Letting Someone with a Baby Go First | Learn German in English

German lesson set in a contemporary Berlin everyday setting: In a public line, one person offers to let someone managing a baby and stroller go ahead..

EN → DE / Level: B1

About This Lesson

Use Letting Someone with a Baby Go First to practice German conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Entschuldigung, diese Schlange ist mit einem Baby und einem Kinderwagen bestimmt schwer zu bewältigen.

ent-SHOOL-di-goong, DEE-zuh SHLAHNG-uh ist mitt EYE-nem BAY-bee oont EYE-nem KIN-der-vah-gen beh-SHTIMT shvair tsoo beh-VEL-ti-gen. Excuse me, this line must be hard to manage with a baby and a stroller.
B

Das war bisher schwierig.

dahs vahr bee-SHAIR SHVEE-rih. It has been tricky.
B

Ich versuche, den Kinderwagen ruhig zu halten und das Baby zu beruhigen, während wir warten.

ikh fehr-ZOO-khuh, dehn KIN-der-vah-gen ROO-ikh tsoo HAL-ten oont dahs BAY-bee tsoo beh-ROO-ih-gen, VAIR-ent veer VAHR-ten. I am trying to keep the stroller still and the baby calm while we wait.
A

Möchten Sie vor mir an die Reihe kommen?

MURKH-ten zee fohr meer ahn dee RYE-uh KOM-en? Would you like to go before me?
B

Das ist sehr aufmerksam. Sind Sie sicher?

dahs ist zair OWF-mairk-zahm. Zint zee ZIKH-er? That is very considerate. Are you sure?
A

Ich bin sicher.

ikh bin ZIKH-er. I am sure.
A

Ich habe es nicht eilig.

ikh HAH-buh ess nikht EYE-lihkh. I am not in a hurry.
A

Das sieht schwer zu bewältigen aus.

dahs zeet shvair tsoo beh-VEL-ti-gen OWSS. This looks hard to manage.
B

Das würde uns wirklich helfen.

dahs VUR-duh oons VEERK-lihkh HEL-fen. That would make a real difference.
A

Das bedeutet für mich nur eine kurze zusätzliche Wartezeit.

dahs beh-DOY-tet fyoor meer noor EYE-nuh KOORTS-uh tsoo-ZETSL-i-khuh VAHR-tuh-tsite. It will only add a short wait for me.
B

Wenn wir vor Ihnen an die Reihe kämen, würde uns das helfen, bevor das Baby unruhiger wird.

ven veer fohr EE-nen ahn dee RYE-uh KEH-men, VUR-duh oons dahs HEL-fen, beh-FOHR dahs BAY-bee oon-ROO-ih-ger veert. Going ahead of you would help us before the baby gets more restless.
A

Ich würde hoffen, dass mir jemand genauso helfen würde.

ikh VUR-duh HOF-en, dahss meer YAY-mahnt geh-NOW-zoh HEL-fen VUR-duh. I would hope someone would offer the same help to me.
B

Ich weiß das zu schätzen. Das macht das Warten viel weniger stressig.

ikh vice dahs tsoo SHET-sen. dahs mahkht dahs VAHR-ten feel VAY-ni-guh SHTRES-ikh. I appreciate it. This makes the wait much less stressful.

Word by Word

Entschuldigung ‘Entschuldigung’ is a polite way to get someone’s attention here, meaning ‘excuse me’. Use it at the beginning of a polite question or request to a stranger.
diese ‘diese’ points to the particular line being discussed and means ‘this’. In ‘diese Schlange’, it comes before the noun to identify a specific thing.
Schlange ‘Schlange’ means ‘line’ or ‘queue’ here. It is used for the queue in which the speakers are waiting; a common reuse pattern is describing someone as being in a queue.
ist ‘ist’ means ‘is’ and links ‘diese Schlange’ to the description ‘schwer zu bewältigen’. Use it to describe what a person, thing, or situation is like.
mit ‘mit’ means ‘with’ and introduces what accompanies the situation: ‘mit einem Baby und einem Kinderwagen’. Use it to connect a person or thing that accompanies an action or circumstance.
einem ‘einem’ is the article meaning ‘a’ or ‘an’ in ‘mit einem Baby’. It introduces one non-specific baby as part of the accompanying situation.
Baby ‘Baby’ means ‘baby’. In ‘mit einem Baby’, it names the child accompanying the person in the queue; this phrase can be reused when describing someone’s situation.
und ‘und’ means ‘and’ and joins ‘Baby’ with ‘Kinderwagen’ in ‘mit einem Baby und einem Kinderwagen’. Use it to connect two nouns or actions that belong together.
Kinderwagen ‘Kinderwagen’ means ‘stroller’. In the dialogue, it names the stroller accompanying the baby; use it in descriptions of moving around or waiting with a stroller.
bestimmt ‘bestimmt’ means ‘surely’ or ‘certainly’ here and expresses the speaker’s confident assumption that the situation is difficult. It can be placed before a description to make that assumption sound strong.
schwer ‘schwer’ means ‘hard’ or ‘difficult’ and describes managing the queue. With ‘zu bewältigen’, it presents the situation as a difficult task; use this pattern for tasks that are hard to manage.
zu ‘zu’ marks the infinitive in ‘schwer zu bewältigen’. Together with ‘schwer’, it helps describe something as difficult to do; a similar pattern can follow an adjective describing the difficulty of an action.
bewältigen ‘bewältigen’ means ‘manage’ or ‘cope with’ and refers to handling the queue successfully. Use it for managing a demanding task or situation.
Das ‘Das’ refers back to the difficult situation and means ‘that’ or ‘it’ at the start of ‘Das war bisher schwierig’. Use it to refer to a situation just mentioned.
war ‘war’ presents the situation as having been difficult and means ‘was’. With ‘bisher’, it describes the experience up to now.
bisher ‘bisher’ means ‘so far’ or ‘up to now’. It limits ‘war schwierig’ to the experience up to the present; use it when describing what has applied until now.
schwierig ‘schwierig’ means ‘difficult’ or ‘tricky’ and describes the experience of waiting with the baby and stroller. It can follow a form of ‘sein’ to describe a task or situation.
Ich ‘Ich’ means ‘I’ and identifies the speaker as the subject of the statement. Use it when speaking about your own actions, state, or opinion.
versuche ‘versuche’ means ‘try’ or ‘am trying’ here and says that the speaker is making an effort. The citation form is ‘versuchen’; ‘versuche’ is the form used with ‘Ich’. A reusable pattern is ‘Ich versuche,’ followed by an action.
den ‘den’ is the definite article in ‘den Kinderwagen ruhig zu halten’ and refers to the specific stroller. It is part of the object phrase naming what the speaker is trying to keep still.
ruhig ‘ruhig’ means ‘still’ here and describes the stroller as not moving. With ‘halten’, it expresses keeping something still; it can also describe a calm state.
halten ‘halten’ means ‘keep’ or ‘hold’ and refers to keeping the stroller still. Use it with an object and a description when saying that something should remain in a particular state.
beruhigen ‘beruhigen’ means ‘calm’ or ‘soothe’ and refers to calming the baby. It is useful for describing an effort to reduce someone’s agitation, especially a child’s.
während ‘während’ means ‘while’ and introduces the simultaneous action in ‘während wir warten’. Use it before a clause describing something that happens at the same time as another action.
wir ‘wir’ means ‘we’ and refers to the speaker together with the baby or accompanying group. Use it as the subject when speaking about yourself together with other people.
warten ‘warten’ means ‘wait’ in ‘während wir warten’. It describes remaining until the speakers reach their turn; use it for waiting for an event, person, or opportunity.
Möchten ‘Möchten’ means ‘would like’ and makes the offer to let the other person go ahead polite. At the beginning of a formal question, it can ask whether someone wants something.
Sie ‘Sie’ means formal ‘you’ and addresses the other person politely. Use it in formal exchanges with someone you are not addressing informally.
vor ‘vor’ means ‘before’ or ‘ahead of’ and places the other person ahead of the speaker in the queue. Use it with a person or object to indicate a position in front of another.
mir ‘mir’ means ‘me’ in ‘vor mir’, identifying the speaker as the reference point for the position ahead. Use ‘vor mir’ when saying that someone or something is in front of you.
an In ‘an die Reihe kommen’, ‘an’ helps form the expression for reaching one’s turn. It does not carry the whole meaning alone; reuse the complete expression when talking about getting a turn in a queue.
die ‘die’ is the article in ‘die Reihe’. Together, ‘an die Reihe’ refers to the turn or place reached in the queue, so this word is best reused as part of the full expression.
Reihe ‘Reihe’ means ‘turn’ or ‘place in line’ in ‘an die Reihe kommen’. Use the complete expression when saying that someone gets their turn.
kommen ‘kommen’ means ‘come’ or ‘get to’ here and completes ‘an die Reihe kommen’, meaning to get one’s turn. This expression is useful in queue or turn-taking situations.
sehr ‘sehr’ means ‘very’ and intensifies ‘aufmerksam’. Use it before an adjective when you want to express a high degree of a quality.
aufmerksam ‘aufmerksam’ means ‘considerate’ here and praises the other person’s thoughtful offer. Use it as a compliment for behavior that shows care for someone else’s situation.
Sind ‘Sind’ means ‘are’ and is the form of ‘sein’ used in the formal question ‘Sind Sie sicher?’. Here it asks whether the listener is certain about the offer.
sicher ‘sicher’ means ‘sure’ or ‘certain’ in ‘Sind Sie sicher?’. Use it with a form of ‘sein’ to ask or state whether someone has confidence in something.
bin ‘bin’ means ‘am’ in ‘Ich bin sicher’. It is the form of ‘sein’ used with ‘Ich’ and states the speaker’s certainty; it can also introduce a description of the speaker’s state.
habe ‘habe’ means ‘have’, but in ‘Ich habe es nicht eilig’ it belongs to the expression for not being in a hurry. The citation form is ‘haben’; ‘habe’ is the form used with ‘Ich’.
es ‘es’ is part of the expression ‘Ich habe es nicht eilig’, which means that the speaker is not in a hurry. Here it does not refer to a separate concrete object; reuse the full expression to talk about urgency.
nicht ‘nicht’ means ‘not’ and negates ‘eilig’ in ‘Ich habe es nicht eilig’. Use it to deny or negate the relevant description or action.
eilig ‘eilig’ means ‘in a hurry’ or ‘pressed for time’. In ‘Ich habe es nicht eilig’, it says that the speaker has no urgency; this expression is useful when offering to wait.
sieht ‘sieht’ means ‘looks’ or ‘seems’ in ‘Das sieht schwer zu bewältigen aus’. It is the form of ‘sehen’ used with ‘Das’ and introduces an impression about the situation.
aus In ‘Das sieht schwer zu bewältigen aus’, ‘aus’ completes the expression ‘sieht ... aus’, meaning ‘looks’ or ‘seems’. Reuse the complete expression with a description of how something appears.
würde ‘würde’ presents something as possible or hypothetical rather than as a current fact. In ‘Das würde uns wirklich helfen’, it describes a possible benefit; in ‘Ich würde hoffen’, it introduces a hoped-for situation.
uns ‘uns’ means ‘us’ and identifies the speaker’s group as the people who would benefit. Use it when saying that an action helps or affects yourself together with others.
wirklich ‘wirklich’ means ‘really’ and emphasizes that the help would make a genuine difference. Use it before a description or verb to strengthen the speaker’s meaning.
helfen ‘helfen’ means ‘help’ and describes the benefit the speakers would receive. Use it when explaining that an action supports or benefits a person or group.
bedeutet ‘bedeutet’ means ‘means’ or ‘entails’ and is the form of ‘bedeuten’ used with ‘Das’. In ‘Das bedeutet für mich ...’, it introduces the consequence for the speaker; use this pattern to explain what an action involves.
für ‘für’ means ‘for’ and introduces the person affected by the consequence in ‘für mich’. Use it to identify whom a result, benefit, or cost concerns.
mich ‘mich’ means ‘me’ in ‘für mich’ and identifies the speaker as the person affected. Use ‘für mich’ when explaining what something means or entails for yourself.
nur ‘nur’ means ‘only’ and limits the consequence to a short additional wait. Use it to narrow the amount, extent, or number of something.
eine ‘eine’ means ‘a’ or ‘an’ and introduces one waiting period in ‘eine kurze zusätzliche Wartezeit’. It is used before the singular noun being described.
kurze ‘kurze’ means ‘short’ and describes the limited length of the waiting time. It appears before ‘Wartezeit’ to specify its duration.
zusätzliche ‘zusätzliche’ means ‘additional’ or ‘extra’ and says that this waiting time is added to the speaker’s existing wait. Use it before a noun when describing something newly added.
Wartezeit ‘Wartezeit’ means ‘waiting time’. In ‘eine kurze zusätzliche Wartezeit’, it refers to the extra time the speaker would spend waiting; use it in queue, appointment, or travel situations.
Wenn ‘Wenn’ means ‘if’ here and introduces the hypothetical condition ‘Wenn wir vor Ihnen an die Reihe kämen’. Use it at the beginning of a clause describing a condition or possible situation.
Ihnen ‘Ihnen’ means formal ‘you’ in ‘vor Ihnen’ and identifies the person whose position is being used as the reference point. Use it when addressing someone formally in this type of phrase.
kämen ‘kämen’ means ‘would come’ or ‘would get to’ in the hypothetical condition ‘Wenn wir vor Ihnen an die Reihe kämen’. It is a form of ‘kommen’ used here for a possible situation.
bevor ‘bevor’ means ‘before’ and introduces the event that has not yet happened: the baby becoming more restless. Use it to order one event earlier than another.
unruhiger ‘unruhiger’ means ‘more restless’ and shows an increase in the baby’s restlessness. Use it when describing a change toward a greater degree of agitation.
wird ‘wird’ means ‘becomes’ or ‘gets’ in ‘unruhiger wird’. It describes a change of state; a reusable pattern is ‘wird’ followed by a description of what someone or something becomes.
hoffen ‘hoffen’ means ‘hope’ and expresses the speaker’s wish that someone would offer similar help. Use it with ‘dass’ to introduce the event or action being hoped for.
dass ‘dass’ means ‘that’ and introduces the content of the hope in ‘hoffen, dass mir jemand genauso helfen würde’. Use it to connect a statement of hoping with the hoped-for situation.
jemand ‘jemand’ means ‘someone’ and refers to an unspecified person who might offer help. Use it when the person is unknown or does not need to be identified.
genauso ‘genauso’ means ‘in the same way’ or ‘just as’ and compares the possible help with the help being offered now. Use it when saying that an action should match another action.
weiß ‘weiß’ means ‘know’ on its own, but in ‘Ich weiß das zu schätzen’ it contributes to the expression of appreciation. It is the form of ‘wissen’ used with ‘Ich’; a reusable pattern combines ‘wissen’ with ‘zu schätzen’ to show that something is valued.
schätzen ‘schätzen’ means ‘appreciate’ or ‘value’ in ‘Ich weiß das zu schätzen’. Together with ‘weiß’ and ‘zu’, it expresses gratitude for an action; use it in an appreciation expression when someone has done something helpful.
macht ‘macht’ means ‘makes’ and is the form of ‘machen’ used with ‘Das’. In ‘Das macht das Warten ...’, it describes the effect of the helpful offer on the waiting experience; use ‘Das macht ...’ to describe a result.
viel ‘viel’ means ‘much’ or ‘a lot’ and intensifies ‘weniger stressig’ to mean ‘much less stressful’. Use it before a comparative description to emphasize a large difference.
weniger ‘weniger’ means ‘less’ and lowers the degree of stress in ‘viel weniger stressig’. Use it with a description when comparing a reduced amount or degree.
stressig ‘stressig’ means ‘stressful’ and describes the waiting experience. In ‘viel weniger stressig’, it says that the offer makes the wait less stressful; use it for situations or experiences that cause stress.

Grammar Points

versuchen, etwas zu tun

Ich versuche, das Baby zu beruhigen.

ikh fehr-ZOO-khuh, dahs BAY-bee tsoo beh-ROO-ih-gen.

I am trying to calm the baby.

Nach versuchen steht der Infinitiv mit zu: versuchen, etwas zu tun.

es ... eilig haben

Sie haben es eilig.

zee HAH-ben ess EYE-lihkh.

They are in a hurry.

Die feste Wendung es eilig haben bedeutet, dass jemand in Eile ist.

German Vocabulary

Baby noun
BAY-bee baby

mit einem Baby

beruhigen verb
beh-ROO-ih-gen to calm; to soothe zu beruhigen

das Baby zu beruhigen

bestimmt adv
beh-SHTIMT certainly; surely

ist ... bestimmt schwer zu bewältigen

bewältigen verb
beh-VEL-ti-gen to manage; to cope with zu bewältigen

schwer zu bewältigen

bisher adv
bee-SHAIR so far; up to now

Das war bisher schwierig.

Entschuldigung noun
ent-SHOOL-di-goong excuse me; apology

Entschuldigung, diese Schlange ist ...

halten verb
HAL-ten to keep; to hold zu halten

ruhig zu halten

Kinderwagen noun
KIN-der-vah-gen stroller; pram

mit einem ... Kinderwagen

ruhig adj
ROO-ikh still; calm

den Kinderwagen ruhig zu halten

Schlange noun
SHLAHNG-uh line; queue

diese Schlange

schwierig adj
SHVEE-rih difficult; tricky

war bisher schwierig

versuchen verb
fehr-ZOO-khuh to try; to attempt versuche

Ich versuche, ...

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

It has been tricky.

Show AnswerDas war bisher schwierig.

I am sure.

Show AnswerIch bin sicher.

I am not in a hurry.

Show AnswerIch habe es nicht eilig.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

baby

Show AnswerBaby

to try; to attempt

Show Answerversuche

difficult; tricky

Show Answerschwierig

so far; up to now

Show Answerbisher