German lessons

Hahahah. I do.

( I know... I have to work harder now that high school is almost over for me. Hopefully I do better than I did last year )

If you do so it´s ok. I´m relieved.

(Was it that bad?)

How's your exam coming? Do you have some time to continue my German lessons?

( it wasn't so bad. Speaking in terms of semesters, last year to this year was worse compared to the year before. It was that damn Chemistry :/ )

Their going on until end of June. But it´s ok since the hardest exams are over. So, what would you like to know?

(Chemistry? Just like me ... Until 10th class I was really good in it and then we could choose the subjects we wanted to attend. Thank god that I needed to take chemistry and biology since the french course was cancelled. So, I could choose biology to be marked ...)

Well we've kinda covered introductions. What about common phrases? Or describing things with colors. I'm trying to approach this like how I learned Spanish.

(wow, 10th grade. Normally it's 11th or 12th. But we actually had three 10th graders in our class. I don't know if it's really required now. They make changes too much in school )

Common phrases? Well, that varies a lot within Germany. I think we´ll start again with colors (basic colors):

rot - red
blau - blue
gelb - yellow
grün - green

As you see, they a similiar. So, no problem keeping them in mind.

(How do you mean it, that you have 10th graders in your class? Do they mix 10th, 11th or 12th graders?)

So easy! Except gelb. That doesn't kinda sound or kinda look like yellow.

( it depends on what class you're taking. Someone could've transferred from another school and had to take a required class they didn't offer in their other school. So they had to take a mixed class to catch up with people in their grade. Or someone could've failed a class and had to repeat instead of going to summer school. The 10th graders we had were probably ahead. We weren't really expecting 10th graders, so it came off as a surprise to us )

Isn´t it? I would like to hear you pronouncing these words. I know some british people and I can´t stop laughing when they try to pronounce for example "grün".

weiß - white
schwarz - black
rosa - pink
lila - purple
braun - brown
grau - gray

(I see. That´s different then in Germany.)

Got it. Lila may be a little harder to remember. It sounds more green to me than purple for some reason...

Can the ß in weiß be written in a different way? I asked before, but there was something about "ß" that's the same in the Russian language.

Green ... Ok. You can write "ß" as "ss". There is not really a connection to the Russian language.

Weiss. But that doesn't apply to every word with 'ß', does it?

( the new member in the new forum made a post. Let's get to know her there )

Well, it´s rather difficult. You write some words with double s and some words with "ß" but you can say that "ß" always means "ss" but "ss" not always "ß" ... Germans normally know when to use "ss" or "ß" but for people who are no native speakers it´s just a learning matter.

(I read her post but I don´t really know what I should reply. You?)

That's interesting. When I saw it, along with other symbols ( more Russian than German ) I always wondered how it was used. It's clearer now.

( If I remember correctly, she's working as a waitress. You could go in for something to eat, and I'll be outside until I go in. Things will work its way out, and we'll end up having a conversation with her )

I´m nearly done with my exams. Only three more ... after that I will be able to reply promptly and to teach you some more things.

(You´re already in her shop, so I´ll try rushing in too. )

Okay. Again, good luck.

And also again: Thanks. You want to learn some more german, so just propose some topics (if you want to).

Animals! :O It doesn't really fit with the whole sequence I learnt for Spanish... come to think of it, I only know cat and dog in Spanish. The idea just came up.

Haha ... ok.

cat - Katze
dog - Hund
rabbit - Hase/Kaninchen
bird - Vogel
horse - Pferd

Pferd sounds like bird. Horses can make the sound " pfeeerrrrrd ". Have to remember that. That's how I learn. Hahah. Cat and dog is easy. Hund, is like hound, another way to associate a dog. Vogel... might remember. Hase... I might forget after awhile. It's four letters, but...

Haha. That´s a weird way of comparing two languages.

Do you want some more animals?

Yes!

guinea pig - Meerschweinchen
donkey - Esel
mouse - Maus
fish - Fisch
pig - Schwein
lion - Löwe

There was no special order. I was just thinking of some animals. If you search for some you can´t find them ...

That's such a long word for guinea pig. It's understandable though. Have to remember Esel and löwe. Thanks. So, would there happen to be a word for panda ( favorite animal )?

It´s the same in German. You can also say "Katzenbär" for panda. So, it is your favourite animal? Why? That´s special.

I love pandas 'cause they seem more unique than other animals. They're peaceful and keep their distance, unless they have no problem with someone getting close to them. But they can also be protective. And I like the fact that they're more seen in China. They're like the type of animals you'd like to cuddle because they're so big. :3