very commonly-used verbs, which, as you may
remember, means that it’s very likely that these are irregular
verbs and don’t follow the normal conjugation patterns. We’ve
already learned haben which had an irregular pattern, so let’s go
through each verb now, one by one.
Coffee Break German: Lesson 16 - Notes page 6 of 19
 things here, but we’ve learned mögen in this lesson within the
KÖNNEN SINGULAR PLURAL context of “I would like”, ich möchte. This is actually a different
type of verb: it’s called the conditional, so it’s these endings that
we’re going to learn today. In future lessons we will learn the
1ST ich kann wir können
conjugation of mögen in the present tense.

2ND du kannst ihr könnt

MÖGEN SINGULAR PLURAL

3RD er/sie/es kann sie können

1ST ich möchte wir möchten

With können, note the vowel change from the infinitive -ö- to -a-
in the singular forms. For the plural forms, the -ö- of the infinitive
returns. 2ND du möchtest ihr möchtet

er/sie/es
Now let’s consider the verb wollen, meaning “to want”. This same 3RD sie möchten
möchte
pattern of vowel change in the singular forms is present with
wollen. You should note in particular that there is a potential
“false friend” in this verb conjugation: ich will means “I want”,
So we now know the full conjugation of these modal verbs in the
not “I will”. So, using the verb zahlen (“to pay”), ich will zahlen
present tense for wollen and können, and the conditional for
does not mean “I will pay”, but “I want to pay”. It is very common mögen. As this lesson progresses you’ll see these verbs used in a
for learners to make this mistake.
number of examples, and come to understand them better.

WOLLEN SINGULAR PLURAL

TAKING IT FURTHER
1ST ich will wir wollen
Let’s go back to können. As Kirsten pointed out, we have heard this
verb used in the following phrases:
2ND du willst ihr wollt
können Sie mir bitte die Rechnung bringen?
3RD er/sie/es will sie wollen can you bring me the bill please?

kann ich Ihnen helfen?

Finally, let’s look at mögen. Mögen can have a number of can I help you?
meanings, one of which is “to like”. I don’t want to over-complicate

Coffee Break German: Lesson 16 - Notes page 7 of 19 Coffee Break German: Lesson 16 - Notes page 8 of 19
Thomas challenges Mark to use this knowledge to come up with a kann ich das anprobieren?
translation of “where can I buy a stamp?”: can I try that on?

wo kann ich eine Briefmarke kaufen? ich möchte das anprobieren

where can I buy a stamp? I would like to try that on

Again, the infinitive is sent to the end because of the modal verb ich wo kann ich essen?
kann / kann ich.
where can I eat?

If “postcards” are die Postkarten, we can use this in a similar

ich will eine Pizza essen
sentence:
I want to eat a pizza

wo kann ich Postkarten kaufen?

where can I buy postcards?
SHOPPING FOR CLOTHES
Similarly, using the verb wollen, we can use examples such as:
Returning to the shopping concept, Mark suggests he may want to
ich will ein Souvenir kaufen ask:
I want to buy a souvenir
wo kann ich das anprobieren?
Remember that ich will means “I want”, not “I will”. Ich will can where can I try that on?
also be used as a simple, but quite direct, way to say “I want”, as in:
Thomas suggests an alternative using the word die Umkleiden:
ich will einen Kaffee mit Sahne
I want a coffee with cream wo sind die Umkleiden?
where are the changing rooms?
Let’s now use this same concept with the other “shopping” verbs we
have introduced in this lesson, anprobieren, nehmen and zahlen. Note the use of sind, the third person plural form of the verb sein,
Some examples are also given using other verbs we know, such as for “where are”.
essen, trinken and haben.
If you are trying on clothes you may need the following questions:
ich will das anprobieren
I want to try that on gibt es das in kleiner?
do you have this in a smaller size?

Coffee Break German: Lesson 16 - Notes page 9 of 19 Coffee Break German: Lesson 16 - Notes page 10 of 19
gibt es das in größer? wo kann ich zahlen?
do you have this in a bigger size? where can I pay?

In these questions, note the expression gibt es, meaning “is there”. The place where you pay in a shop is called:
The questions literally mean “does that exist in smaller/larger?” or “is
there it in smaller/larger?” die Kasse
the checkout, the tills
Note also the comparative forms of the adjectives groß and klein.
wo ist die Kasse?
groß > größer where is the checkout?
large > larger / big > bigger
You may want to pay with a credit card:
klein > kleiner
small > smaller kann ich mit Kreditkarte zahlen?
can I pay by credit card?
Having decided that you would like to buy whatever you’re trying on,
you will need to use one of these phrases: Having paid for your item, you can ask:

ich möchte das nehmen kann ich eine Tüte haben?

I would like to take it can I have a bag?

ich will das nehmen If you require a receipt for your records, you can use:
I want to take it
kann ich eine Quittung haben?
ich nehme das can I have a receipt?
I’ll take it
You may also hear these words used for receipts:
Note that in the last of these phrases, the verb nehme is conjugated,
while in the first two phrases it is in its infinitive form. der Kassenzettel / der Kassenbon
till receipt
It’s now time to pay, so you can ask:

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CULTURAL CORRESPONDENT the world, but we have been doing this for some time here in
Germany!
Julia shares some cultural information about days of the week in One final thing which links both recycling and shopping together
German-speaking areas. is the idea of the Pfand – this is a deposit for a bottle. So if you
buy a drink in a plastic or glass bottle, you may find you’re paying
Hi Mark, hallo Thomas und guten Tag a higher price, but this price includes the Pfand: if you return the
an alle unsere CoffeeBreakGerman bottle to the shop afterwards you’ll get your Pfand back. This way
Zuhörer. Ich bin’s wieder, Julia, eure you save money, you save the environment, and you will never see
Kulturreporterin. Today you’ve been plastic bottles lying around on the streets anymore!
learning some useful language for your
I hope these shopping tips come in useful when you’re out and
shopping trips in German-speaking parts of
about shopping in Germany! For now, it’s back to the studio with
the world, so I thought I’d bring you some
Thomas and Mark.
useful information to complement what you’ve
been learning about.

If you’re planning that shopping trip, it may be useful to know

when shops open and close. Here in Germany you’ll usually find
that most shops open from 10am until 8pm Monday to Saturday.
DAS REICHT FÜR HEUTE
Of course there are variations: some bigger shops may open at
9am, and smaller shops will close at 6pm, and even earlier on
Saturdays. However, if you’re used to Sunday opening then you’re Ready for more? Turn the page to continue with the
in for a shock: apart from big shops in train stations and maybe a bonus materials for this lesson.
few pharmacies, bakeries and flower shops, everything is closed
on a Sunday! You’ve been warned – don’t plan to get your retail
therapy fix on a Sunday if you’re coming to Germany for a
shopping trip!

As you’re walking around towns in Germany, and indeed in

Austria and Switzerland, you’ll notice something about the rubbish
bins – or “trash cans“. We’re very big on recycling here, and you’ll
find that in public spaces there are different bins for different
things: for example paper, plastic and other recyclables go in one
bin; there are other bins for general waste; and even glass has to
be separated into white / green and brown. This concept is known
as Mülltrennung – “waste separation“. And it’s not only in town
– at home we also have separate bins for each type of waste. I
know that this is becoming more common now in other parts of

Coffee Break German: Lesson 16 - Notes page 13 of 19 Coffee Break German: Lesson 16 - Notes page 14 of 19
CORE VOCABULARY ich möchte einen Kaffee kaufen
I would like to buy a coffee
trotzdem
nevertheless können Sie mir bitte die Rechnung bringen?
can you bring me the bill please?
wie viel kostet das?
how much does that/it cost? kann ich Ihnen helfen?
can I help you?
kann ich Ihnen helfen?
can I help you? wo kann ich eine Briefmarke kaufen?
where can I buy a stamp?
ich schaue nur, danke
I’m just looking, thanks wo kann ich Postkarten kaufen?
where can I buy postcards?
kaufen
to buy ich will ein Souvenir kaufen
I want to buy a souvenir
anprobieren
to try on ich will einen Kaffee mit Sahne
I want a coffee with cream
zahlen
to pay ich will das anprobieren
I want to try that on
nehmen
to take kann ich das anprobieren?
can I try that on?
eine Briefmarke (f)
a stamp ich möchte das anprobieren
I would like to try that on
ich möchte eine Briefmarke kaufen
I would like to buy a stamp wo kann ich essen?
where can I eat?

Coffee Break German: Lesson 16 - Notes page 15 of 19 Coffee Break German: Lesson 16 - Notes page 16 of 19
ich will eine Pizza essen I’ll take it
I want to eat a pizza
wo kann ich zahlen?
where can I pay?
wo kann ich das anprobieren?
where can I try that on? die Kasse
the checkout, the tills
die Umkleiden
the changing rooms wo ist die Kasse?
where is the checkout?
wo sind die Umkleiden?
where are the changing rooms? kann ich mit Kreditkarte zahlen?
can I pay by credit card?
gibt es das in kleiner?
do you have this in a smaller size? kann ich eine Tüte haben?
can I have a bag?
gibt es das in größer?
do you have this in a bigger size? kann ich eine Quittung haben?
can I have a receipt?
groß > größer
large > larger / big > bigger der Kassenzettel / der Kassenbon
till receipt
klein > kleiner
small > smaller
BONUS VOCABULARY
ich möchte das nehmen
I would like to take it The bonus vocabulary for this lesson provides further words and
phrases which you may find useful in a shopping situation.
ich will das nehmen
I want to take it der Ausverkauft
the sale
ich nehme das
das Sonderangebot

Coffee Break German: Lesson 16 - Notes page 17 of 19 Coffee Break German: Lesson 16 - Notes page 18 of 19
 the sale

welche Größe haben Sie?

what size are you?

der Kunde / die Kundin

customer

Können Sie das als Geschenk einpacken?

can you wrap this as a gift?

das Kaufhaus
the department store

das Blumengeschäft
the flower shop

der Geschenkeladen
the gift shop

das Einkaufszentrum
the shopping centre

Coffee Break German: Lesson 16 - Notes page 19 of 19