Finding a Missing Notebook | Learn German in English

German lesson set in a contemporary Berlin everyday setting: In a daily life setting, two adults look for a missing notebook and decide where to keep it in a backpack..

EN → DE / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Finding a Missing Notebook to practice German conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Mein Notizbuch fehlt.

mine noh-TEETS-book faylt My notebook is missing.
B

Es könnte auf dem Tisch liegen.

ess KURNT-uh owf daym tish LEE-gen It might be on the table.
A

Ich habe dort schon nachgesehen.

ikh HAH-buh dort shohn NAHKH-guh-ZAY-uhn I already checked there.
B

Schau unter deiner blauen Tasche nach.

show OON-tuh DYE-nuh BLOW-uhn TAH-shuh nahkh Look under your blue bag.
A

Ich habe es unter der Tasche gefunden.

ikh HAH-buh ess OON-tuh day-uh TAH-shuh guh-FOON-d'n I found it under the bag.
B

Leg es jetzt in deinen Rucksack.

layk ess yetst in DYE-nen ROOK-zak Put it in your backpack now.
A

Ich bewahre es in der Vordertasche auf.

ikh buh-VAH-ruh ess in day-uh FOR-tuh-TAH-shuh owf I'll keep it in the front pocket.
B

Benutze das Hauptfach, damit du es leicht findest.

buh-NOOT-suh dahss HOWPT-fahkh dah-MIT doo ess lykht FIN-dest Use the main pocket so it stays easy to find.

Word by Word

Mein “Mein” means “my” in “Mein Notizbuch fehlt” and identifies the notebook as belonging to the speaker. It is used before the noun “Notizbuch”; reuse it in a pattern such as “Mein …”. You would use it when talking about one of your own things.
Notizbuch “Notizbuch” means “notebook” in “Mein Notizbuch fehlt”. It names the item that is missing. Use it after a possessive such as “Mein Notizbuch” when talking about a notebook.
fehlt “Fehlt” means “is missing” in “Mein Notizbuch fehlt”. Here it says that the notebook is not present where expected. Use it with the missing item as the subject, as in “Mein … fehlt”.
Es “Es” means “it” in “Es könnte auf dem Tisch liegen” and refers to the missing notebook. It is the subject of the possibility statement. Use “Es könnte … liegen” when suggesting where an object may be.
könnte “Könnte” expresses “might” or “could” in “Es könnte auf dem Tisch liegen”. It makes the location a possibility rather than a certainty. Use it before an infinitive when making a tentative suggestion.
auf In “auf dem Tisch”, “auf” means “on” and introduces the surface where something may be located. In “bewahre es … auf”, it is also part of the verb expression for keeping or storing something. Use the whole phrase or construction that fits the intended meaning.
dem “Dem” is the form of “the” used in the location phrase “auf dem Tisch”. It introduces “Tisch” after “auf” when describing where the notebook may be. Reuse it in a location pattern such as “auf dem …”.
Tisch “Tisch” means “table” in “auf dem Tisch”. It names the surface where the notebook might be. Use it after a location phrase such as “auf dem Tisch”.
liegen “Liegen” means “lie” or “be located” in “Es könnte auf dem Tisch liegen”. It describes the notebook as being positioned at that place. Use it after “könnte” when suggesting that an object may be somewhere.
Ich “Ich” means “I” and identifies the speaker in “Ich habe dort schon nachgesehen”, “Ich habe es … gefunden”, and “Ich bewahre es … auf”. It is used as the subject of the speaker’s statements. Use it before a verb when talking about your own action.
habe “Habe” means “have” in the completed-action statements “Ich habe dort schon nachgesehen” and “Ich habe es … gefunden”. Together with the following completed verb form, it reports something the speaker has done. Reuse the pattern “Ich habe …” with a completed action.
dort “Dort” means “there” in “Ich habe dort schon nachgesehen”. It points back to a place already under discussion, such as the table. Use it after the verb when referring to a place without naming it again.
schon “Schon” means “already” in “Ich habe dort schon nachgesehen”. It shows that the speaker checked that place before now. Use it with a completed action to say that something has already happened.
nachgesehen “Nachgesehen” means “checked” or “looked” in “Ich habe dort schon nachgesehen”. It reports that the speaker searched the indicated place. Reuse it after “Ich habe …” when saying that you have checked somewhere.
Schau “Schau” is a direct instruction to look in “Schau unter deiner blauen Tasche nach”. It addresses one person informally and begins the request to check a place. Use the pattern “Schau … nach” when telling someone to look or check.
unter “Unter” means “under” in “unter deiner blauen Tasche” and “unter der Tasche”. It shows the position below the bag where the notebook may be. Use it before the noun phrase that names the object above the searched item.
deiner “Deiner” means “your” in “unter deiner blauen Tasche”. It identifies the blue bag as belonging to the person being addressed. Use it before a feminine noun in a phrase describing location with “unter”.
blauen “Blauen” means “blue” in “deiner blauen Tasche” and helps identify which bag to check. It describes “Tasche” inside the location phrase. Use it before a noun when specifying that the object is blue.
Tasche “Tasche” means “bag” in “deiner blauen Tasche” and “unter der Tasche”. It names the bag involved in the search. Use it after a possessive or article, as in “deine Tasche” or “der Tasche” according to the surrounding construction.
nach In “Schau unter deiner blauen Tasche nach”, “nach” completes the expression meaning “look” or “check”. It appears at the end because the expression is separated around the location phrase. Reuse the full pattern “Schau … nach” rather than using “nach” alone for this meaning.
der “Der” means “the” in “unter der Tasche”. It introduces the bag in the phrase describing where the notebook was found. Reuse it in a location phrase such as “unter der …” when the surrounding grammar calls for this form.
gefunden “Gefunden” means “found” in “Ich habe es unter der Tasche gefunden”. It reports the completed discovery of the notebook. Reuse the pattern “Ich habe es … gefunden” while keeping the object and location slots.
Leg “Leg” means “put” or “place” in “Leg es jetzt in deinen Rucksack”. It gives an informal instruction to place the notebook somewhere. Use the pattern “Leg es … in …” when telling someone where to put an object.
jetzt “Jetzt” means “now” in “Leg es jetzt in deinen Rucksack”. It asks for the action to happen at this time. Use it with an instruction when emphasizing immediate action.
in In “in deinen Rucksack”, “in” means “into” and marks the destination of the placement. In “in der Vordertasche”, it means “in” and describes where the item is kept. Use it with the noun phrase that names either the destination or the storage location.
deinen “Deinen” means “your” in “in deinen Rucksack”. It identifies the backpack as belonging to the person being addressed. Use it before “Rucksack” when telling that person to put something into their backpack.
Rucksack “Rucksack” means “backpack” in “in deinen Rucksack”. It names the destination for the notebook. Use it after a phrase such as “in deinen” when talking about the addressee’s backpack.
bewahre “Bewahre” means “keep” or “store” in “Ich bewahre es in der Vordertasche auf”. Together with the final “auf”, it says that the speaker will keep the notebook in a particular pocket. Reuse the full pattern “Ich bewahre es … auf” when stating where you store an object.
Vordertasche “Vordertasche” means “front pocket” in “in der Vordertasche”. It names the storage place chosen for the notebook. Use it after a location phrase such as “in der Vordertasche”.
Benutze “Benutze” means “use” in “Benutze das Hauptfach”. It gives an informal instruction to use a particular compartment. Reuse the pattern “Benutze …” when directing someone to use an object or place.
das “Das” means “the” in “das Hauptfach”. It introduces the specific main compartment that should be used. Use it directly before “Hauptfach” in this expression.
Hauptfach “Hauptfach” means “main compartment” or “main pocket” in “Benutze das Hauptfach”. It identifies the larger or primary compartment of the backpack. Use it after “das” when referring to this specific compartment.
damit “Damit” introduces the purpose in “damit du es leicht findest”: using the main compartment is intended to make the notebook easy to find. It connects the instruction with its intended result. Use it before a clause explaining what an action is meant to achieve.
du “Du” means “you” in “damit du es leicht findest”. It refers to the person who is expected to find the notebook. Here it is the subject of the clause introduced by “damit”.
leicht “Leicht” means “easily” in “damit du es leicht findest”. It describes finding the notebook as easy. Reuse it with an object and “finden”, as in “etwas leicht finden”.
findest “Findest” means “find” in “damit du es leicht findest”. It describes the result that the notebook can be found easily. Reuse the pattern “damit du es leicht findest” when explaining that an arrangement helps someone find an object.

Grammar Points

aufbewahren → bewahre ... auf

Bewahre den Rucksack auf.

buh-VAH-ruh dayn ROOK-zak owf

Keep the backpack.

Bei trennbaren Verben steht die Vorsilbe im Aussagesatz oder Imperativ am Ende: bewahre ... auf.

Imperativ: Schau, Leg, Benutze

Schau dort! Leg das Notizbuch unter die Tasche.

show dort! layk dahss NOH-teets-book OON-tuh dee TAH-shuh

Look there! Put the notebook under the bag.

Der Imperativ für eine Person steht ohne Pronomen; das Verb beginnt den Satz.

German Vocabulary

blau adj
BLOW blue blauen

deiner blauen Tasche

dort adv
dawrt there

Ich habe dort schon nachgesehen.

fehlen verb
FAY-luhn to be missing fehlt

Mein Notizbuch fehlt.

finden verb
FIN-d'n to find gefunden

Ich habe es unter der Tasche gefunden.

liegen verb
LEE-gen to lie; to be located

Es könnte auf dem Tisch liegen.

nachsehen verb
NAHKH-zay-uhn to check; to look nachgesehen

Ich habe dort schon nachgesehen.

Notizbuch noun
NOH-teets-book notebook

Mein Notizbuch fehlt.

schauen verb
SHOW-uhn to look Schau

Schau unter deiner blauen Tasche nach.

schon adv
shohn already

Ich habe dort schon nachgesehen.

Tasche noun
TAH-shuh bag

unter deiner blauen Tasche

Tisch noun
tish table

auf dem Tisch

unter prep
OON-tuh under

unter deiner blauen Tasche

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

My notebook is missing.

Show AnswerMein Notizbuch fehlt.

It might be on the table.

Show AnswerEs könnte auf dem Tisch liegen.

I already checked there.

Show AnswerIch habe dort schon nachgesehen.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

already

Show Answerschon

to lie; to be located

Show Answerliegen

to check; to look

Show Answernachgesehen

to look

Show AnswerSchau