Renewing a library book | Learn German in English

German lesson set in a contemporary Berlin everyday setting: At a library desk, one person asks how to renew a borrowed book when their online account is not working..

EN → DE / Level: A2

About This Lesson

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

Dialogue

A

Ich möchte ein Buch verlängern, das ich ausgeliehen habe.

ikh MERKH-tuh ayn bookh fehr-LENG-ern, dahs ikh OWS-guh-LEE-en HAH-buh. I'd like to renew a book I borrowed.
B

Sie können es über Ihr Online-Konto verlängern.

zee KUR-nen ess OO-ber eer ON-line KON-toh fehr-LENG-ern. You can renew it through your online account.
A

Ich kann heute nicht auf mein Konto zugreifen.

ikh kahn HOY-tuh nikht owf mine KON-toh TSOOK-gry-fen. I can't get into my account today.
B

Wir können Ihnen am Schalter helfen.

veer KUR-nen EE-nen ahm SHAL-ter HEL-fen. We can help you at the desk.
A

Brauche ich meinen Bibliotheksausweis?

BROW-khuh ikh MY-nen bee-blee-oh-TEHKS-ows-vice? Do I need my library card?
B

Bringen Sie Ihren Bibliotheksausweis mit, damit wir Ihren Eintrag finden können.

BRING-en zee EE-ren bee-blee-oh-TEHKS-ows-vice mit, dah-MIT veer EE-ren EYN-trahk FIN-den KUR-nen. Bring your card so we can find your record.
A

Kann ich das Buch danach noch heute verlängern?

kahn ikh dahs bookh dah-NAHKH nokh HOY-tuh fehr-LENG-ern? Can I renew the book today after that?
B

Sie können es verlängern, es sei denn, jemand anderes hat es angefordert.

zee KUR-nen ess fehr-LENG-ern, ess zeye den, YEH-mahnt AHN-deh-res hat ess AHN-guh-FORD-ert. You can, unless someone else has requested it.

Word by Word

Ich Ich means “I” here, referring to the person asking about the book. The form appears at the beginning of the sentence, as in “Ich möchte …”. Use Ich when stating what you want or need.
möchte möchte expresses a polite wish here: the speaker would like to renew the book. It is used with an infinitive, as in “Ich möchte … verlängern”. This is useful when making a polite request at a service desk.
ein ein means “a” before “Buch” in “ein Buch verlängern”. It introduces one unspecified book. Use the pattern ein + noun when referring to one non-specific item.
Buch Buch means “book” here, specifically the library book the speaker borrowed. In “ein Buch verlängern”, it is the item whose borrowing period should be extended. Use Buch for a book in a library or other everyday context.
verlängern verlängern means “to renew” the borrowing period in this dialogue. It appears as the infinitive after “möchte” in “Ich möchte ein Buch verlängern”. Use the pattern etwas verlängern when extending a period or validity.
das das refers back to “Buch” in “ein Buch verlängern, das ich ausgeliehen habe”; it introduces information about that book. Here it can be understood as “that” or “which”. Use das to connect a noun with a following description when the form is certain from the context.
ausgeliehen ausgeliehen means “borrowed” in “das ich ausgeliehen habe”. It describes the book that the speaker borrowed and appears with “habe” in this past construction. The related verb is ausleihen; use ausgeliehen when describing something that has been borrowed.
habe habe means “have” in “das ich ausgeliehen habe” and helps express that the speaker borrowed the book. It is the form used with “ich”. Use “ich habe …” when talking about something you have done or have.
Sie Sie means formal “you” here, addressing the library user respectfully. In “Sie können es … verlängern”, it is the person who can renew the book. Use capitalized Sie when speaking politely to one or more people.
können können means “can” or “be able to” in “Sie können es … verlängern”. It is followed by the infinitive “verlängern”. Use the pattern Sie können + infinitive to offer or explain what someone is able to do.
es es means “it” here and refers to the book in “Sie können es … verlängern”. It avoids repeating “das Buch”. Use es to refer back to a known thing when its noun is clear from the context.
über über means “through” or “via” in “über Ihr Online-Konto”; it names the route used to renew the book. Here it is followed by “Ihr Online-Konto”. Use über + a service or channel to say that something is done through it.
Ihr Ihr means formal “your” in “Ihr Online-Konto”. It refers respectfully to the account belonging to the person being addressed. Use capitalized Ihr when addressing someone formally and describing something they have.
Online-Konto Online-Konto means “online account”, the account through which the library book can be renewed. In “über Ihr Online-Konto”, it follows the route word über. Use Online-Konto for an account that is accessed on the internet.
kann kann means “can” or “is able to” in “Ich kann heute nicht … zugreifen”. It describes the speaker’s ability to access the account. Use “Ich kann …” with an infinitive when saying what you can or cannot do.
heute heute means “today” in “Ich kann heute nicht auf mein Konto zugreifen”. It specifies the day on which access is not possible. Use heute when locating an action or situation on the current day.
nicht nicht means “not” and negates the speaker’s ability to access the account in “Ich kann heute nicht … zugreifen”. It appears before the rest of the access phrase here. Use nicht to make a statement or ability negative.
auf auf is part of the access expression “auf mein Konto zugreifen”, meaning “to access my account”. Here it connects zugreifen with the account being accessed. Reuse the pattern auf + account or service + zugreifen.
mein mein means “my” in “mein Konto”, identifying the account as belonging to the speaker. It comes directly before Konto. Use mein before a noun when referring to something that belongs to you.
Konto Konto means “account” here, specifically the speaker’s library-related online account. In “auf mein Konto zugreifen”, it is the account the speaker cannot access. Use Konto for an online or personal account.
zugreifen zugreifen means “to access” in “auf mein Konto zugreifen”. It appears as an infinitive after kann. Use the reusable pattern auf etwas zugreifen when accessing an account, file, or service.
Wir Wir means “we” in “Wir können Ihnen … helfen”, referring to the library staff. It presents the desk staff as the people who can provide assistance. Use Wir when speaking for yourself together with another person or group.
Ihnen Ihnen means formal “you” as the person receiving help in “Wir können Ihnen … helfen”. It is used with helfen in this sentence. Use capitalized Ihnen when addressing someone formally as the recipient of an action.
am am means “at the” in “am Schalter”. It places the help at the library counter or desk. Use am before a place when saying that something happens at that location.
Schalter Schalter means “desk” or “counter” here, specifically the library service desk. In “am Schalter”, it names the place where the staff can help. Use Schalter for a service counter such as one in a library, station, or office.
helfen helfen means “help” in “Wir können Ihnen am Schalter helfen”. It is the infinitive after können and names the assistance the staff can provide. Use helfen with a person when offering assistance, as in “jemandem helfen”.
Brauche Brauche means “need” in the question “Brauche ich meinen Bibliotheksausweis?”. It asks whether the speaker requires the library card. The related verb is brauchen; use “Brauche ich …?” to ask whether something is necessary.
meinen meinen means “my” in “meinen Bibliotheksausweis”, identifying the library card as belonging to the speaker. It appears directly before the noun. Use meinen before a masculine object when referring to something that belongs to you.
Bibliotheksausweis Bibliotheksausweis means “library card” here, the card the speaker may need to bring. In “meinen Bibliotheksausweis”, it is the requested identification item. Use Bibliotheksausweis when talking about the card used for library services.
Bringen Bringen means “bring” in the formal instruction “Bringen Sie Ihren Bibliotheksausweis mit”. It asks the person to bring the library card to the desk. Use Bringen Sie … mit when politely instructing someone to bring something along.
Ihren Ihren means formal “your” in “Ihren Bibliotheksausweis”. It identifies the library card as belonging to the person being addressed. Use capitalized Ihren when speaking formally and describing something the other person has.
mit mit completes the separable expression “Bringen Sie Ihren Bibliotheksausweis mit”, meaning “bring your library card along”. It adds the idea of bringing the item with you to the desk. Reuse mit at the end of the sentence with the verb bringen when telling someone to bring something along.
damit damit means “so that” in “damit wir Ihren Eintrag finden können”. It introduces the purpose of bringing the card. Use damit + a clause to explain why an action is needed.
Eintrag Eintrag means “record” or “entry” here, referring to the library record the staff want to find. In “Ihren Eintrag finden”, it is the information connected with the user’s account or card. Use Eintrag for a record or entry in a system or list.
finden finden means “find” in “damit wir Ihren Eintrag finden können”. It appears at the end of the clause after können. Use the pattern etwas finden können when saying that someone is able to locate something.
danach danach means “after that” in “das Buch danach … verlängern”. It refers to the step of bringing the library card and finding the record. Use danach to refer to an action or time that follows something already mentioned.
noch noch means “still” in “noch heute”, adding that the renewal can happen on the same day after the earlier step. Together, “noch heute” means “still today” or “later today”. Use noch heute when emphasizing that something remains possible within the current day.
es sei denn The fixed expression es sei denn means “unless” and introduces the exception to renewing the book. In this expression, es, sei, and denn work together as one exception marker rather than being translated separately. Use es sei denn + a clause to state a condition that would prevent the action.
jemand jemand means “someone” in “jemand anderes”, referring to an unspecified person who may have requested the book. It is followed by anderes to express “someone else”. Use jemand when the person is unknown or not named.
anderes anderes adds the meaning “else” in “jemand anderes”, so the phrase means “someone else”. It distinguishes this unspecified person from the current speaker or other people already involved. Reuse jemand anderes when referring to another, unnamed person.
hat hat means “has” in “jemand anderes hat es angefordert”. It helps express that someone else has already requested the book. Use hat with a completed action when the subject is jemand or another singular person.
angefordert angefordert means “requested” in “jemand anderes hat es angefordert”. It says that another person has requested the book, which is the exception to renewal. The related verb is anfordern; use angefordert with hat to describe a request that has been made.

Grammar Points

damit + Nebensatz: Das konjugierte Verb steht am Ende.

Greife auf dein Online-Konto zu, damit du den Eintrag verlängern kannst.

GRY-fuh owf deyn ON-line KON-toh tsoo, dah-MIT doo dehn EYN-trahk fehr-LENG-ern kanst.

Access your online account so that you can renew the record.

„Damit“ introduces a purpose clause, and the conjugated verb moves to the end.

es sei denn + Nebensatz

Du kannst das Buch verlängern, es sei denn, jemand hat es angefordert.

doo kanst dahs bookh fehr-LENG-ern, ess zeye den, YEH-mahnt hat ess AHN-guh-FORD-ert.

You can renew the book unless someone has requested it.

„Es sei denn“ means “unless” and introduces an exception to the main statement.

German Vocabulary

auf prep
owf to; onto

auf mein Konto zugreifen

ausgeliehen adj
OWS-guh-LEE-en borrowed; checked out

das ich ausgeliehen habe

Bibliotheksausweis noun
bee-blee-oh-TEHKS-ows-vice library card

meinen Bibliotheksausweis

Buch noun
bookh book

ein Buch

damit conj
dah-MIT so that

damit wir Ihren Eintrag finden können

heute adv
HOY-tuh today

heute nicht auf mein Konto zugreifen

Konto noun
KON-toh account

mein Konto

Online-Konto noun
ON-line KON-toh online account

Ihr Online-Konto

Schalter noun
SHAL-ter desk; counter

am Schalter

über prep
OO-ber through; via

über Ihr Online-Konto

verlängern phrase
fehr-LENG-ern renew; extend

ein Buch verlängern

zugreifen phrase
TSOOK-gry-fen access; get into

auf mein Konto zugreifen

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

We can help you at the desk.

Show AnswerWir können Ihnen am Schalter helfen.

Do I need my library card?

Show AnswerBrauche ich meinen Bibliotheksausweis?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

through; via

Show Answerüber

book

Show AnswerBuch

borrowed; checked out

Show Answerausgeliehen

renew; extend

Show Answerverlängern