Borrowing a Book and Reading Quietly | Learn German in English

German lesson set in a contemporary Berlin everyday setting: In a library, a visitor asks to borrow a book, where to return it, and where to read before leaving..

EN → DE / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Borrowing a Book and Reading Quietly to practice German conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Diese Bibliothek ist sehr ruhig.

DEE-zuh BIH-blee-oh-TAKE ist zair ROO-ikh. This library is very quiet.
B

Wir sprechen leise, damit die Leute lernen können.

veer SHPREKH-uhn LYE-zuh, dah-MIT dee LOY-tuh LAIR-nuhn KURN-uhn. We keep our voices low so people can study.
A

Ich möchte dieses Buch ausleihen.

ikh MURKH-tuh DEE-zuhs BOOKH OWSS-LYE-uhn. I want to borrow this book.
B

Ich kann es für Sie am Schalter ausleihen.

ikh kahn ess fyoor zee ahm SHAL-tuh OWSS-LYE-uhn. I can check it out for you at the desk.
A

Wo soll ich es zurückgeben?

voh zohl ikh ess tsoo-RUEK-gay-buhn? Where should I return it?
B

Bringen Sie es zurück zum Schalter, wenn Sie fertig sind.

BRING-uhn zee ess tsoo-RUEK tsoom SHAL-tuh, venn zee FAIR-tikh zint. Bring it back to the desk when you are finished.
A

Der Platz am Fenster sieht bequem aus.

dair PLAHTS ahm FEN-stuh zeet buh-KVAYM owss. The window seat looks comfortable.
B

Sie können dort sitzen und lesen, bevor Sie gehen.

zee KURN-uhn DOHRT ZITS-uhn unt LAY-zuhn, buh-FOHR zee GAY-uhn. You can sit there and read before you leave.

Word by Word

Diese “Diese” means “this” in “Diese Bibliothek” and points to the particular library being discussed. It is useful when identifying a specific nearby place, object, or person.
Bibliothek “Bibliothek” means “library,” the place where the speakers borrow and read books. In the dialogue it appears in “Diese Bibliothek”; it can be reused when naming a place for borrowing or reading.
ist “Ist” means “is” in “Diese Bibliothek ist sehr ruhig” and connects the library with its description. It is commonly used to describe a person, place, or thing with an adjective.
sehr “Sehr” means “very” and strengthens the description “sehr ruhig.” Use it before an adjective when you want to make a description stronger, for example when describing how quiet a place is.
ruhig “Ruhig” means “quiet” here and describes the library in “Diese Bibliothek ist sehr ruhig.” It is useful for describing a place where people can read, study, or work without much noise.
Wir “Wir” means “we” and refers to the library staff or people speaking together in “Wir sprechen leise.” Use it when the speaker includes themself and at least one other person.
sprechen “Sprechen” means “speak” in “Wir sprechen leise.” Here it describes speaking quietly in a library; it can be reused with “leise” when explaining how people speak.
leise “Leise” means “quietly” in “Wir sprechen leise” and describes the low volume of the speaking. It is useful when asking or explaining that people should speak softly in a library or another quiet place.
damit “Damit” introduces the purpose of the action: “Wir sprechen leise, damit die Leute lernen können.” The clause after “damit” explains the reason for speaking quietly, and this pattern is useful for stating a purpose.
die “Die” means “the” in “die Leute” and identifies the people who are studying. It is used here as part of the noun phrase for the library users being discussed.
Leute “Leute” means “people” in “die Leute lernen können.” It refers to the people in the library, and it is useful when talking about people as a group in a shared situation.
lernen “Lernen” means “study” or “learn” in “die Leute lernen können.” In this dialogue it refers to studying in the quiet library; it can be used with “können” to express that people are able to study.
können “Können” means “can” in “lernen können” and expresses ability or possibility. With another verb, it helps say what someone is able to do, as in the possibility of studying quietly.
Ich “Ich” means “I” and identifies the visitor as the person who wants to borrow the book. Use it when speaking about yourself, as in “Ich möchte dieses Buch ausleihen.”
möchte “Möchte” expresses a polite want or request in “Ich möchte dieses Buch ausleihen.” The reusable pattern is “Ich möchte” followed by the requested object and action, which is useful when asking for something at a service desk.
dieses “Dieses” means “this” in “dieses Buch” and points to the particular book the visitor wants to borrow. It is useful when selecting or identifying one specific object.
Buch “Buch” means “book” in “dieses Buch ausleihen.” It names the item being borrowed, and it can be reused when talking about reading or borrowing a book.
ausleihen “Ausleihen” means “borrow” or “check out” in “dieses Buch ausleihen” and “es für Sie am Schalter ausleihen.” It is used with the item being borrowed and is especially useful in a library when requesting a book.
kann “Kann” means “can” in “Ich kann es für Sie am Schalter ausleihen” and expresses that the staff member is able to perform the service. It is commonly used before another action, with the action expressed by an infinitive.
es “Es” means “it” and refers back to the book in “es für Sie am Schalter ausleihen” and “es zurückgeben.” It lets the speaker refer to the already mentioned book without repeating “Buch.”
für “Für” means “for” in “für Sie” and marks the person who benefits from the staff member’s action. It is useful when offering to do something for another person.
Sie “Sie” means formal “you” in “für Sie,” “Sie können,” and “Bringen Sie.” It is used for polite address in this interaction between a library visitor and staff member.
am “Am” means “at the” in “am Schalter” and identifies the place where the book can be checked out. It is a contracted form used in a location phrase, so it is useful for describing where a service happens.
Schalter “Schalter” means “desk” or “counter” in “am Schalter” and “zum Schalter.” It refers to the library service point where the book is borrowed and returned.
Wo “Wo” means “where” in “Wo soll ich es zurückgeben?” and asks for the location of the return. It is useful for asking where an object should be placed or where an action should happen.
soll “Soll” expresses “should” or “is supposed to” in “Wo soll ich es zurückgeben?” The pattern “Wo soll ich ...?” is useful when asking for instructions about the correct place or procedure.
zurückgeben “Zurückgeben” means “return” in “es zurückgeben,” referring to returning the borrowed book. It is used with the item being returned, and the dialogue reuses it in a question about where to return that item.
Bringen “Bringen” means “bring” in the instruction “Bringen Sie es zurück zum Schalter.” It tells the addressed visitor what to do and is useful when giving a polite instruction about moving an object to a place.
zurück “Zurück” means “back” in “Bringen Sie es zurück” and shows that the book should go back to the library service point. It is also part of the direction phrase “zurück zum Schalter,” which is useful when describing a return movement.
zum “Zum” means “to the” in “zum Schalter” and marks the destination of the book. It is used in a destination phrase when telling someone where to bring or move something.
wenn “Wenn” means “when” in “wenn Sie fertig sind” and introduces the time at which the book should be returned. It is useful for connecting an instruction with the condition or point in time when it should happen.
fertig “Fertig” means “finished” or “done” in “wenn Sie fertig sind,” referring to being finished with the book or reading. It is commonly used with “sein” to describe that an activity has been completed.
sind “Sind” means “are” in “Sie fertig sind” and links the addressed person with the state of being finished. In the dialogue it completes the time clause “wenn Sie fertig sind,” which is useful when giving an instruction after an activity.
Der “Der” means “the” in “Der Platz am Fenster” and identifies the particular seat being discussed. It is used here as part of the noun phrase that names the window seat.
Platz “Platz” means “seat” or “place” in “Der Platz am Fenster.” Here it refers to a place where the visitor can sit and read, and it can be reused when identifying an available seat.
Fenster “Fenster” means “window” in “am Fenster” and helps identify the seat by its location. The phrase “Platz am Fenster” is useful for describing a seat positioned beside a window.
sieht “Sieht” means “looks” in “sieht bequem aus” and describes how the seat appears to the speaker. The pattern “sieht ... aus” is useful when giving an impression about the appearance or apparent quality of something.
bequem “Bequem” means “comfortable” in “sieht bequem aus” and describes the apparent comfort of the seat. It is useful when suggesting a place where someone can sit or read comfortably.
aus “Aus” completes the appearance expression “sieht bequem aus,” meaning that the seat looks comfortable. In this dialogue it should be understood together with “sieht ... aus,” not as a separate translation for the whole expression.
dort “Dort” means “there” and refers to the window seat in “dort sitzen.” It is useful for pointing to a place that has already been identified or is visible in the situation.
sitzen “Sitzen” means “sit” in “dort sitzen und lesen” and describes the action the visitor can do in the seat. It is useful with a place expression when telling someone where they may sit.
und “Und” means “and” in “sitzen und lesen” and joins the two actions of sitting and reading. It is useful for connecting actions that happen together in the same situation.
lesen “Lesen” means “read” in “sitzen und lesen” and describes the activity the visitor can do before leaving. It is useful when talking about reading a book in a library or another quiet place.
bevor “Bevor” means “before” in “bevor Sie gehen” and shows that reading happens earlier than leaving. It is useful for connecting an action with another action that has not happened yet.
gehen “Gehen” means “go” or “leave” in “bevor Sie gehen”; here it means leaving the library. It is useful when referring to the visitor’s departure after sitting and reading.

Grammar Points

leise als Adverb

Die Leute sprechen leise.

dee LOY-tuh SHPREKH-uhn LYE-zuh.

The people speak quietly.

leise beschreibt, wie sie sprechen; ruhig beschreibt dagegen eine Person oder einen Ort.

damit + Verb am Ende

Die Leute sprechen leise, damit sie lernen.

dee LOY-tuh SHPREKH-uhn LYE-zuh, dah-MIT zee LAIR-nuhn.

The people speak quietly so that they can study.

Nach damit steht das konjugierte Verb im Nebensatz am Ende: damit sie lernen.

German Vocabulary

ausleihen verb
OWSS-LYE-uhn to borrow

dieses Buch ausleihen

Bibliothek noun
BIH-blee-oh-TAKE library

Diese Bibliothek

Buch noun
BOOKH book

dieses Buch

damit conj
dah-MIT so that

damit die Leute lernen können

leise adv
LYE-zuh quietly; softly

sprechen leise

lernen verb
LAIR-nuhn to study; to learn

die Leute lernen können

Leute noun
LOY-tuh people

die Leute

ruhig adj
ROO-ikh quiet

ist sehr ruhig

Schalter noun
SHAL-tuh desk; counter

am Schalter

sprechen verb
SHPREKH-uhn to speak

Wir sprechen leise

wo adv
voh where

Wo soll ich es zurückgeben?

zurückgeben verb
tsoo-RUEK-gay-buhn to return; to give back

es zurückgeben

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

This library is very quiet.

Show AnswerDiese Bibliothek ist sehr ruhig.

I want to borrow this book.

Show AnswerIch möchte dieses Buch ausleihen.

Where should I return it?

Show AnswerWo soll ich es zurückgeben?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to borrow

Show Answerausleihen

to speak

Show Answersprechen

library

Show AnswerBibliothek

quietly; softly

Show Answerleise