Labeling food in a shared fridge | Learn German in English

About This Lesson

Use Labeling food in a shared fridge to practice German conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Kann ich diese Suppe in den gemeinsamen Kühlschrank stellen?

kan ikh DEE-zuh ZOO-puh in den guh-MINE-zah-men KYOOL-shrahngk SHTEL-len? Can I put this soup in the shared fridge?

Beschrifte den Behälter, bevor du ihn dort lässt.

beh-SHRIF-tuh den beh-HEL-ter, beh-FOHR doo een dort lest. Label the container before you leave it there.

Soll ich auch das Datum darauf schreiben?

zoll ikh owkh dahs DAH-toom dah-ROWF SHRY-ben? Should I write the date on it too?

So wissen die Leute, wie lange es schon im Kühlschrank ist.

zoh VISS-en dee LOY-tuh, vee LAHNG-uh ess shohn im KYOOL-shrahngk ist. That helps people know how long it has been inside.

Welches Fach ist für persönliche Lebensmittel?

VEL-khes fakh ist fyoor per-ZURN-lihkh-uh LAY-ben-smit-tel? Which shelf is for personal food?

Benutz das oberste Fach, getrennt von den gemeinsamen Sachen.

beh-NOOTs dahs OH-ber-stuh fakh, guh-TRENT fon den guh-MINE-zah-men ZAH-khen. Use the top shelf, away from the shared items.

Ich lasse es dort und nehme es bald mit nach Hause.

ikh LAHS-uh ess dort oont NAY-muh ess bahlt mit nahkh HOW-zuh. I'll keep it there and take it home soon.

So wird der Kühlschrank nicht mit alten Lebensmitteln voll.

zoh veert dair KYOOL-shrahngk nikht mit AHL-ten LAY-ben-smit-teln foll. That way the fridge does not fill up with old food.

Word by Word

Kann In “Kann ich diese Suppe ... stellen?” “Kann” asks whether the speaker is allowed or able to do something. It is the form used with “ich” in a question such as “Kann ich ...?”, useful when asking permission.

ich “Ich” means “I” and identifies the speaker who wants to put the soup in the fridge. It commonly appears before the action in a question such as “Kann ich ...?” when asking about one’s own action.

diese “Diese” means “this” and points to the particular soup being discussed. It appears directly before “Suppe” in “diese Suppe”; use this pattern to identify one specific nearby thing.

Suppe “Suppe” means “soup”, the food the speaker wants to put in the fridge. It is used after “diese” in “diese Suppe” to name the specific item being discussed.

in In “in den gemeinsamen Kühlschrank” “in” means “into” and marks the destination of putting the soup. With a place or container, “in” can introduce where something is put or kept.

den “Den” means “the” before the masculine noun “Kühlschrank” in the destination phrase “in den gemeinsamen Kühlschrank”. It belongs with the following noun phrase rather than standing alone.

gemeinsamen “Gemeinsamen” means “shared” or “common” and describes the fridge used by several people. It appears before “Kühlschrank” in “den gemeinsamen Kühlschrank”, a reusable pattern for describing something shared.

Kühlschrank “Kühlschrank” means “fridge” or “refrigerator”, the place where the soup will be stored. In the dialogue it appears in “in den gemeinsamen Kühlschrank”; use it for talking about storing or taking food from a fridge.

stellen “Stellen” means “put” or “place” in “diese Suppe ... stellen”, describing placing the soup in the fridge. It is the infinitive after “Kann ich”; use “etwas in ... stellen” when putting an item into a place or container.

Beschrifte “Beschrifte” tells one person informally to label the container. It is the command form used in “Beschrifte den Behälter”; use it when giving a direct instruction to someone addressed with “du”.

Behälter “Behälter” means “container”, the item that should receive a label. In “Beschrifte den Behälter”, it is the object of the instruction; use the noun when referring to a container for storing something.

bevor “Bevor” means “before” and introduces the action that must happen first: labeling before leaving the container there. It introduces “bevor du ihn dort lässt”, a useful pattern for ordering two actions.

du “Du” means “you” and identifies the person who should leave the container there. It is the subject of “du ihn dort lässt”; use it when speaking directly to one person informally.

ihn “Ihn” means “it” here and refers back to the masculine noun “Behälter”. In “du ihn dort lässt” it is the object of “lässt”; use this pronoun to refer back to that container without repeating the noun.

dort “Dort” means “there” and points to the place where the container is left. In “ihn dort lässt” it follows the object and identifies the storage location; use it when the place is already understood.

lässt “Lässt” means “leaves” or “lets remain” in “du ihn dort lässt”. It is the form of “lassen” used with “du”; use “etwas dort lassen” when keeping or leaving something in a place.

Soll In “Soll ich auch das Datum ... schreiben?” “Soll” asks whether the speaker ought to do something. It is used with “ich” in a question about what action is appropriate, followed by an infinitive.

auch “Auch” means “also” or “too” and adds the date as another thing to write. In “auch das Datum” it comes before the noun phrase; use it when adding one more action or item.

das “Das” means “the” before “Datum” in “das Datum”. It identifies the specific date to be written; it also appears in the dialogue as part of a noun phrase after “auch”.

Datum “Datum” means “date”, specifically the information to be written on the container. In “das Datum darauf schreiben” it is the thing being written; use this phrase when recording a date on an item.

darauf “Darauf” means “on it” and refers to writing the date on the container or its label. In “das Datum darauf schreiben” it follows the object and identifies the surface; use it when the thing being written on is already understood.

schreiben “Schreiben” means “write” in “das Datum darauf schreiben”. It is the infinitive after “Soll ich”; use “etwas darauf schreiben” when writing something on an already understood surface.

So “So” means “that way” in “So wissen die Leute ...” and connects the labeling action with its helpful result. It introduces a consequence or purpose in a pattern meaning that something happens as a result of the previous action.

wissen “Wissen” means “know” in “So wissen die Leute ...”, describing what the people can know from the date. It is used with “die Leute” and introduces the information they know, such as “wie lange ...”.

die “Die” means “the” before “Leute” in “die Leute”. It identifies the people sharing the fridge; use it as part of the noun phrase rather than translating it separately from “Leute”.

Leute “Leute” means “people”, referring here to the people who use the shared fridge. In “die Leute” it is the subject of “wissen”; use this noun when talking about people in general or in a shared situation.

wie In “wie lange es schon im Kühlschrank ist” “wie” contributes to the question “how long”. It works together with “lange” to introduce the duration that the people want to know.

lange In “wie lange” “lange” contributes the meaning “long” and asks about duration. The reusable pattern is “wissen, wie lange ...”, used when asking how much time has passed.

es “Es” means “it” and refers here to the food in the fridge. In “wie lange es schon im Kühlschrank ist” it is the subject of the subordinate clause; use it to avoid repeating the food item.

schon “Schon” means “already” or “by now” in “es schon im Kühlschrank ist”. It emphasizes that the food has been in the fridge for some time; use it when referring to an action or state that began earlier.

im “Im” means “in the” in “im Kühlschrank”. It introduces the place where the food is located; use it before a masculine or neuter place noun when describing something being inside it.

ist “Ist” means “is” and states that the food is in the fridge. In “wie lange es schon im Kühlschrank ist” it comes at the end of the subordinate clause; use it to describe a current location or state.

Welches “Welches” means “which” and asks the listener to choose one particular shelf or compartment. It appears directly before “Fach” in “Welches Fach ...?”; use this pattern when asking which option is intended.

Fach “Fach” means “shelf” or “compartment”, referring to a section inside the fridge. In “Welches Fach ist für persönliche Lebensmittel?” it is the item being selected; use it for a distinct storage section.

für “Für” means “for” and identifies the intended users or purpose of the shelf. In “für persönliche Lebensmittel” it introduces the food that belongs there; use “für” to say what something is intended for.

persönliche “Persönliche” means “personal” and describes food belonging to an individual rather than the shared items. It appears before “Lebensmittel” in “persönliche Lebensmittel”; use this pattern to distinguish private items from communal ones.

Lebensmittel “Lebensmittel” means “food” or “food items”, referring here to personal food stored in the fridge. In “persönliche Lebensmittel” it names the items intended for the personal shelf; use it for food products in a storage context.

Benutz “Benutz” tells one person informally to use the top shelf. It is the command form used in “Benutz das oberste Fach”; use it for a direct instruction addressed to someone with “du”.

oberste “Oberste” means “top” or “highest” and identifies the highest shelf in the fridge. It appears before “Fach” in “das oberste Fach”; use this pattern to specify the highest item or section.

getrennt “Getrennt” means “separate” or “apart” and describes keeping the personal shelf away from the shared items. In “getrennt von den gemeinsamen Sachen” it is followed by “von” to show what something is separate from.

von “Von” means “from” in “getrennt von den gemeinsamen Sachen”. Together with “getrennt” it identifies what the personal food should be kept apart from; use the pattern “getrennt von ...” for separation.

Sachen “Sachen” means “things” or “items”, referring here to the shared food items. In “den gemeinsamen Sachen” it names what the personal food should be separated from; use it for items when a more specific noun is not needed.

lasse “Lasse” means “leave” or “keep” in “Ich lasse es dort”, where the speaker will leave the food in that place. It is the form used with “ich”; use “etwas dort lassen” when saying that something will remain somewhere.

und “Und” means “and” and joins the two actions “lasse es dort” and “nehme es bald mit nach Hause”. It is used to connect related actions performed by the same speaker.

nehme “Nehme” means “take” in “nehme es bald mit nach Hause”. It is the form used with “ich” and combines with “mit” to express taking something along; use “etwas mitnehmen” when removing an item and taking it with you.

bald “Bald” means “soon” and says that the speaker will take the food home in the near future. In “nehme es bald mit nach Hause” it comes before the movement phrase; use it to give an approximate near time.

mit “Mit” contributes the meaning “along” in “mit nach Hause” and completes the idea of taking the food with the speaker. It works with “nehme” in “nehme ... mit”, a reusable pattern for taking something along.

nach “Nach” means “to” in the fixed expression “nach Hause”, indicating movement toward home. Use “nach Hause” when describing going or taking something home.

Hause “Hause” appears in the fixed expression “nach Hause”, meaning “home” as the destination. In “mit nach Hause” it describes taking the food home; use the complete expression rather than treating this form as a general place word.

wird “Wird” means “becomes” or “gets” in “wird ... voll”, describing the fridge becoming full. It is used with the singular subject “der Kühlschrank” and the adjective “voll” to describe a change of state.

der “Der” means “the” before “Kühlschrank” in “der Kühlschrank”. It identifies the fridge as the subject of “wird ... voll”; use it as part of this masculine noun phrase.

nicht “Nicht” means “not” and negates the result that the fridge becomes full. In “wird der Kühlschrank nicht ... voll” it appears before the adjective “voll”; use it to say that a result does not happen.

alten “Alten” means “old” and describes the food items that could remain in the fridge too long. It appears before “Lebensmitteln” in “mit alten Lebensmitteln”; use this pattern to describe food that is no longer fresh or newly stored.

Lebensmitteln “Lebensmitteln” means “food items” in “mit alten Lebensmitteln”, referring to old food filling the fridge. This exact form appears after “mit”; use the phrase “mit alten Lebensmitteln voll” when describing a fridge becoming full of old food.

voll “Voll” means “full” in “wird der Kühlschrank ... voll”, describing the fridge’s resulting condition. It follows “wird” in this change-of-state pattern; use it when saying that a container or place becomes full.

Grammar Points

bevor + Nebensatz: Das konjugierte Verb steht am Ende.

Bevor du die Suppe in den Kühlschrank stellst, beschrifte den Behälter.

beh-FOHR doo dee ZOO-puh in den KYOOL-shrahngk SHTELST, beh-SHRIF-tuh den beh-HEL-ter.

Before you put the soup in the fridge, label the container.

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

Trennbare Verben: Der Verbzusatz steht am Satzende.

Ich nehme die Sachen bald mit.

ikh NAY-muh dee ZAH-khen bahlt mit.

I will take the things along soon.

Bei „mitnehmen“ steht „mit“ im Hauptsatz getrennt vom konjugierten Verb: „nehme ... mit“.

German Vocabulary

Behälter noun

beh-HEL-ter container

beschriften verb

beh-SHRIF-ten to label Beschrifte

bevor conj

beh-FOHR before

darauf adv

dah-ROWF on it; on that

Datum noun

DAH-toom date

Kühlschrank noun

KYOOL-shrahngk fridge

lassen verb

LAHS-en to leave; to keep lässt

Leute noun

LOY-tuh people

schreiben verb

SHRY-ben to write

stellen verb

SHTEL-len to put; to place

Suppe noun

ZOO-puh soup

wissen verb

VISS-en to know

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Which shelf is for personal food?

Show Answer

Welches Fach ist für persönliche Lebensmittel?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to leave; to keep

Show Answer

lässt

container

Show Answer

Behälter

before

Show Answer

bevor

to label

Show Answer

Beschrifte