Waiting for a delayed bus | Learn German in English

German lesson set in a contemporary Berlin everyday setting: At a bus stop, two adults talk about a delayed bus, traffic, and whether to wait for the same route..

EN → DE / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Waiting for a delayed bus to practice German conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Entschuldigung, hat der Bus Verspätung?

ent-SHOOL-di-goong, haht dair boos fair-SHPEH-toong? Excuse me, is the bus delayed?
B

In der Nähe ist viel Verkehr.

in dair NAY-uh ist feel fair-KAIR. There's heavy traffic nearby.
A

Wissen Sie, wann er ankommt?

VIH-sen zee, vahn air AHN-kommt? Do you know when it will arrive?
B

Er ist noch unterwegs.

air ist nokh oon-ter-VAYKS. It's still on the way.
B

Dann kann die Wartezeit länger sein.

dahn kahn dee VAR-teh-tsite LENG-er zine. So the wait may be longer.
A

Gibt es noch einen anderen Bus für dieselbe Strecke?

gipt ess nokh EYE-nen AHN-dair-en boos fyoor DEE-zel-buh SHTREK-uh? Is there another bus for the same route?
B

Ja, aber mit diesem Bus dauert es länger.

yah, AH-ber mit DEE-zem boos DOW-ert ess LENG-er. There is, but that option takes longer.
A

Ich warte hier auf diesen Bus.

ikh VAR-teh heer owf DEE-zen boos. I'll stay here for this bus.
B

Das ist wahrscheinlich am besten, wenn Sie warten können.

dahs ist vahr-SHINE-likh ahm BEST-en, venn zee VAR-ten KURN-en. That's probably best if you can wait.

Word by Word

Entschuldigung In “Entschuldigung, hat der Bus Verspätung?” this is a polite way to say “Excuse me” before asking a stranger a question. It is useful as an opening when you need someone’s attention politely.
hat In “hat der Bus Verspätung?” this means “has” and links the bus with its delay; the whole expression asks whether the bus is delayed. Reuse it in a question such as “Hat der Zug Verspätung?” when asking about a delayed vehicle.
der In “der Bus,” this is the word for “the” before the bus being discussed. It helps form the noun phrase “the bus,” which can be reused with a specific bus or other masculine-noun phrase.
Bus “Bus” means “bus” in this dialogue. It is used for the vehicle the speakers are waiting for, as in “der Bus” or “diesen Bus.”
Verspätung In “hat der Bus Verspätung?” “Verspätung” means “delay.” The expression “Verspätung haben” is used to ask or say that a bus, train, or similar service is delayed.
In In “In der Nähe ist viel Verkehr,” “In” helps indicate the nearby area. It is used here at the start of the phrase “in the vicinity,” and can introduce a place or area.
Nähe In “In der Nähe,” “Nähe” refers to the nearby area or vicinity. The complete phrase means “nearby” and is useful when describing where something is located.
ist In “In der Nähe ist viel Verkehr,” “ist” means “is” and states what is present in the nearby area. It is also used in “Er ist noch unterwegs” to describe the bus’s current situation.
viel Before “Verkehr” in “viel Verkehr,” “viel” means “a lot of” and describes the large amount of traffic. It can be placed before an uncounted quantity such as traffic or waiting time.
Verkehr “Verkehr” means “traffic” in “viel Verkehr.” The phrase “viel Verkehr” explains why movement may be slow near the bus stop.
Wissen In “Wissen Sie, wann er ankommt?” “Wissen” means “know” and begins a polite question asking for information. “Wissen Sie, ...?” is a reusable way to ask whether someone knows something.
Sie In “Wissen Sie” and “wenn Sie warten können,” “Sie” means formal “you.” It is used when speaking politely to an adult whose name or familiar form of address is not being used.
wann In “wann er ankommt,” “wann” means “when” and introduces the time the bus will arrive. It is useful for asking about the time of an event, as in “wann ...?”.
er In “wann er ankommt” and “Er ist noch unterwegs,” “er” refers back to the bus, so it means “it” here. At the beginning of “Er ist noch unterwegs,” the same word is capitalized because it starts the sentence.
ankommt In “wann er ankommt,” “ankommt” means “arrives.” It appears at the end of this clause, so “wann er ankommt” asks when the bus will arrive.
noch In “Er ist noch unterwegs,” “noch” means “still”; in “noch einen anderen Bus,” it adds the sense of “another” or “additional.” The surrounding words show which meaning is intended.
unterwegs In “Er ist noch unterwegs,” “unterwegs” means “on the way” or “in transit.” The expression “noch unterwegs” is useful when a person or vehicle has not arrived yet.
Dann At the start of “Dann kann die Wartezeit länger sein,” “Dann” means “then” or “so” and introduces the consequence of the bus still being on the way. It can connect a situation with its result.
kann In “kann die Wartezeit länger sein,” “kann” presents the longer waiting time as possible, meaning “can” or “may.” It is useful for expressing a possible result before the action or state that may occur.
die In “die Wartezeit,” “die” is the word for “the” before the waiting time being discussed. Together with the noun, it forms “the waiting time.”
Wartezeit “Wartezeit” means “waiting time” in “die Wartezeit.” It names the time spent waiting for the bus and can be used when discussing how long a wait may be.
länger In “die Wartezeit länger sein,” “länger” means “longer,” describing a wait that may exceed the expected or current duration. It is useful when comparing the length of a wait or journey.
sein In “kann die Wartezeit länger sein,” “sein” means “be” and completes the statement that the waiting time may be longer. The pattern “kann ... sein” expresses a possible state or condition.
Gibt In “Gibt es noch einen anderen Bus?” “Gibt” is part of the question asking whether another bus exists or is available. “Gibt es ...?” is a reusable way to ask whether something is there.
es In “Gibt es noch einen anderen Bus?” “es” is part of the expression used to ask whether something exists or is available, corresponding to “there” in English. The reusable pattern is “Gibt es ...?”.
einen In “einen anderen Bus,” “einen” contributes the meaning “a” or “one” for the bus being asked about. It helps introduce one possible additional bus in the question.
anderen In “einen anderen Bus,” “anderen” means “another” or “different” and identifies a bus other than the one already being discussed. This full phrase is useful when asking about an alternative option.
für In “für dieselbe Strecke,” “für” means “for” and connects the bus with the route it serves. It is useful for saying what a transport option or service is intended for.
dieselbe In “dieselbe Strecke,” “dieselbe” means “the same” and shows that the route is unchanged. It is useful when referring back to an option or route already mentioned.
Strecke “Strecke” means “route” in “dieselbe Strecke.” It refers to the route served by the bus, especially when comparing different buses.
Ja “Ja” means “yes” and confirms that another bus is available. It is used here as a direct answer before adding the limitation introduced by “aber.”
aber In “Ja, aber mit diesem Bus dauert es länger,” “aber” means “but” and contrasts the available alternative with its longer travel time. It is useful for adding a restriction or opposing point after a confirmation.
mit In “mit diesem Bus,” “mit” means “with” or “by” and introduces the bus used for the journey. In transport contexts, it can identify the vehicle someone travels by.
diesem In “mit diesem Bus,” “diesem” means “this” and points to the particular alternative bus being discussed. The phrase identifies which bus would take longer.
dauert In “mit diesem Bus dauert es länger,” “dauert” means “takes” or “lasts.” With “länger,” it says that using this bus takes longer.
Ich “Ich” means “I” in “Ich warte hier auf diesen Bus.” It identifies the speaker as the person who will wait, and it commonly begins a statement about the speaker’s action.
warte In “Ich warte hier auf diesen Bus,” “warte” means “wait.” The pattern “Ich warte auf ...” is used to say that the speaker is waiting for a person, vehicle, or thing.
hier In “Ich warte hier,” “hier” means “here” and identifies the speaker’s location while waiting. It is useful for specifying where an action is taking place.
auf In “auf diesen Bus warten,” “auf” is the preposition used with “wait for.” The reusable pattern is “warten auf [person or thing],” as in the dialogue’s “auf diesen Bus.”
diesen In “diesen Bus,” “diesen” means “this” and points to the particular bus the speaker has chosen to wait for. It helps identify a specific option among the buses being discussed.
Das In “Das ist wahrscheinlich am besten,” “Das” refers to the choice just described and means “that” or “it.” The pattern “Das ist ...” is useful for evaluating a situation or option.
wahrscheinlich In “Das ist wahrscheinlich am besten,” “wahrscheinlich” means “probably” and shows that the speaker is making a likely judgment rather than stating absolute certainty. It can modify an opinion or prediction.
am In “am besten,” “am” is part of the expression meaning “the best” or “best.” The complete expression is used when evaluating one option as the most suitable.
besten In “am besten,” “besten” contributes the meaning “best.” Together, “am besten” evaluates the choice to wait as the most suitable option in this situation.
wenn In “wenn Sie warten können,” “wenn” means “if” and introduces the condition that the person is able to wait. It is useful for giving advice that depends on a condition.
warten In “wenn Sie warten können,” “warten” names the action of waiting. It follows “können” in this clause and can be reused for the action someone is able or willing to do.
können In “wenn Sie warten können,” “können” means “can” or “be able to” and expresses the person’s ability or possibility to wait. The pattern “können + action” is used to talk about what someone is able to do.

Grammar Points

wann ... ankommt

wann der Bus ankommt

vahn dair boos AHN-kommt

when the bus arrives

In a subordinate question with wann, the conjugated verb moves to the end: ankommt.

am besten + Verb

Am besten warten.

ahm BEST-en VAR-ten

It is best to wait.

am besten is an adverbial superlative meaning “best,” used to recommend an action.

German Vocabulary

ankommen verb
AHN-kom-en to arrive ankommt

Wann er ankommt

Bus noun
boos bus

der Bus

Entschuldigung intj
ent-SHOOL-di-goong excuse me

Entschuldigung, hat der Bus Verspätung?

in der Nähe adv
in dair NAY-uh nearby

In der Nähe ist viel Verkehr.

länger adj
LENG-er longer

Die Wartezeit kann länger sein.

noch adv
nokh still

Er ist noch unterwegs.

Strecke noun
SHTREK-uh route

dieselbe Strecke

unterwegs adv
oon-ter-VAYKS on the way

Er ist noch unterwegs.

Verkehr noun
fair-KAIR traffic

viel Verkehr

Verspätung noun
fair-SHPEH-toong delay

Hat der Bus Verspätung?

Wartezeit noun
VAR-teh-tsite waiting time

Die Wartezeit kann länger sein.

wissen verb
VIH-sen to know Wissen

Wissen Sie, wann er ankommt?

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Excuse me, is the bus delayed?

Show AnswerEntschuldigung, hat der Bus Verspätung?

There's heavy traffic nearby.

Show AnswerIn der Nähe ist viel Verkehr.

Do you know when it will arrive?

Show AnswerWissen Sie, wann er ankommt?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

delay

Show AnswerVerspätung

still

Show Answernoch

on the way

Show Answerunterwegs

traffic

Show AnswerVerkehr