Using a shared fridge | Learn German in English

About This Lesson

Use Using a shared fridge to practice German conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Kann ich den gemeinsamen Kühlschrank benutzen?

kahn ikh dayn guh-MINE-zah-men KYOOL-shrahngk beh-NOOT-sen? Can I use the shared fridge?

Beschrifte dein Essen, bevor du es hineinstellst.

beh-SHRIF-tuh dine ESS-en, beh-FOHR doo ess hi-NINE-shtelst. Label your food before you put it in.

Wo finde ich ein Etikett?

voh FIN-duh ikh ine ay-tee-KET? Where can I find a label?

Neben dem Kühlschrank gibt es Etiketten.

NAY-ben daym KYOOL-shrahngk gipt ess ay-tee-KET-ten. There are labels beside the fridge.

Ist im Kühlschrank genug Platz?

ist im KYOOL-shrahngk guh-NOOK plats? Is there enough space inside?

Benutze das oberste Fach. Dort ist Platz.

beh-NOOT-suh dahs OH-ber-stuh fahkh; dohrt ist plats. Use the top shelf; there is room there.

Ich nehme mein Essen später heraus.

ikh NAY-muh mine ESS-en SHPAY-ter heh-ROWSS. I will take my food out later.

So bleibt Platz für andere Leute frei.

zoh blyept plats fyoor AHN-duh-ruh LOY-tuh frye. That keeps space open for other people.

Word by Word

Kann “Kann” asks for permission in “Kann ich den gemeinsamen Kühlschrank benutzen?” It is the form used with ich in the reusable question pattern “Kann ich ...?” when asking whether you may do something.

ich “ich” means “I” and is the person asking to use the fridge. It commonly appears as the subject before the verb, as in “Kann ich ...?”.

den “den” identifies the specific fridge as the object in “den gemeinsamen Kühlschrank.” It is the article form used here before this masculine object, and the same pattern can be used with a specific masculine object after an action verb.

gemeinsamen “gemeinsamen” describes the Kühlschrank as shared or common rather than private. In “den gemeinsamen Kühlschrank,” it comes before the noun and agrees with the surrounding noun phrase; this pattern is useful for describing a shared place or item.

Kühlschrank “Kühlschrank” means “fridge,” the appliance being used to store the food. It appears in “den gemeinsamen Kühlschrank” and “Neben dem Kühlschrank,” so it can name either the object being used or the place beside it.

benutzen “benutzen” means “to use” in “Kann ich den gemeinsamen Kühlschrank benutzen?” It stays in this form after “Kann ich” and is useful in questions about whether someone may use an object or place.

Beschrifte “Beschrifte” tells one person to label or mark something, here in “Beschrifte dein Essen.” It is an informal singular command and is reusable as a command followed by the thing that should be labeled.

dein “dein” means “your” and identifies the food as belonging to the person being addressed. In “dein Essen,” it comes before the noun; this possessive pattern is useful when telling someone what to do with their own item.

Essen “Essen” means “food” in “dein Essen,” the food that should receive a label and be put into the fridge. The same noun appears in “mein Essen,” so it can refer to a speaker’s or listener’s food depending on the possessive word.

bevor “bevor” means “before” and introduces the earlier action in “bevor du es hineinstellst.” It connects two actions in time, and the verb comes at the end of the clause introduced by “bevor”.

du “du” means “you” and refers to the person who should put the food inside. It is the informal singular subject in “bevor du es hineinstellst,” a useful form when addressing one familiar person.

es “es” means “it” and refers back to “dein Essen” in “bevor du es hineinstellst.” It avoids repeating the noun and functions here as the thing being put inside.

hineinstellst “hineinstellst” means “put it inside” in “bevor du es hineinstellst,” referring to putting the food into the fridge. The form is used with “du,” and it appears at the end of this subordinate clause.

Wo “Wo” means “where” and asks for a location in “Wo finde ich ein Etikett?” It is useful at the beginning of a question when asking where a person or thing can be found.

finde “finde” means “find” in the question “Wo finde ich ein Etikett?” It is the form used with ich and works in the reusable pattern “Wo finde ich ...?” when asking where to locate something.

ein “ein” means “a” or “one” in “ein Etikett,” introducing a label that has not been specifically identified yet. It comes before a singular noun and is useful when asking for any one item of that kind.

Etikett “Etikett” means “label,” here a label for marking food. The singular form appears in “ein Etikett,” while the related plural form “Etiketten” is used for the labels beside the fridge.

Neben “Neben” means “beside” or “next to” in “Neben dem Kühlschrank.” It introduces the reference point for a location and is reusable before a noun when saying that something is next to it.

dem “dem” means “the” in “dem Kühlschrank,” the specific fridge used as the location reference. After “Neben” for a fixed location, this is the article form used with “Kühlschrank” in the dialogue.

gibt “gibt” works with “es” in “gibt es Etiketten” to say that labels exist or are available there, rather than meaning “gives” by itself. The reusable construction “gibt es” is used to state that something is present.

Etiketten “Etiketten” means “labels” and names the labels beside the fridge. It is the plural form used in “gibt es Etiketten,” when more than one label is available.

Ist “Ist” means “is” in “Ist im Kühlschrank genug Platz?” and starts a yes-or-no question about available space. It is useful at the beginning of a question asking whether a condition exists.

im “im” means “in the” or “inside the” in “im Kühlschrank.” It is the contracted form of “in dem” and is commonly used before a place when describing where something is.

genug “genug” means “enough” in “genug Platz,” asking whether the available room is sufficient. It commonly comes before a noun to express a sufficient amount of something.

Platz “Platz” means “space” or “room,” here the available room inside the fridge. It appears in “genug Platz” and “Platz für andere Leute,” so it can describe sufficient room or room intended for someone.

Benutze “Benutze” tells one person to use something, here in “Benutze das oberste Fach.” It is an informal singular command followed by the object that should be used.

das “das” means “the” in “das oberste Fach,” identifying a particular shelf or compartment. It is the article used before “Fach” in this noun phrase and can introduce a specific item being pointed out.

oberste “oberste” means “top” or “highest” and identifies which shelf to use in “das oberste Fach.” It comes before “Fach” to specify the shelf’s position in the fridge.

Fach “Fach” means “shelf” or “compartment,” here the top shelf inside the fridge. In “das oberste Fach,” it names the specific storage section that the listener should use.

Dort “Dort” means “there” and points to the place just mentioned, the top shelf, in “Dort ist Platz.” It is useful for directing attention to a location and explaining what is available there.

nehme “nehme” contributes the meaning “take” in “Ich nehme mein Essen später heraus,” where “nehme ... heraus” together means “take out.” It is the form used with ich, and the reusable pattern keeps the object between “nehme” and “heraus.”

mein “mein” means “my” and identifies the food as belonging to the speaker in “mein Essen.” It comes before the noun and is useful when referring to the speaker’s own item.

später “später” means “later” and says that the speaker will take the food out at a later time. It is useful for placing an action after the current moment, as in “Ich nehme mein Essen später heraus.”

heraus “heraus” means “out” in the expression “nehme mein Essen später heraus,” making the meaning “take the food out.” It is used with “nehme” here and completes the movement away from the inside of the fridge.

So “So” means “so” or “in this way” and links the previous action to its result in “So bleibt Platz für andere Leute frei.” At the beginning of a sentence, it can explain how or why a result follows.

bleibt “bleibt” means “stays” or “remains” in “bleibt Platz für andere Leute frei,” saying that the space continues to be available. It is useful when describing a condition that continues rather than changes.

für “für” means “for” and marks who the available space is intended for in “für andere Leute.” The reusable pattern “Platz für + person or group” expresses space reserved or available for someone.

andere “andere” means “other” in “andere Leute,” distinguishing these people from the person currently speaking or being addressed. It comes before the plural noun and is useful when referring to additional people.

Leute “Leute” means “people,” here the people who also share the fridge. In “für andere Leute,” it names the group for whom the space remains available.

frei “frei” means “free” or “available” in “Platz ... frei,” referring to space that is not occupied. The expression “frei bleiben” is useful for saying that space or another resource continues to be available.

Grammar Points

bevor + Nebensatz: Das konjugierte Verb steht am Ende.

bevor du das Essen hineinstellst

beh-FOHR doo dahs ESS-en hi-NINE-shtelst

before you put the food in

Nach „bevor“ steht das konjugierte Verb am Ende des Nebensatzes.

Trennbare Verben: Präfix und Verbteil stehen getrennt.

Ich nehme das Essen später heraus.

ikh NAY-muh dahs ESS-en SHPAY-ter heh-ROWSS

I take the food out later.

Bei „herausnehmen“ steht „heraus“ im Hauptsatz am Ende.

German Vocabulary

benutzen verb

beh-NOOT-sen to use

den gemeinsamen Kühlschrank benutzen

beschriften verb

beh-SHRIF-ten to label Beschrifte

Beschrifte dein Essen

bevor conj

beh-FOHR before

bevor du es hineinstellst

Essen noun

ESS-en food

dein Essen

Etikett noun

ay-tee-KET label

ein Etikett

Etiketten noun

ay-tee-KET-ten labels

gibt es Etiketten

finden verb

FIN-den to find finde

Wo finde ich ein Etikett?

gemeinsam adj

guh-MINE-zahm shared gemeinsamen

den gemeinsamen Kühlschrank

genug adv

guh-NOOK enough

genug Platz

hineinstellen verb

hi-NINE-shtel-en to put in hineinstellst

bevor du es hineinstellst

Kühlschrank noun

KYOOL-shrahngk fridge

den gemeinsamen Kühlschrank

neben prep

NAY-ben beside

Neben dem Kühlschrank

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Can I use the shared fridge?

Show Answer

Kann ich den gemeinsamen Kühlschrank benutzen?

Where can I find a label?

Show Answer

Wo finde ich ein Etikett?

There are labels beside the fridge.

Show Answer

Neben dem Kühlschrank gibt es Etiketten.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

label

Show Answer

Etikett

to find

Show Answer

finde

to label

Show Answer

Beschrifte

fridge

Show Answer

Kühlschrank