Finding a book in a library | Learn German in English

About This Lesson

Use Finding a book in a library to practice German conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Wo finde ich dieses Buch?

voh FIN-duh ikh DEE-zuhs bookh? Where can I find this book?

Es sollte in einem dieser Regale stehen.

ess SHOL-tuh in EYE-num DEE-zuh-r reh-GAH-luh SHTAY-un. It should be on one of these shelves.

Welches Regal soll ich zuerst prüfen?

VEL-khuh reh-GAHL zoll ikh tsoo-AIRST PROO-fun? Which shelf should I check first?

Schau im unteren Regal am Ende nach.

show im OON-tuh-run reh-GAHL ahm EN-duh nahkh. Try the lower shelf near the end.

Ich kann jetzt den Umschlag sehen.

ikh kahn yetst dayn OOM-shlahk ZAY-un. I can see the cover now.

Zieh es vorsichtig heraus, damit die anderen an ihrem Platz bleiben.

tsee ess FOR-zikh-tikh heh-ROWS, dah-MIT dee AHN-duh-run ahn EE-rum plahts BLY-bun. Pull it out carefully so the others stay in place.

Das ist das richtige Buch.

dahs ist dahs RIKH-tih-guh bookh. This is the right book.

Du kannst es an dem Tisch dort lesen.

doo kahnst ess ahn daym tish dort LAY-zun. You can read it at that table.

Word by Word

Wo “Wo” means “where” in the question “Wo finde ich dieses Buch?”. It asks for the location of something. A common reuse pattern is “Wo ist …?” when asking where something is.

finde “Finde” means “find” in “Wo finde ich dieses Buch?”. It is the form used with “ich” in this question. Use “Wo finde ich …?” when asking where you can locate something.

ich “Ich” means “I” in “Wo finde ich dieses Buch?” and “Ich kann jetzt den Umschlag sehen.” It identifies the speaker as the person looking or seeing. It commonly appears before the verb in a statement, as in “Ich kann …”.

dieses “Dieses” means “this” in “dieses Buch”, referring to the specific book being indicated. It comes directly before “Buch” in this expression. Use “dieses” with a neuter noun such as “Buch” when referring to one specific thing.

Buch “Buch” means “book” in “dieses Buch”. It names the item the speaker is trying to find. A useful pattern is “ein Buch finden”, meaning “find a book”.

Es “Es” means “it” in “Es sollte in einem dieser Regale stehen.” It refers to the book already mentioned. It is used here as the subject before “sollte”.

sollte “Sollte” expresses that the book is expected to be in one of the shelves in “Es sollte in einem dieser Regale stehen.” It gives a careful expectation rather than a firm statement. A common pattern is “Es sollte … sein” for something that is expected to be a certain way.

in “In” means “in” in “in einem dieser Regale”, describing the book’s location inside a shelf area. The preposition is followed here by “einem”. Use “in” with a place when saying where something is located.

einem “Einem” contributes the meaning “one” or “an” in “in einem dieser Regale”, meaning “in one of these shelves”. It is the determiner used after “in” in this location phrase. The reusable pattern is “in einem …”, meaning “in a …” or “in one …” depending on context.

dieser “Dieser” contributes “these” in “einem dieser Regale”, meaning “one of these shelves”. It identifies the shelves as a specific group. Use it before a plural noun when referring to a particular group, as in “dieser Regale” in this expression.

Regale “Regale” means “shelves” in “einem dieser Regale”. It identifies the possible locations of the book. The phrase “in einem dieser Regale” is useful when locating something in one of several shelves.

stehen “Stehen” means “stand” or “be located” in “Es sollte in einem dieser Regale stehen.” With a book, it describes the book being positioned on the shelf. It appears after “sollte” in the pattern “sollte … stehen”.

Welches “Welches” means “which” in “Welches Regal soll ich zuerst prüfen?”. It asks the listener to choose one shelf from the available shelves. It comes directly before “Regal” in this question.

Regal “Regal” means “shelf” in “Welches Regal”. It names the single shelf the speaker is deciding to check. A useful pattern is “ein Regal prüfen”, meaning “check a shelf”.

soll “Soll” expresses “should” or “am supposed to” in “Welches Regal soll ich zuerst prüfen?”. It asks which action is recommended. It is followed here by the speaker and the infinitive “prüfen”.

zuerst “Zuerst” means “first” in “zuerst prüfen”. It specifies the order in which the shelves should be checked. Use it with an action when asking or saying what to do before other actions.

prüfen “Prüfen” means “check” in “Welches Regal soll ich zuerst prüfen?”. It describes examining a shelf to look for the book. The pattern “etwas prüfen” takes the thing being checked as its object.

Schau “Schau” tells the listener to look or try a suggested place in “Schau im unteren Regal am Ende nach.” It is part of the expression “schau … nach”, used here to suggest checking a shelf. Use “Schau … nach” when directing someone to look for something.

im “Im” means “in the” in “im unteren Regal”. It is the shortened form used in this location phrase. The pattern “im …” is common when saying that something is in a particular place.

unteren “Unteren” means “lower” in “im unteren Regal”. It identifies the shelf as the one lower down. It comes before “Regal” as part of the phrase naming the suggested shelf.

am “Am” means “at the” in “am Ende”. It is the shortened form used before “Ende” in this phrase. Use “am” in location expressions such as “am Ende” when referring to a position at an end.

Ende “Ende” means “end” in “am Ende”. Here it identifies the area near the end of the shelves. The reusable expression “am Ende” means “at the end” or “near the end” depending on the context.

nach “Nach” completes the expression “schau … nach” in “Schau im unteren Regal am Ende nach.” Together, the expression means to look or check in the suggested place. Keep “nach” with the verb when reusing this expression.

kann “Kann” means “can” in “Ich kann jetzt den Umschlag sehen.” It expresses the speaker’s ability to see the cover now. A common pattern is “Ich kann … sehen” for saying that something is visible to you.

jetzt “Jetzt” means “now” in “Ich kann jetzt den Umschlag sehen.” It marks the current moment when the cover becomes visible. It can be placed before the main action to show when it happens.

den “Den” means “the” in “den Umschlag”. It introduces the specific cover that the speaker can see. It comes directly before “Umschlag” in this object phrase.

Umschlag “Umschlag” means “cover” in “den Umschlag”. It refers to the visible cover of the book. A useful pattern is “den Umschlag sehen”, meaning “see the cover”.

sehen “Sehen” means “see” in “Ich kann jetzt den Umschlag sehen.” It describes the speaker’s visual perception of the cover. After “kann”, it stays in this infinitive form.

Zieh “Zieh” tells the listener to pull in “Zieh es vorsichtig heraus”. It gives a direct instruction about removing the book. It is used here together with “heraus” to express pulling something out.

vorsichtig “Vorsichtig” means “carefully” in “Zieh es vorsichtig heraus.” It tells the listener to pull the book out with care. It can be placed with an action to describe how the action should be done.

heraus “Heraus” contributes the meaning “out” in “Zieh es vorsichtig heraus.” Together with “Zieh”, it describes pulling the book out from the shelf. Keep it with “ziehen” when expressing movement from inside to outside.

damit “Damit” means “so that” in “damit die anderen an ihrem Platz bleiben.” It introduces the purpose of pulling the book out carefully. A “damit” clause gives the intended result, with the verb at the end of the clause.

die “Die” means “the” in “die anderen”. It introduces the other books that should remain in place. It comes directly before “anderen” in this expression.

anderen “Anderen” means “the others” in “die anderen”. It refers to the other books on the shelf, without naming them again. It is used here as a group after “die”.

an “An” contributes the meaning “at” in “an ihrem Platz”. It describes the location where the other books remain. The reusable expression “an seinem Platz bleiben” means to remain in its place.

ihrem “Ihrem” means “their” in “an ihrem Platz”. It shows that the place belongs to or is associated with the other books. It comes before “Platz” in the possessive phrase.

Platz “Platz” means “place” in “an ihrem Platz”. Here it means the position where the other books were already standing. The expression “an ihrem Platz bleiben” is useful for saying that things remain where they are.

bleiben “Bleiben” means “stay” or “remain” in “die anderen an ihrem Platz bleiben.” It describes the other books remaining in their positions. It appears at the end of the “damit” clause.

Das “Das” means “this” in “Das ist das richtige Buch.” It points to the book the speaker has identified. The pattern “Das ist …” is used to identify or confirm something.

ist “Ist” means “is” in “Das ist das richtige Buch.” It links the identified book with the description “das richtige Buch”. It is the verb used in the identification pattern “Das ist …”.

richtige “Richtige” means “right” or “correct” in “das richtige Buch”. It confirms that this is the book the speaker was looking for. It comes before “Buch” to describe it as the correct one.

Du “Du” means “you” in “Du kannst es an dem Tisch dort lesen.” It addresses the person who may read the book. It is used here as the subject before “kannst”.

kannst “Kannst” means “can” in “Du kannst es an dem Tisch dort lesen.” It expresses that the listener is allowed or able to read the book there. It is followed by the object “es” and the infinitive “lesen”.

dem “Dem” contributes the meaning “the” in “an dem Tisch dort”. It appears after “an” in this location phrase. Together, “an dem Tisch” identifies the table where the reading can take place.

Tisch “Tisch” means “table” in “an dem Tisch dort”. It names the place where the listener can read the book. A useful pattern is “an dem Tisch lesen”, meaning “read at the table”.

dort “Dort” means “there” in “an dem Tisch dort”. It points out which table is meant. It can be added after a place noun to identify a location visible or known to the speakers.

lesen “Lesen” means “read” in “Du kannst es an dem Tisch dort lesen.” It describes the activity the listener can do with the book. After “kannst”, it remains in the infinitive form.

Grammar Points

Imperativ mit trennbarem Verb: Zieh ... heraus

Zieh vorsichtig heraus.

tsee FOR-zikh-tikh heh-ROWS.

Pull out carefully.

Im Imperativ steht der abtrennbare Teil am Ende: herausziehen wird zu „Zieh ... heraus“.

German Vocabulary

Buch noun

bookh book

dieses det

DEE-zuhs this

Ende noun

EN-duh end

finden verb

FIN-dun to find finde

prüfen verb

PROO-fun to check

Regal noun

reh-GAHL shelf Regale

schauen verb

SHOW-un to look Schau

sehen verb

ZAY-un to see

stehen verb

SHTAY-un to stand; to be located

untere adj

OON-tuh-ruh lower unteren

welches det

VEL-khuh which

zuerst adv

tsoo-AIRST first

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Where can I find this book?

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Wo finde ich dieses Buch?

Which shelf should I check first?

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Welches Regal soll ich zuerst prüfen?

I can see the cover now.

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Ich kann jetzt den Umschlag sehen.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

which

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welches

shelf

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Regale

to check

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prüfen

to stand; to be located

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stehen