German lesson 3
At the Restaurant - Im Restaurant/Gasthaus
appetizer die Vorspeise, -n
beer das Bier, -e
bill die Rechnung, -en
bottle die Flasche, -n
complaint die Beschwerde, -n
to complain sich beschweren
cook / chef der Koch, "-e / die Köchin, -nen
cream die Sahne, -n / die Schlagsahne, -n
cup die Tasse, -n
cutlery das Besteck, -e
daily specials das Tagesmenü, -s
desert der Nachtisch, -e
dirty schmutzig
drink das Getränk, -e
entree das Hauptgericht, -e
fast food der Schnellimbiss, -e
fish der Fisch, -e
food das Essen, -
fork die Gabel, -n
glass das Glas, "-er
hot heiß
hungry hungrig
knife das Messer, -
menu die Speisekarte, -n
mineral water das Mineralwasser, -
napkin die Serviette, -n
to order bestellen
plate der Teller, -
pub die Wirtschaft, -en
restaurant das Restaurant, -s /
das Gasthaus, "-er
salad der Salat, -e
sausage die Wurst, "-e
server der Kellner, - / die Kellnerin, -nen
service die Bedienung, -en
tip das Trinkgeld, -er
spoon der Löffel, -
to taste schmecken
vegetarian der Vegetarier, - / die Vegetarierin, -nen
wine der Wein, -e
red wine Rotwein, -e
white wine Weisswein, -e
sparkling wine Schaumwein, -e
rosé Rosé, -s
Adjective Endings
German adjectives, like English ones, usually go in front of the noun they modify: "der gute Mann" (the good man), "das große Haus" (the big house/building), "die schöne Dame" (the pretty lady). Unlike English adjectives, a German adjective in front of a noun has to have an ending (-e in the examples above). Just what that ending will be depends on several factors, including gender (der, die, das) and case (nominative, accusative, dative). But most of the time the ending is an -e or an -en (in the plural). With ein-words, the ending varies according to the modified noun's gender (see below).
Look at the following table for the adjective endings in the nominative (subject) case:
With definite article (der, die, das) - Nominative case
der neue Wagen
the new car
die schöne Stadt the beautiful city
das alte Auto the old car
die neuen Bücher the new books
With indefinite article (eine, kein, mein) - Nom. case
ein neuer Wagen
a new car
eine schöne Stadt a beautiful city
ein altes Auto an old car
keine neuen Bücher no new books
Note that with ein-words, since the article may not tell us the gender of the following noun, the adjective ending often does this instead (-es = das, -er = der; see above).
As in English, a German adjective can also come after the verb (predicate adjective): "Das Haus ist groß." (The house is large.) In such cases the adjective will have NO ending.
