About This Lesson
Use Clear taxi directions to practice German conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
Können Sie uns bitte in der Nähe des Eingangs der Klinik absetzen?
KUR-nen zee oons BIT-tuh in dair NAY-uh dayz EYE-ngahngs dair klee-NEEK AP-ZET-sen? Could you drop us near the clinic entrance, please?
B
Ist das gleich hinter der Hauptkreuzung?
Ist dahs glike HIN-tair dair HOWPT-kroy-tsoong? Is that just past the main intersection?
A
Biegen Sie nach der Bank links ab.
BEE-gen zee nahkh dair bahngk links ap. Turn left after the bank.
A
Dann folgen Sie der Straße in Richtung Apotheke.
Dahn FOL-gen zee dair SHTRAH-suh in RIKH-toong ah-poh-TAY-kuh. Then follow the road toward the pharmacy.
B
Soll ich nach dem Abbiegen geradeaus weiterfahren?
Zoll ikh nahkh dehm AP-bee-gen guh-RAH-duh-ows VY-ter-FAH-ren? Should I keep going straight after the turn?
A
Fahren Sie weiter, bis die Apotheke rechts von Ihnen ist.
FAH-ren zee VY-ter, biss dee ah-poh-TAY-kuh rekhts fon EE-nen ist. Keep going until the pharmacy is on your right.
B
Wo soll ich anhalten?
Voh zoll ikh AHN-hahl-ten? Where would you like me to stop?
A
Irgendwo in der Nähe der Eingangstür ist in Ordnung.
EER-gent-voh in dair NAY-uh dair EYE-ngahngs-tewr ist in ORT-noong. Anywhere near the front door is fine.
B
Ich kann gleich hinter dem Eingang anhalten.
Ikh kahn glike HIN-tair dehm EYE-ngahng AHN-hahl-ten. I can pull over just beyond the entrance.Word by Word
Können
In „Können Sie uns bitte ... absetzen?“ expresses a polite request: could you drop us off? It is used with „Sie“ and an infinitive such as „absetzen“ at the end. Use it when politely asking someone to do something.
Sie
In „Können Sie uns ... absetzen?“ and „Biegen Sie ... ab“ means formal “you,” addressing the taxi driver. It is the person being asked to carry out the action. Use „Sie“ when speaking formally to an adult or someone you do not know well.
uns
In „uns ... absetzen“ means “us,” the passengers who should be dropped off. It receives the action of „absetzen“. Use it when referring to yourself and at least one other person as the object of an action.
bitte
In „Können Sie uns bitte ... absetzen?“ means “please” and makes the request more polite. It appears inside the request before the requested action. Use „bitte“ when asking someone for help or an action.
in
In „in der Nähe des Eingangs der Klinik“ helps express a location near the entrance. The whole phrase means “near the clinic entrance”; „in“ marks the location within „in der Nähe“. Use this pattern to locate something near a named place.
der
In „in der Nähe“ is the article belonging to „Nähe“ in this location phrase. Together, „in der Nähe“ means “nearby” or “in the vicinity”. Use the phrase when describing a location close to something.
Nähe
In „in der Nähe des Eingangs“ means the nearby area or vicinity of the entrance. The common pattern „in der Nähe ...“ expresses physical closeness. Use it when giving a place that is close to a landmark.
des
In „des Eingangs“ means “of the” and connects the entrance with the nearby area. It introduces the thing whose vicinity is being specified. Use it in a phrase that identifies what something is near.
Eingangs
In „des Eingangs der Klinik“ means “entrance” and is the form used after „des“. It identifies the entrance belonging to the clinic. Use this exact form when referring to the entrance in this possessive phrase.
Klinik
In „der Klinik“ means “clinic” and names the destination or landmark. It specifies which entrance the passenger means. Use it when directing someone to a medical clinic.
absetzen
In „uns ... absetzen“ means “drop off” passengers at a place. It stays as an infinitive after „Können“. Use it with a person or people as the object when asking a driver to let them out.
Ist
In „Ist das gleich hinter der Hauptkreuzung?“ asks whether the indicated place is immediately past the main intersection. It is the verb form used at the beginning of this question. Use it to check whether a location or description is correct.
das
In „Ist das gleich hinter der Hauptkreuzung?“ refers to the place being discussed. It means “that” in the question about the location. Use it to point back to a previously mentioned place or idea.
gleich
In „gleich hinter der Hauptkreuzung“ means “just” or “immediately,” showing that the place is very close beyond the intersection. It strengthens the location reference „hinter der Hauptkreuzung“. Use „gleich hinter ...“ for something directly beyond a landmark.
hinter
In „hinter der Hauptkreuzung“ means “behind” or, for this route, “past” the main intersection. It places the destination beyond a landmark. Use it with a place that serves as a reference point.
Hauptkreuzung
In „der Hauptkreuzung“ means “main intersection” and names a major crossing as a landmark. It helps the driver identify where the destination is located. Use it when giving directions by referring to a prominent intersection.
Biegen
In „Biegen Sie nach der Bank links ab“ gives a formal instruction to turn. Together with the later „ab“, it forms the separated verb „abbiegen“. Use it when giving a formal direction to a driver.
nach
In „nach der Bank“ means “after” and places the turn in relation to the bank. It tells the driver when to turn. Use it with a landmark to give the point after which an action happens.
Bank
In „nach der Bank“ means “bank” and serves as a landmark. The driver should turn after passing it. Use the name of a visible place to make directions easier to follow.
links
In „links ab“ means “to the left” and specifies the direction of the turn. It works together with „Biegen Sie ... ab“. Use „links“ when telling someone to turn left.
ab
In „Biegen Sie ... links ab“ is the separable part that completes „abbiegen“, meaning “turn off” or “turn”. It appears at the end of the instruction. Keep it with „Biegen“ when recognizing the full turning expression.
Dann
In „Dann folgen Sie der Straße“ means “then” and introduces the next direction after turning. It connects the steps in the route. Use it to tell someone what to do next.
folgen
In „folgen Sie der Straße“ means “follow” the road. The reusable pattern is „folgen Sie der Straße“, with the route named after the verb. Use it when telling someone to continue along a road or route.
Straße
In „folgen Sie der Straße“ means “road” or “street” and names the route to follow. It is the path leading toward the pharmacy. Use it when giving directions along a road.
Richtung
In „in Richtung Apotheke“ means “direction” and identifies where the road leads. Together, the phrase means “toward the pharmacy”. Use „in Richtung“ before a destination when giving directional guidance.
Apotheke
In „in Richtung Apotheke“ names the pharmacy as the direction of travel. Later, „die Apotheke“ is also used as a visible landmark on the right. Use it when referring to a pharmacy as a destination or route marker.
Soll
In „Soll ich nach dem Abbiegen geradeaus weiterfahren?“ asks whether the driver should continue straight after turning. It presents the next action as something to be confirmed. Use „Soll ich ...?“ when asking what you are expected or supposed to do.
ich
In „Soll ich ... weiterfahren?“ means “I” and refers to the driver asking about the next action. It is the person who would continue driving. Use it when asking about an action you yourself should take.
dem
In „nach dem Abbiegen“ is the article introducing „Abbiegen“, the turning event. It identifies the event after which the driver should continue. Use the whole phrase to refer to what happens after the turn.
Abbiegen
In „nach dem Abbiegen“ means “turning” or “the turn”. It names the route action as an event that has already happened or will happen before continuing. Use it in this pattern when referring to a turn as a point in a route.
geradeaus
In „geradeaus weiterfahren“ means “straight ahead” and gives the direction of continued travel. It tells the driver not to turn at that point. Use it with a verb of movement when directing someone straight on.
weiterfahren
In „geradeaus weiterfahren“ means “continue driving”. It remains as an infinitive after „Soll“. Use it when asking or telling a driver to keep moving along the route.
Fahren
In „Fahren Sie weiter“ gives a formal instruction to drive or go on. It is used with „Sie“ and the following „weiter“. Use this expression when telling a driver to continue.
weiter
In „Fahren Sie weiter“ means “onward” or “further” and shows that the driver should continue rather than stop. It completes the direction with „Fahren“. Use it to tell someone to keep going.
bis
In „bis die Apotheke rechts von Ihnen ist“ means “until” and introduces the point at which the driver should stop continuing. It sets the pharmacy as the endpoint of the instruction. Use it before a clause that describes when an action should end.
die
In „die Apotheke“ is the article identifying the pharmacy in the endpoint clause. It marks the pharmacy as the place being located on the right. Use it when referring to this specific pharmacy.
rechts
In „rechts von Ihnen“ means “on the right” and describes the pharmacy’s position relative to the driver. It gives the side of the road to watch for. Use it with „von“ to state what is on someone’s right.
von
In „rechts von Ihnen“ helps express the position relative to the driver: “on your right”. It introduces the person used as the reference point. Use this phrase to describe where something is in relation to someone.
Ihnen
In „rechts von Ihnen“ means formal “you” and is the person whose right side is the reference point. It refers respectfully to the driver. Use „Ihnen“ in formal expressions that describe something in relation to another person.
Wo
In „Wo soll ich anhalten?“ means “where” and asks for the location of the stop. It appears at the beginning of the question. Use it when asking for a place or stopping point.
anhalten
In „Wo soll ich anhalten?“ means “stop” or “pull over”. It is the infinitive used after „soll“ and refers to stopping the taxi. Use it when asking where a vehicle should stop.
Irgendwo
In „Irgendwo in der Nähe der Eingangstür“ means “somewhere” or “anywhere” and leaves the exact stopping place unspecified. The following location phrase gives the general area. Use it when any suitable place within an area is acceptable.
Eingangstür
In „der Eingangstür“ means “front door” or “entrance door”. It identifies the door of the building as the stopping landmark. Use it when directing someone to the main door or entrance door.
Ordnung
In „ist in Ordnung“ means “fine” or “okay” as part of this fixed expression. It confirms that stopping anywhere near the front door is acceptable. Use „in Ordnung“ when agreeing that an arrangement is acceptable.
kann
In „Ich kann ... anhalten“ means “can” and expresses the driver’s ability or possibility of stopping there. It is followed by the infinitive „anhalten“. Use „Ich kann ...“ to offer or confirm a possible action.
Eingang
In „hinter dem Eingang“ means “entrance” and serves as the reference point for the proposed stop. The driver can stop just beyond it. Use it when giving directions to or around an entrance.
Grammar Points
Trennbare Verben im Imperativ: Verb + Sie … Präfix
Biegen Sie an der Hauptkreuzung links ab.
BEE-gen zee ahn dair HOWPT-kroy-tsoong links ap.Turn left at the main intersection.
With a separable verb, the prefix moves to the end of the sentence, even in a polite command.
German Vocabulary
abbiegen
verb
AP-BEE-gen
to turn
Biegen ... ab
absetzen
verb
AP-ZET-sen
to drop off
uns absetzen
Bank
noun
bahngk
bank
der Bank
Eingang
noun
EYE-ngahng
entrance
Eingangs
des Eingangs der Klinik
folgen
verb
FOL-gen
to follow
folgen Sie
gleich
adv
glike
just; immediately
Hauptkreuzung
noun
HOWPT-kroy-tsoong
main intersection
der Hauptkreuzung
hinter
prep
HIN-tair
behind; past
hinter der Hauptkreuzung
in der Nähe
phrase
in dair NAY-uh
near; in the vicinity
in der Nähe des Eingangs
Klinik
noun
klee-NEEK
clinic
der Klinik
links
adv
links
left; to the left
nach
prep
nahkh
after
nach der Bank
Quiz
Word Order
Arrange the words in the correct order.
Is that just past the main intersection?
Show Answer
Ist das gleich hinter der Hauptkreuzung?Where would you like me to stop?
Show Answer
Wo soll ich anhalten?Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
clinic
Show Answer
Klinikjust; immediately
Show Answer
gleichbehind; past
Show Answer
hinterto drop off