Planning a Movie at Home | Learn German in English

German lesson set in a contemporary Berlin everyday setting: At home, two friends plan to watch a short movie and decide what light food and drink to bring..

EN → DE / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Planning a Movie at Home to practice German conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Wie wäre es mit einem Film zu Hause?

vee VAIR-uh ess mit EYE-nem fillm tsoo HOW-zuh How about a movie at home?
B

Das klingt schön und einfach.

dass klinkt shurn oont EYE-nfakh That sounds nice and easy.
A

Lass uns einen kurzen Film auswählen.

lass oons EYE-nen KOORTS-en fillm OWS-vay-len Let's choose a short movie.
B

Dann sind wir fertig, bevor es spät wird.

dahn zint veer FAIR-tikh, beh-FOHR ess shpayt veert Then we can finish before it gets late.
A

Ich kann etwas Obst mitbringen.

ikh kahn ET-vahs ohpst MIT-bring-en I can bring some fruit.
B

Ein leichter Snack wäre schön.

ine LYE-kht-er snak VAIR-uh shurn A light snack would be nice.
A

Soll ich auch Tee mitbringen?

zoll ikh owkh tay MIT-bring-en Should I bring tea too?
B

Tee wäre auch schön.

tay VAIR-uh owkh shurn Tea would be nice too.

Word by Word

Wie In “Wie wäre es mit einem Film zu Hause?” this means “how” as part of a suggestion such as “How about...?”. It introduces the option being proposed. You can reuse the pattern Wie wäre es mit ...? with another activity or object; for example, in a new example: Wie wäre es mit einem Spaziergang?
wäre In “Wie wäre es mit einem Film zu Hause?” this means “would be” and makes the suggestion tentative. It helps ask whether the proposed option sounds good. The reusable pattern Wie wäre es mit ...? is useful when suggesting a plan to another person.
es In “Wie wäre es mit einem Film zu Hause?” es means “it” and refers to the proposed idea as a whole. It appears between wäre and mit in this suggestion. The same pattern Wie wäre es mit ...? can be used when asking about another possible plan.
mit In “Wie wäre es mit einem Film zu Hause?” mit introduces the option being suggested, here “a movie at home”. In this use, it is followed by a noun phrase such as “mit einem Film”. You can use mit in the pattern Wie wäre es mit ...? when proposing something.
einem In “mit einem Film” this is the form meaning “a” or “one” after mit. It belongs to the noun phrase describing the proposed movie. Reuse it in a new example with mit when the following noun phrase has the same form: mit einem Buch.
Film In “einem Film” Film means “movie” or “film”. It is the activity option being suggested for the evening. You can reuse Film with words describing a movie, as in “einen kurzen Film” in the dialogue.
zu Hause The exact expression “zu Hause” means “at home” and describes where the movie will be watched. The components zu and Hause work together in this established expression, rather than each contributing a separate translation here. Use zu Hause when talking about being or doing something at home, for example in a new example: Ich bin zu Hause.
Das In “Das klingt schön und einfach.” Das means “that” and refers to the movie-at-home suggestion just made. It points back to the whole idea rather than to one single object. You can use Das to respond to a suggestion or statement that has just been mentioned.
klingt In “Das klingt schön und einfach.” klingt means “sounds” and describes how the suggestion seems to the speaker. Together with Das, it evaluates the proposed plan. Reuse the pattern Das klingt ... when giving an opinion about an idea, for example in a new example: Das klingt gut.
schön In “Das klingt schön und einfach.” schön means “nice” or “pleasant” and gives a positive evaluation of the plan. It is one of the qualities the speaker attributes to the suggestion. You can use schön to react positively to a proposed activity or arrangement.
und In “Das klingt schön und einfach.” und means “and” and connects the two positive descriptions schön and einfach. It links ideas or descriptions without changing their meaning. Reuse und to join two items or qualities, such as schön und einfach in this dialogue.
einfach In “Das klingt schön und einfach.” einfach means “easy” or “simple” and describes the plan as uncomplicated. It is connected to schön by und. You can use einfach when explaining that an activity or arrangement does not require much effort.
Lass In “Lass uns einen kurzen Film auswählen.” Lass helps make the suggestion “let’s choose a short movie”. It addresses the other person and invites both people to act together. Reuse the pattern Lass uns ... when proposing a shared activity.
uns In “Lass uns einen kurzen Film auswählen.” uns means “us” and identifies the people included in the proposed action. Together with Lass, it forms the invitation “let us” or “let’s”. The reusable pattern Lass uns ... is followed by the activity being suggested.
einen In “einen kurzen Film” this is the form meaning “a” or “one” before Film in the object phrase. It belongs with kurzen and Film as the movie being selected. Reuse the complete object pattern einen kurzen Film when talking about choosing or watching a short movie.
kurzen In “einen kurzen Film” kurzen means “short” and describes the movie that the speakers want to select. Its form appears before Film in this noun phrase. You can use kurzen before a suitable noun when describing something as short, as in the dialogue’s einen kurzen Film.
auswählen In “Lass uns einen kurzen Film auswählen.” auswählen means “choose” or “select” and names the action the speakers propose doing. It is used after Lass uns to form a shared suggestion. Reuse it with the thing being selected, as in einen kurzen Film auswählen.
Dann In “Dann sind wir fertig, bevor es spät wird.” Dann means “then” and connects the choice of a short movie with the expected result. It presents what can happen after the earlier plan. Use Dann at the beginning of a sentence to introduce a consequence or next step.
sind In “Dann sind wir fertig” sind means “are” and states that the speakers will be finished. It links wir with the description fertig. Reuse sind with wir when describing the group’s current or expected state.
wir In “Dann sind wir fertig” wir means “we” and refers to the two friends together. It identifies who will be finished before it gets late. Use wir when speaking about yourself and at least one other person as a group.
fertig In “Dann sind wir fertig” fertig means “finished” or “done”. It describes the speakers’ state after watching the short movie. You can use fertig to say that an activity or task has been completed.
bevor In “bevor es spät wird” bevor means “before” and introduces the time limit for being finished. It connects the completion of the movie with the later time when it gets late. Use bevor before a clause describing something that should happen later.
spät In “bevor es spät wird” spät means “late” and describes the time that the speakers want to avoid reaching before they finish. It appears with wird to express becoming late. You can use spät when describing a late time or the point at which something is no longer early.
wird In “bevor es spät wird” wird means “gets” or “becomes”. With spät, it describes the time becoming late. Reuse the pattern es wird ... when describing a change in the situation, as in the dialogue’s es spät wird.
Ich In “Ich kann etwas Obst mitbringen.” Ich means “I” and identifies the speaker who offers to bring fruit. It is the person responsible for the action in this sentence. Use Ich when stating what you yourself can or will do.
kann In “Ich kann etwas Obst mitbringen.” kann means “can” and expresses that the speaker is able or available to bring fruit. It is followed by the action mitbringen. Reuse kann with an action in the pattern Ich kann ... mitbringen when offering to bring something.
etwas In “etwas Obst” etwas means “some” and indicates an unspecified amount of fruit. It appears directly before the noun Obst. Use etwas before a noun when referring to an unspecified amount or quantity.
Obst In “etwas Obst” Obst means “fruit” and names what the speaker offers to bring. It is the food item being added to the movie plan. You can reuse Obst when talking generally about fruit rather than naming one specific kind.
mitbringen In “Ich kann etwas Obst mitbringen.” mitbringen means “bring along” or “bring with you”. It describes bringing the fruit to the place where the friends will watch the movie. Use it with the thing being brought, as in etwas Obst mitbringen.
Ein In “Ein leichter Snack wäre schön.” Ein means “a” or “one” and introduces the snack being suggested. It appears before leichter Snack as one complete noun phrase. Reuse Ein before a singular noun when introducing one unspecified item.
leichter In “Ein leichter Snack” leichter means “light” and describes the snack as not heavy. Its form appears before Snack in this noun phrase. You can use leichter before a suitable noun when describing something as light, as in leichter Snack.
Snack In “Ein leichter Snack” Snack means “snack”. It names the light food the speaker thinks would be nice to have. Use Snack when suggesting a small food item for a break or shared activity.
Soll In “Soll ich auch Tee mitbringen?” Soll means “should” and asks whether the speaker ought to bring tea as well. It turns the offer into a question for the other person. Reuse the pattern Soll ich ... mitbringen? when asking whether you should bring something.
auch In “Soll ich auch Tee mitbringen?” auch means “also” or “too” and adds tea to the items already being discussed. In “Tee wäre auch schön.” it likewise adds tea as another pleasant option. Use auch when including an additional person, item, or action.
Tee In “Soll ich auch Tee mitbringen?” and “Tee wäre auch schön.” Tee means “tea”. It is the drink being offered and then approved for the movie plan. You can use Tee when suggesting or discussing tea as a drink.

Grammar Points

Wie wäre es mit + Dativ?

Wie wäre es mit einem Film?

vee VAIR-uh ess mit EYE-nem fillm

How about a movie?

Nach „mit“ steht der Dativ: „ein Film“ wird zu „einem Film“.

bevor + Nebensatz: Verb am Ende

Bevor es spät wird, bringen wir Obst mit.

beh-FOHR ess shpayt veert, BRING-en veer ohpst mit

Before it gets late, we bring fruit along.

In einem Nebensatz mit „bevor“ steht das konjugierte Verb am Ende: „spät wird“.

German Vocabulary

auswählen verb
OWS-vay-len to choose; to select

einen kurzen Film auswählen

bevor conj
beh-FOHR before

bevor es spät wird

dann adv
dahn then Dann

Dann sind wir fertig.

einfach adj
EYE-nfakh easy; simple

Das klingt schön und einfach.

fertig adj
FAIR-tikh finished; done

Dann sind wir fertig.

Film noun
fillm movie; film

mit einem Film

klingen verb
KLIN-uhn to sound klingt

Das klingt schön und einfach.

kurz adj
koorts short kurzen

einen kurzen Film

Lass uns phrase
lass oons Let's

Lass uns einen kurzen Film auswählen.

schön adj
shurn nice; pleasant

Das klingt schön.

Wie wäre es mit phrase
vee VAIR-uh ess mit How about

Wie wäre es mit einem Film zu Hause?

zu Hause phrase
tsoo HOW-zuh at home

einem Film zu Hause

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

That sounds nice and easy.

Show AnswerDas klingt schön und einfach.

Let's choose a short movie.

Show AnswerLass uns einen kurzen Film auswählen.

I can bring some fruit.

Show AnswerIch kann etwas Obst mitbringen.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

short

Show Answerkurzen

to sound

Show Answerklingt

movie; film

Show AnswerFilm

to choose; to select

Show Answerauswählen