Deutsch - German
Joe: Wow, die Straße sieht aber schön aus!
Anke: Ja. Im Winter sieht Unter den Linden immer so aus! An jedem Baum sieht man eine Lichterkette und am Brandenburger Tor steht ein Weihnachtsbaum.
Joe: Toll!
Anke: Aber in Washington gibt es so etwas doch sicher auch, oder nicht?
Joe: Doch schon. Vor dem Weißen Haus steht immer ein Weihnachtsbaum und viele Menschen schmücken ihre Häuser.
Anke: Haha ja, in den USA ist Weihnachtsschmuck an Häusern doch fast ein Sport!
Joe: Haha, ja stimmt. Viele Menschen übertreiben ein bisschen! Aber viele Gärten und Häuser sehen auch sehr schön aus.
Anke: Da hast du recht. Der Weihnachtsbaum am Rockefeller Center in New York sieht auch immer super aus.
Joe: Hmm, wirklich? Aber der ist doch so groß……
Anke: Bist du eigentlich an Weihnachten noch in Berlin oder fliegst du vorher schon zurück in die USA?
Joe: Ich muss leider schon fliegen.
Anke: Aber du kommst doch sicher wieder, oder?
Joe: Ja. Ich muss doch noch Städte wie Heidelberg oder Dresden
besichtigen. Hoffentlich habe ich nächstes Mal mehr Zeit.
Anke: Komm doch zu Weihnachten wieder! Deutschland hat tolle
Weihnachtsmärkte!
Joe: Das glaube ich, aber im Winter ist es auch sehr kalt. Ich reise gerne wenn es warm ist, im Sommer oder Herbst.
Anke: Im Frühling ist es oft auch warm genug.
Joe: Dann komme ich vielleicht im Frühling wieder.
Englisch - English
Joe: Wow, the street looks beautiful!
Anke: Yes. In winter, "Under the Lindens" street always looks that way. On every tree you can see a chain of lights, and on the Brandenburg Gate there's a christmas tree.
Joe: Cool!
Anke: But there's certainly something like this in Washington too, though, right?
Joe: Of course. In front of the White House there's always a christmas tree, and many people decorate their houses.
Anke: Haha, yeah, in the USA the christmas decorations on houses is almost like a sport!
Joe: Haha, you're right. A lot of people overdo it a bit! But many yards and houses look really beautiful.
Anke: You're right about that. The christmas tree at Rockefeller Center in New York always looks great.
Joe: Hmm, really? But it's so big, though...
Anke: Will you actually still be in Berlin for Christmas, or are you flying back to the USA before that?
Joe: Unfortunately I have to fly back.
Anke: But you'll certainly come back, though, right?
Joe: Yes. I still have to visit cities like Heidelberg or Dresden. Hopefully I have more time next time.
Anke: Come back for Christmas though! Germany has awesome christmas markets!
Joe: I believe it, but in winter it's also pretty cold. I like to travel when it's warm, in summer or autumn.
Anke: In spring it's also often warm enough.
Joe: Then perhaps I'll come again in spring.
Wortschatz- und Satzgebrauch - Vocabulary Phrase Usage
1. Weihnachts- is a prefix for a lot of things relating to Christmas in Germany.
2. genug is always put after the adjective that it describes, e. g. "es ist warm genug" (it's warm enough) or "gut genug" (good enough).
Grammatik - Grammar
The focus of this lesson is doch
Aber der ist doch so groß…
"But it's so big, though..."
The particle 'doch' is generally used to affirm the meaning of a sentence or to turn something into a nicer suggestion. In English, „do“ sometimes has the same meaning. For example:
Ich muss doch noch Städte wie Heidelberg besichtigen. = I do have to visit cities like Heidelberg.
In Washington gibt es so etwas doch sicher auch, oder nicht? = In Washington something like that does exist too, doesn't it?
However, „doch“ is also used to make a polite suggestions, as in:
Komm doch zu Weihnachten wieder! = How'bout coming back for Christmas?
Kultureller Einblick - Cultural Insight
Germany has lots and lots of Christmas traditions. Most can be noticed already during the time of Advent, that is the four weekends before Christmas. Germans will tastefully decorate their homes with
lights, twigs, wreathes and candles, Christmas music will be playing on the radio and the entire house will occasionally be smelling of various German cookie specialties that are only baked for Christmas
time. There is also a peculiar German cake for Christmas time, called Christstollen.
Outside, in the city center, there are the Christmas markets catching everyone's attention. These consist of cute little wooden houses selling handmade textiles, home-made jam or honey and decorations that you can use for your home or for the Christmas tree. The Christmas tree is originally a German tradition and it's truly authentic only if you're using candles rather than electric lights.
For Germans, the most important part of Christmas is the evening of the 24th. That is when the Christkind (baby Jesus) is supposed to bring the presents, and they are opened that same night. The 25th is a day to spend with extended family or friends, and so is the 26th – in Germany, the 26th of December is considered the second day of Christmas and as such it's a holiday.
DANKE
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